10 Reasons Why PATHWATER is the Best Bottled Water for the Planet

It's officially a new decade! And you know what? More people are ready to rethink what "the best bottled water" truly means. We're here to spur that evolution from a plastic, riddled past, and reimagine a world that is conveniently sustainable.

Did you know that of all the environmental issues we face, most people feel they can have the biggest impact on plastic pollution through the actions they take? That means we're feeling pretty empowered about leaving plastic waste on the shelf, and out of production.

"Convenience is pretty darn useful, and there's no reason why we can't combine great concepts like grabbing a bottled water on-the-go with refilling our water bottles as the norm, a concept that delivers responsible choice-making directly to consumers," says Shadi Bakour CEO and Co-founder of PATHWATER. Now that our plastic crisis has reached the tipping point, most people understand that there's so much more to consider when evaluating bottled water. More than comparing apples to apples or, in our case water to water, the real comparisons are the materials and the life cycle of the bottles we choose. So when addressing the question, "What's the best bottled water?" We have to get honest about two things: 1) it must be reusable, we can no longer accept single-use bottled water, and 2) it must be packed in genuinely recyclable, sustainable materials.

Now, we don't want to toot our own horn but, these are the exact solutions we're disrupting the Bottled Water Industry with. It doesn't end there, so we decided to share 10 reasons why PATHWATER is the best sustainable bottled water for 2020 and beyond.

 

#1 PATHWATER believes access to clean water is a human right & provides Hydration Stations for organizations that ban plastic bottled water

 

"Doing the right thing isn't just a catchphrase for us; it's imperative for our future. We don't sell water, we sell a reusable bottle, that happens to come with water. What happens with the bottle after the water is consumed is the most important part of a bottled water transaction and that refilling requires access to clean drinking water," says Ali Orabi, CMO and Co-Founder of PATHWATER. The PATHWATER team helps organizations like schools and government facilities replace their old water fountains with new hydration stations when they make a commitment to ban single-use plastic bottled water. It's important that we solve our water access and infrastructure issues so more people can refill and make smart choices with their hydration. No one should feel forced to purchase bottled water because they think the water in their school or city isn't up to par. 

"Everyone should have access to clean drinking water. PATHWATER's hybrid bottled water model is made for REUSABILITY, and this helps communities bring to light issues of access to clean drinking water. It brings transparency and moments of reckoning around the health of municipal water. This is why we couple our solution with refill stations to be more than a sleek, durable bottle that is priced comparably to single-use plastic bottles, but a bigger player in much-needed water solutions." - Ali Orabi

So, where do you stand? Do you think water should be a human right?

The United Nations General Assembly decided in 2010 to hold water and the sanitization of it as a human right. While there are no formal laws that enforce this right, it is currently up to our national and local governments to ensure that its citizenry has access to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water.

#2 PATHWATER helps people easily transition from single-use plastic to reusable water bottles

 

Our founders wanted to provide reusable canteen-style bottled water, comparably priced; that way, anyone could easily afford a sustainable, reusable bottle. A big part of PATHWATER's mission is to get people to reassess their view of beverage containers as inherently wasteful and open up to the idea that beverage containers can and should be reusable and sustainable, as the norm. We knew it couldn't just be any reusable bottle, it had to be sturdy, made from a material that was truly 100% recyclable, and it couldn't be made from plastics derived from fossil fuels. It had to be a bottle that was a culmination of many good decisions. 

Aluminum, check. 

Durable, check. 

Reusable, check. 

You see, designing the perfect hybrid of a reusable bottle in a single-use setting is just the beginning of a Refill Revolution.

Did you know that one PATHWATER bottle is priced at $2.19? If you refill your bottle just 5 times, that is about $.44. Refill 5 more times, and you have made a profit on your bottle. The best profit is the environmental impact REFILLING brings. 

Aluminum is infinitely recyclable and contributes to a circular economy. Knowing that the bottle we choose will save the planet and contribute to a cleaner world and future is precisely why people are switching to reusable bottles and doing away with single-use plastic bottle waste. 

We understand people want bottled water that is affordable, easy to carry around, and is truly recyclable. Aluminum reusable bottles solve many issues around waste, recycling, and is a material that will not have us worry about cancers and many other health concerns that come with plastic waste. Wondering how safe Aluminum is to drink from? We've done the research, read this. 

