Does our increasing demand for bottled water also drive up the cost of oil?

Question

Since plastic bottles are made from petroleum products, is our 'thirst' for bottled water also helping to drive up the price of oil? Or is this not a factor?

Answer 1

Yes they do use oil in making plastic, so why not change the materials for our throw away containers, back to glass or paper like the milk used to come in waxed paper milk cartons, we just need to stop making the plastic  stuff. Also about the tap water debate, i live in the country and have well water, some times it is ok, especially when the softener is working good other times it isn't very good, as we have something called hard water, some will understand this others will just laugh. Than there is city tap water with all of the additives and chlorine added to make it safe to drink, have you ever tasted city water just after a bunch of chlorine has been added, it almost bubbles out of the tap. I rest my case.

Answer 2

Dear BH,

I sent you an email; hope you get it.

someone has already answered your question better than I can.  You probably already know this -- bottled water is not better than tap water.  I rather compare the bottled preference to the one which holds that private insurance companies are better than a public health policy.  (The old folks don't really want to do away with social security and medicare.)

   Unfortunately for me now, even cowboys drink bottled water.  For shame.     --  Jerry   (Red River Charlie)

Answer 3

People spending $1.50 and more a litre for bottled water do not care a bit about gasoline at $1.10 a litre.

These people could be refilling their water bottle from the tap, in most cases, to save not only the $1.50 for the water but also the trivial effect on the price of oil... Money is of no importance to these people.

Answer 4

yes

Answer 5

Of course it does.  And why is there such a demand for bottled water?  Talk about bogus marketing.

Answer 6

true but we do not need disposable plastic bottles. Once more people realise this they'll start refilling a sports bottle.

Answer 7

Bleeding Heart... recognise the beautiful flower.... Everything we do will affect us and our children, relatives, etc. We have re-usable bottles. Shouldn't we use them? Does everyone recycyle? Everyone should work harder to do the best they can with what they have available. Water should come out of the faucet,not a bottle. If we could eliminate the waste here then it could only help eveyone.

Answer 8

Plastic is a by product of the oil industry, however instead of getting water from a pipe, bottled water has to be transported by truck to the store, of course it is the same truck that  delivers soft drinks,  so I am not even sure that there is that large an impact on the oil price.

Answer 9

Very much so. It takes petroleum to make the raw materials for the plastic, energy to refine and turn it into the bottle. Transportation to the bottling plant.  Filling and packaging the bottles needs cardboard and more plastic. Again transporting to point of sale. You buy it then the packaging is disposed (RECYCLED??) Now you have an empty bottle. Toss it and come back years later for it. recycle the plastic and you use energy again.

And all the energy use and raw materials need drives up the demand + Price.

Answer 10

Not only does it increase the demand for bottles but also for fuel for the vehicles transporting the water to the factory & to the retailer after it has been sourced and purified. There's a major domino effect here.