There’s a special kind of guilt that comes with buying bottled water when you’re out and about. Not only is it a waste of money when you could easily fill it up at home, the plastic it comes in can wreak havoc on your health and the environment. But sometimes, sh*t happens, you’re thirsty and it’s a convenient last resort.
And the research shows we ARE all buying bottled water. Studies show that sales in the water category have increased from 11.8 billion gallons in 2015 to 12.8 billion in 2016 — making it the number-one beverage in the US. That has a lot to do with us, the millennials. As our generation becomes more and more health-conscious, we’re moving away from soda as our go-to beverage and instead gravitating towards water. At the same time, we’re also spearheading the push towards a more environmentally and socially-conscious world. We want products that make being healthy and eco-friendly as convenient as possible.
JUST Water is a US company that’s ticking all the right boxes. They’ve released the world’s first spring water packaged in plant-based plastic. The packaging is made from 82% renewable resources — a blend of paper and plastic sustainably sourced from the Brazilian sugarcane. Using certified paper and plant-based plastic reduces the harmful emissions like CO2 involved in traditional bottled water production by almost 50%.
Moving entirely away from fossil fuels in our JUST water bottle is central to JUST’s mission. The shift to plant-based plastic was not a simple one. Finding the most responsible plant that didn’t upset a food supply, deforest naturally occurring vegetation, not made with GMOs, while utilized fair trade practices were requirements for JUST. We found the answer – sugarcane from Brazil.
-via JUST Water
They’ve also partnered with the city of Glens Fall in New York, meaning they’re investing in a small town community and reducing their environmental impact by sourcing water locally and responsibly. They also pay their water manufacturers 6 times more than any other water users in the community.
JUST Water is just one example of a brand striving to make a difference in the world. Check out 9 other ethical and sustainable brands that give back when you buy here.