Choosing the best materials means we don't have to worry about the unfortunate issues that toxic plastic packaging and plastic recycling brings. We've laid out some of the main problems with plastic water bottle recycling in the blog Do Plastic Water Bottles REALLY get Recycled? 

By avoiding single-use plastic bottled water waste altogether and replacing your choice with aluminum bottles, you are helping to eliminate plastic waste now and in the future. You are also contributing to the aluminum recycling process, which is highly efficient and produces another bottle/can of equal quality on store shelves within 60 days. You can take a look at the various types of bottled water packaging, and the pros/cons of each in our blog: What is the Best Material for Bottled Water? You are also voting with your choices; as the more people who choose to switch to more sustainable packaging, more companies will make the right move in accordance to your demands. 

So, what is the best alternative to bottled water? 

The best alternative to bottled water is a hybrid of purified bottled water in a reusable bottle. This way, you can get the convenience of bottled water without the waste. While any reusable bottle would be a great alternative, PATHWATER is the best reusable water bottle alternative because it's priced comparable to single-use, while maintaining a long reusable life. 

#3 PATHWATER participates in beach and street cleanups

 

Does your bottled water clean up the ocean? Ours does! When you join the Revolution, you automatically become part of the solution to clean up our beaches, ban single-use plastic bottled water, and educate youth on solutions to plastic waste via our PSA Program. We're not just on a mission to stop the plastic bleeding it’s poison pollution  into our oceans; we know it's going to take a clean up crew to help solve our plastic crisis. So we're cleaning up after The Bottled Water Industry to make sure those pesky plastics don't end up as microplastics in our ocean. The Ocean Conservancy estimates that after cigarette butts, plastic beverage bottles are the second most found trash at beach cleanups. 

 

Why are beach cleanups important?

Trash that falls out of garbage trucks or is littered gets washed away through storm drains and into our ocean. It's important that we prevent as much trash from entering our ocean as possible, that is why beach cleanups can help. When we pick up trash and recover it via recycling or send it to the landfill we help to:

 

• Save turtles from getting plastic straws being stuck in their nostrils
• Save animals from being strangled by 6-pack plastic rings
• Save the food stream from additional microplastics
• Save birds from ingesting cigarette butts

 

 

#4 PATHWATER minimizes the amount of plastic waste that gets incinerated

 

Did you know that in the U.S., plastic is burned 6X more than it is recycled? That's why we need to REDUCE our plastic use by REUSING a water bottle instead of purchasing wasteful single-use bottles like it's groundhogs day. PATHWATER helps by guiding people to a reusable bottle that's truly recyclable. 

Aluminum is not only one of the most highly recycled materials; it can be recycled over and over without losing its value. This is why recycled Aluminum is sustainable; it makes packaging more responsible as the relationship with the environment avoids depletion and degradation of the planet's natural resources. Here's more that explains Why Aluminum is the #1 Recyclable Material for the Economy and the Environment.

Plastics are made from petroleum, and this comes with environmental damage caused by carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. Burning plastic, after one use, contributes to a linear economy model and is the least ideal for building sustainability.

 

#5 PATHWATER is the only circular economy bottled water

 

PATHWATER was created to be the smartest bottled water on the shelf. Being the brainiest bottle means that we've made all of the tough decisions for people, so there's no sacrifice of convenience for sustainability. When it comes to the circular economy, PATHWATER helps serve systems that work well, including the system of reusable bottles and the aluminum recycling system.

The high recyclability of Aluminum reduces the energy needed in the production of new bottles. The PATHWATER bottle was designed to last "forever." Aluminum is a safe and sustainable material; it's also capable of being thick and sturdy, which gives our bottles the qualities needed to reuse for a very long time before recycling.

PATHWATER is dedicated to changing the bottled water industry and move practices toward zero-waste - a bottled water circular economy.

 

#6 Trash-Free Water

 

What the heck is trash free water? PATHWATER prevents trash at the source by offering reusability, giving everyone the power to be trash-free. That's worlds better than any wasteful single-use container that claims "sustainability" and "recyclability" but ultimately produces trash.

Aluminum recycling is hugely forgiving and a valuable process that still occurs within the U.S. Our biggest mission is to make every bottle reusable, first and foremost, before it gets recycled. For us, it means the world that we can provide reusable bottles to students and people who might not have the budget for a Hydro Flask® or other canteen-style bottles.

 

#7 Support environmental education for students through the PATHWATER Ambassador Program

 

 

Scientists say that if we don't stop producing single-use plastic waste at the rate we are today, by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish, by weight. We want to do everything we can to lower this scary plastic prediction for the future.

Youth are rising up and demanding changes to policies that will be aggressive enough to make our future cleaner. Packaging is a big part of our waste issues, which impacts access to clean air, water, soil, food, and creates unnecessary pollution. PATHWATER founders wanted to pass on a legacy to their children that included trash-free streets, clean rivers, and beaches to swim freely in without risk of contamination, and a world with healthy, thriving wildlife. That's why we've given students a platform to express their concerns and influence their school policies by petitioning school campuses to go single-use plastic-free. The PSA Program continues to increase awareness for students, parents, teachers, and staff for the adoption of reusable bottled water, clean water hydration stations, and the need for plastic bottled water bans. Every person educated, every follower gained, every school that has banned single-use plastic continues to amplify and grow the refill revolution.

 

#8 Partnerships to Save the Planet: PATHWATER invites everyone to the party by offering co-branded bottles

 

Sustainability is best when shared with everyone. That's why we help businesses switch from plastic and upgrade to a reusable bottle by making it fun, desirable, and engaging. Companies that have joined the Refill Revolution include Intuit, Facebook, Adidas, Hayward Unified School District, Yellowstone National Park, and many more. Every company that joins the mission to upgrade from plastic helps eliminate thousands to millions of wasteful single-use plastic bottles. We love working with our partners to save the planet and support their efforts with marketing, education, and tailored, collaborative programs. 

It takes more than a village to save the planet, and that's why we invite everyone to the Refill Revolution — interested in Partnering to Save the Planet with us? Learn more here. 

 

#9 PATHWATER contributes to educational efforts to support REUSE

 

We make it our mission to keep you informed on issues related to our environment and ways to effectively clean it up. That's why we bring science to you. We dig into the scientific reports and pull out the important information we think you'll want to know, then we share it! Here's a quick snapshot of some facts and stats we think are important to know:

• If everyone in the U.S. adopts a reusable bottle, we could prevent 42.6 billion plastic water bottles from being purchased annually. (Penn State)
• Adopting a refillable water bottle helps decrease the 60 million plastic bottles that go to landfills and incinerators every year. (Container Recycling Institute)
• Americans can save $11.8 billion by simply choosing to refill a water bottle instead of purchasing single-use bottled water. (Penn State)
• A family of four that chooses to refill for 5 years can save a total of $120,000 on plastic bottled water. (Penn State)
• Want to prevent 17 million barrels of oil from being used for plastic bottled water in the U.S.? Choose to refill. (Penn State)
• Choose to reuse an aluminum bottle; the majority of Aluminum consists of 70% recycled content. (The Aluminum Association)
• Refilling your PATHWATER bottle just 3 times makes it carbon neutral. (PATHWATER)
• Refilling your PATHWATER bottle 4+ times makes it carbon positive and helps prevent additional carbon emissions from being used for new single-use plastic bottles. (PATHWATER)
• On average, people use the PATHWATER bottle 10+ times before recycling it. (PATHWATER)
• By choosing to reuse, we can help prevent marine litter, which harms over 600 marine species. (United Nations)
• By 2050, there is expected to be more plastic in the ocean than fish, by weight. Choose to refill, not landfill. (World economic forum)
• When more of us refill our water bottle, we help reduce the 1 million plastic bottles being consumed every minute around the world. (United Nations)

 

#10 PATHWATER invites YOU to Join the Revolution!

 

The biggest reason that PATHWATER is the best bottled water is that everyone is invited to the party! That means YOU! We want the world to refill, whatever the reason. Want to clean up the planet? Join the Revolution! Want to save animals from plastic pollution? Join the Revolution! Want to ban plastic bottled water at your office or school? Join the Revolution! Want to save some stacks? Join the Revolution! There's no shortage of reasons to get on board with the best (REUSABLE) bottled water.

 

Ready to join?

 

 

References:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/04/style/self-care/hydrate-hydrate-hydrate.html

https://www.epa.gov/trash-free-waters/frequently-asked-questions-about-plastic-recycling-and-composting 

https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/human-rights/

https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2019/04/23/plastic-pollution-chemical-pollution/

https://usatrade.census.gov/

https://sites.psu.edu/math033fa17/2017/10/10/plastic-vs-reusable-water-bottles/

http://www.container-recycling.org/index.php/issues/.../275-down-the-drain

https://www.aluminum.org/news/study-finds-aluminum-cans-sustainable-package-choice

http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1