In the movie 'The Ugly Truth', Abby (Katherine Heigl's character in the movie) has a list of criteria she looks for in a guy. Criteria that according to Mike (Gerard Butler's character) describe the 'ideal woman' and not the 'ideal guy'. One of those criteria is a guy who is responsible enough to the environment that he doesn't mind drinking tap water instead of ordering bottled water in restaurants.
Alas, a film that advocates something close to my heart! I refused to drink bottled water for quite some time now due to the plastic bottle's bad effect on the environment. Apparently, these plastic bottles never decompose causing harm to the environment. I have bought for myself a steel reusable water bottle (picture on left) so I can carry it with me wherever I go. Be it in my car when I'm on the road or when I'm in the mall or in the gym (naturally!) or even in restaurants if I think the latter's tap water isn't safe enough to drink.
(By the way, if you're wondering why I bought 'steel' bottle instead of reusable plastic bottle which my toddler is using when we go out of the house, picture on right, it's because water tastes better or tastes more natural when stored in steel bottles than in plastic water bottles. I have a very sensitive taste buds. I can even detect if the brand of the delivered drinking water in our house changes. Why reusable plastic bottle for my kid? It's because steel bottles can be very heavy for her especially when filled up with liquid. The one on the right is from 'Familia' a local brand of plastic ware which guarantees durability and made up of non-toxic materials. It retails for P149.75 while the one on the left is made in Japan and retails for P169.)
In the movie, Abby and Mike both agree (independently though) that tap water is the same as bottled water which has a lot of truth in it. If you're in a place like Singapore or Davao City in the Philippines (Note: The tap water in Davao City was tested to be as clean as the waters in Switzerland, equivalent to the 'cleanliness' of mineral water not just regular bottled water. The only type of consumer water cleaner than Davao City's tap water is distilled), you don't need to buy bottled water especially now that I heard plastic bottled water is now banned in Singapore. To which I loudly applaud! Come to think of it, bringing your own bottle of water instead of buying bottled water will save you money and the benefit is far greater -- you're helping our Mother Earth!
The 'green revolution' is an advocacy very close to my heart. I may not yet be a 'green activist' but I contribute in my own little way. For instance, I refuse to take plastic bags whenever I go shopping especially if the item/s can fit my bag or I see to it to bring my own reusable shopping bag. I also ask the 'bag man' or the cashier clerk to lessen the use of plastic bags if I have no choice. Yesterday, I bought earphones for my Ipod from the MacCenter and the cashier looked at me with question marks all over her face when I refused to take the 'bag' for my earphone and the printed marketing collateral she was giving me. I did browse through the brochure so their efforts were not wasted but since any of the items did not interest me, I gave it back so others can still read it (read: paper conservation). The same happened when I bought a pair of sunglasses. The saleslady even asked me to just keep the 'plastic bag' but I refused. I have also stopped my monthly subscription to several magazines. Not only I saved money, I have made my own contribution to tree conservation.
Please don't think that your little efforts are futile or won't affect our environment. If millions of people collectively think their little efforts are useless, then it will really be the sad reality. But if these millions of people would do their little part to helping the environment, imagine what we could achieve!
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