It has been 47 years since Rachel Carson published the Silent Spring, the book that is widely credited with helping launch the environmental movement. In many ways we have come a long way since then, but not when it comes to inconvenience. Our disposable society has costs our planet its valuable resources at an unprecedented rate that can’t even compare to the national debt.

This may be the first time you’re reading about metal water bottles, the eco-friendly alternatives to plastic. There are several advantages to these safe water bottles; here are a few facts just on the cost of producing plastic bottles and what they cost you.

Did you know what it takes to make one 32-ounce bottle of water? A quarter ounces of oil and 96 ounces of water, in other words, it takes more resources to create one water bottle than it contains! On a larger scale, bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year. According to Food and Water Watch, that plastic requires up to 47 million gallons of oil per year to produce. In addition, over 80% of plastic bottles are simply thrown away, never to make it to a recycling center.

Did you know that most major brands of bottled water are simply filtered tap water? Bottled water costs about $3-$5 per gallon. Our municipal tap water, which is perfectly safe and tested regularly, costs about $2 per thousand gallons. That’s 2500 times more than tap water. Why buy it when you can pour it at home for a lot less.

Some simply do not like the taste of tap water, or are not trusting of the local water source. A carbon-filtered water pitcher or a reverse-osmosis-filtered water system for drinking and cooking will pay for itself in a short time.

These simple alternatives are not only healthier for you and your family; it reduces your carbon footprint. The difference is already adding up to a better future. Act locally, affect globally.

In the book The Tipping Point, author Malcolm Gladwell writes “The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.”

At what point are we in making an effort to move away from disposable products like plastic water bottles to a sustainable product like a metal water bottle? I pondered that thought for sometime in my own observation of the “use once and toss” culture we live in. In Mr. Gladwell’s book, he explains how a few individuals or a single haphazard event can set off a social epidemic that can shape our thinking and way of life.

Judging just from this week news headlines a conscience switch has been turned on towards a greener alternative to metal water bottles.

In The Daily Green online newsletter article titled, Green Up Your Back-to-School Shopping, gave simple tips for non toxic and sustainable safe purchases…Avoid clear or tinted hard-plastic water bottles…High-quality stainless steel are increasingly available.

SCNow.com reported at last months Senior Olympics in Palo Alto, CA, the organizing committee made an early commitment to the environment. Along with the stainless steel water bottles provided by the City, they installed 11 hydration stations around the main competition venues where athletes could refill their bottles in seconds.

In the Golden Gate Express: The Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival held at Golden Gate Park last weekend organizers pledge an even greener venue than last year, "We are making the whole festival carbon neutral through the Climate Smart Program," said PG&E spokesman Joe Molica. "We want to work and help make it one of the greenest festivals in the country." The organizers also tried to help limit waste by making metal water bottles available for sale so that people could get refills throughout the festival.

The Lake County News-Sun reported a Chicago area Boy Scout proposing an upgrade to the downtown Metra train station as his Eagle Scout project. The Scout is heading a fundraiser to raise $2,700 for the project by selling metal water bottles that are personalized with the Troop emblem.

In a press release titled, Major Green Efforts Are Underway on UC San Diego Campus, it states--Underlining its reputation as one of the greenest campuses in the country, UC San Diego is initiating students entering the campus this Fall will find a next-generation array of green innovations ranging from drought tolerant bio-swale landscaping to organic foods and hydration stations that eliminate the need for disposable water bottles.

This is just a snapshot in a seven-day news cycle; our country is moving toward a greener future, and that one approach is through the use of a metal water bottle. We are a long way off from reaching critical mass, but there is a ground swell of awareness with each one of us doing our part, we can create the next tipping point. Little things can make a big difference.

How much Water should you Drink each Day?

Water is essential for optimum health, yet needs vary by individual and depends on many factors, weight, metabolic rate, how much you tend to sweat, how active you are and where you live. “Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day” and sometimes includes "all fluids" has been the norm. Though the approach isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink. Or more simply - drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

Before and During Activities

Before any recreation it's important to start drinking water, an 8oz glass an hour leading up to your activity is important so you don't start out dehydrated. If you are preparing to go the distance, a good rule of thumb is to drink approximately one water bottle an hour during your activity. Try not to go much beyond that, as it's possible to hyper-hydrate.

Remember, water is the best source of your daily fluid needs and does not add calories!