Recent studies show that people of color are spending more of their household income on bottled water than white Americans. In a study from the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, “minority children were exclusively given bottled water 3 times more often than non-Latino white children.” So why are groups that are largely less wealthy than white people carving out a chunk of a perhaps tight budget for a good that is so unnecessary and expensive?

Some experts point to increased bottled water ad campaigns targeting minorities as the cause of this phenomenon. Coca Cola and Nestle, owners of Dasani and Poland Spring respectively, are structuring their advertising campaigns to specifically focus on African American and Latino mothers who commonly control household spending. It’s working.

Forbes Magazine reports that a significant portion of people of color are convinced that bottled water is healthier, cleaner and safer than the virtually free stuff that comes from the tap. But Forbes notes the evidence pointing toward the contrary: “A National Resources Defense Council investigation discovered that 17% of bottled waters contained unsafe levels of bacterial loads, and 22% were contaminated with chemicals, including arsenic.”

Chilli, former member of the music group TLC, and son push Dasani

Bottled water campaigns use the healthy angle to tout water as the smart choice for mothers who want the best for their families. In a way, that’s true. Research suggests that substituting water for sugary drinks “could result in up to 235 fewer extra calories per day being taken in by children and adolescents.” But mothers can encourage an increase in water consumption without doling out gobs of money for bottled water.

Despite the arguments against consuming bottled water, namely the personal financial and environmental costs, I think some people of color still avoiding tap water as a result of these carefully placed ad campaigns. A corporation using fear mongering to rake in customers—in this case by intimating that not buying their brand means putting your children at risk of drinking dirty water—is nothing new, but I think it’s unfortunate that this marketing ploy is contributing to the financial burden on low-income communities. Read more here.

It never ceases to amaze me what some people will pay money for. Organic water, one of the most absurd marketing ploys I’ve ever heard of, is now being served in hoi polloi restaurants and hotels internationally. It’s bad enough that giant corporations like Nestle, Coca Cola and Pepsi have duped millions of people into paying tens of thousands of times more money for a bottle of water than the sometimes cleaner stuff that comes from municipal taps. But organic water? Seriously?

I’m talking in particular about Llanllyr Source, a bottled water company based out of the U.K that claims its water is organic because it comes from beneath an organic farm. But NPR makes an interesting counterpoint: “Remember the properties of water? H2O means each molecule of water contains two atoms of hydrogen (H) joined to one atom of oxygen (O). In order for something to be organic — as in alive — it needs carbon. So water, by definition is inorganic.”

I suppose the rules must be different in the U.K, because in America the U.S. Department of Agriculture specifically excludes water when defining which products can be classified as organic.

But Llanllyr markets itself as Mr. Green, touting its environmental awareness and emphasizing the fact that it is a UN Global Compact signature. However, Principle 8 of the Compact states that businesses should “undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility.” How can bottled water possibly be considered environmentally responsible when so much carbon is expelled in the extraction, packaging, and exporting process? And for what? To make people believe that just because they paid $4 for a sleek silver aluminum can the contents will be more pure? I sincerely hope that false assurances and ridiculous green washing will not be enough to convince people that it’s worth it to further pollute the planet just for a drink of water.

One more hilarious tidbit from the Llanllyr website:  “[Our water] is distinctively soft and an ideal meal accompaniment.”

“Going green” is not a lifestyle choice that is accessible to everyone. Many of us find it difficult to afford organic produce, fair trade coffee, installing solar panels and the like. However this isn’t a reason to give up on trying to lead an eco-conscious life. I’ve listed below some ways to live cheaply in a way that benefits the planet:

1. Organic produce is not cheap, so if you are going to buy conventionally grown fruits and veggies I suggest choosing items with a peel to cut down on the amount of pesticides you are ingesting. So save money by buying non-organic oranges, lemons and bananas but splurge on peaches (the fruit with the highest pesticide load according to The Environmental Working Group) and berries.
2. Invest in a good bike: The amount of money you’ll save on gas will soon offset the cost of a bicycle. And you don’t even have to buy a new bike- get one used from your local bike trader.
3. Shop at a thrift store: The clothing industry is taxing on the environment and on our water resources. By buying pre-worn clothing, you are not only avoiding department store prices but you are recycling and re-using in a way that benefits the planet.
4. Turn off the lights: Save energy, save money on your electric bills– simple as that.
5. Make your own cleaning supplies- While Seventh Generation is widely considered to be one of the most environmentally responsible household products brand, they aren’t cheap. Here’s how to make your own supplies.
6. DON’T BUY BOTTLED WATER! I know I’ve written about the detrimental effects of bottled water a hundred times, but I really can’t emphasize it enough. Dropping 2 bucks every time you want some water adds up. So buy a re-usable water bottle or water filter—good for your wallet, good for the earth.

Here’s what Cameron Walker of National Geographic News has to say about the holidays: “Yes, the holidays draw out the best in most of us each year. But they also bring what seems like an environmentalist’s worst nightmare: tons of extra garbage, millions of chopped-down trees, and megawatts of flashing lights. With a little tweaking, however, everything from holiday gift-giving to light-stringing can celebrate the environment, too.” As we celebrate the holidays this year, we can celebrate the environment too. Here’s how:

Every year between Thanksgiving and New Years, Americans throw away an addition 1 million tons of garbage. This, according to environmentalist and author Robert Lilienfeld, is a result of all the surplus wrapping paper we’re using at the time. To eliminate some of that waste, try reusing gift bags and ribbons, wrapping presents in newspaper (it doesn’t look that trashy, I promise), or buying recycled gift wrap.

During the nation’s biggest shopping season, remember to bring reusable bags with you. Also, cloth shopping bags make great gifts! They’re not only trendy, they’re eco-friendly too.

Switching to LED Christmas lights will save money and energy. Reduce your carbon imprint this month by investing in low-power lights that are long-lasting (50,000-100,000 hour life span), safe, and recyclable. Holiday Creations is one place to buy them.

Recycle your Christmas tree! Here’s the blog post I wrote last year about how to do so: Treecycling

Plan your gift shopping in advance so as to avoid making lots of different trips. This saves you fuel, money, and the hassle of fighting through holiday traffic.

As it gets colder and fall settles in, I’m already thinking about how to keep warm and keep my heating bills low at the same time. I found a great site that explains how to easily winterize your home (so easily in fact that even I can do it) in order to save money and energy. So warm up, be green, and check out this site: 19 Easy Home Winterization Projects

Also, eco-idea of the day: Why not use shower caps instead of cellophane to cover left-over containers in the fridge? This saves money (each package of saran wrap costs about 3 dollars whereas re-usable shower caps are only 99 cents for 3) and saves plastic. Watch this video to find out why saving plastic is good for our water resources: