We should really just ban plastic bottles entirely and switch back to glass and aluminum only.

r/

Think about how little of a sacrifice this would be. You wouldn’t even have to give up any choice of beverages. Just you can’t destroy the environment and your own body with microplastics anymore.

There is zero reason not to do it. Plastics are only used because they are slightly cheaper for the manufacturer, but they are way, way more expensive for us and society.

Aluminum cans and glass bottles with re-closable tops both exist.

Additionally, glass and aluminum recycling are the only two forms of recycling that are actually efficient and profitable.

All we’d need to do is pass a law. We’d dramatically reduce waste, improve the health of our people and ecosystem, and it would cost us almost nothing.

Comments

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  2. aBeverage0fSorts Avatar

    Wouldn’t benefit me in any way and even if it’s cheaper to produce they’re still gonna put a premium price on it in the store, so while it’s cheaper for the store it’s more expensive for me, so the only thing that’ll accomplish is driving up their profit margins

  3. nikhkin Avatar

    Using glass would simply change how we’re polluting the environment.

    It’s substantially heavier than plastic, which means more energy is required to transport it.

    Plus, think about how much plastic litter there is, and consider the issue of replacing it with broken glass.

    Sure, there are arguments to use glass, but you can claim there’s “zero reasons not to do it”.

    Plus, your argument that it would “dramatically improve health” seems like an exaggeration.

    As for aluminium, aluminium cans have a plastic lining to them.

  4. BoltsGuy02 Avatar
  5. Blahkbustuh Avatar

    Aluminum cans have a plastic liner 🙁

  6. MrJones- Avatar

    It would be better to have refill stations in stores this would help reduce the plastics used, while a switch to alternative sources was implemented.

  7. runningOverA Avatar

    Aluminium cans have a thin plastic layer inside to prevent the beverage from reacting with metal can.

    So it’s not that drinking from a can will prevent exposure to micro plastic.

  8. TheHvam Avatar

    I don’t know the data, but we also need to consider the manufacturing and recycling of the glass or aluminum, if recycling and manufacturing of the bottles cause more environmental problems, then it might not be the best choice, as then we are just replacing one problem with a new one.

    Not saying we shouldn’t switch, just that those factors are also relevant for whether or not we should switch.

  9. Pop-metal Avatar

    > There is zero reason not to do it

    You never even looked into it. What about higher travel costs???

  10. MiningEarth Avatar

    Aluminum is actually still plastic inside.

  11. Miss_L_Worldwide Avatar

    Someone doesn’t remember what it was like to have broken glass literally every place, every goddamn where, 30 40 years ago.

  12. Alarming-Activity439 Avatar

    They exist with plastic or silicone o-rings to seal them. I just purchased a leather canteen sealed with beeswax and closed with a cork.

  13. Danglenibble Avatar

    rare W post.

    Downvoted because I wholly agree.

  14. Acrobatic-Concept616 Avatar

    I like glass bottles better because I think they’re cool

  15. thatnetguy666 Avatar

    this wouldnt even put a dent in the problem.

    We need to sanction China and India as most of this is their fault. They use more plastic then the restof the world combined and they take no accountability to clean up their trash and we pay the price.

  16. sssanguine Avatar

    Congratulation you just made a $2 bottle of Coke cost $5 while also becoming less efficient, using more energy, adding in more breakage, etc.. Peak midwit