Remember your reusable water bottle
Small acts are all it takes to make a big impact
Just by remembering to take your reusable water bottle and refilling it rather than buying water in a single-use plastic bottle, you’ll be saving money, natural resources and the planet.
It’s a small act with a big impact on Victoria’s sustainable future.
Why it matters
The cost to the environment
Australians buy billions of plastic bottles each year. Sadly, 53% of plastic bottles end up in landfill and 12% end up in our environment where they contribute to the 130 thousand tonnes of plastic leaked into Australia’s marine environment each year (WWF, Plastic Revolution to Reality 2020).
Like other single-use plastic items such as plastic bags and straws, plastic water bottles are only used briefly but remain in the environment for hundreds of years causing considerable damage to wildlife, the environment and our health.
Producing and transporting plastic water bottles also uses a lot of energy and resources. It takes 3 litres of water and 1 litre of oil to produce just 1 litre of bottled water (Clean Up Australia 2022).
The cost to you
Buying bottled water is more expensive than tap water. In fact, bottled water is on average 2000 times more expensive than the high-quality drinking water we enjoy in Victoria. Here’s another way to look at it. It would take you 8 years of refilling your plastic bottle with tap water to make back the initial cost of buying one bottle of water.
Tips and tricks
Keep your bottle handy
Make it easy to remember your reusable bottle by keeping it somewhere convenient after you wash it out, like in your bag or next to where you keep your keys, so it’s ready to go.
Sometimes two are better than one
If you frequently work away from home, consider getting two reusable drink bottles and keep one at home and one at work. This way you don’t have to worry about forgetting your bottle.
Get a free refill on the go
Running out of water when out and about? Top up your reusable bottle at one of the many free water refill stations around. To find your nearest tap water location visit the Choose tap website.
Find a small act that works for you
There are many other easy ways to reduce waste and recycle more. Find a small act that works for you and be part of Victoria’s sustainable future.
