Green for less: Don't let bottled water drain your budget

One aspect of modern life that would perplex a time traveler from the 1950s is our willingness to spend money on bottled water. In 2005, according to the Bottled Water Association, in 2006 8.25 billion gallons of bottled water were sold, a 9.5% increase over the previous year. And yet perfectly drinkable water is available at the tap in most homes. In fact, in my house a 12 oz. serving of water costs me $00.0034.

Many people, however, dislike the taste of their tap water, or mistrust its purity. They turn to bottled water, often in 12 or 16 oz. disposable containers, that cost around $1 per when purchases singly, half that when bought in bulk.