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Bottled water sales pass soda sales in U.S.

Sun - 3/16/2017

Here's something we never thought we'd read: Americans now drink more bottled water than soda.

That's right - in 2016, Americans drank (or at least purchased) more bottled water than soda, with the beverage reaching 12.8 billion gallons. Per person, that's 39 gallons of bottled water vs. 38.5 gallons of soda, according to a report on Business Insider.

Turning the tide from soda to water is an amazing public health achievement. Soda, while tasty, can be packed with sugar, causing a variety of health issues, from cavities to obesity.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that substituting water for one 20-ounce sugar sweetened soda will save about 240 calories.

Water, on the other hand, is a healthy alternative. And it has a host of health benefits. WebMD notes that water helps energize muscles, keeps skin looking good, helps kidneys rid the body of toxins, helps maintain normal bowel function, helps control calories and it helps maintain the balance of body fluids. The Centers for Disease Control, meanwhile, notes that water helps keep the body's temperature normal, helps lubricate and cushion joints and protects the spinal cord.

In Yuma, water consumption is especially important, as our desert heat can cause a host of dehydration issues.

It's amazing news that water is surpassing soda sales. Bottled water has a convenience factor. It's easy to grab a bottle of water on the go, while one is out and about.

But it's time to take this a step further, readers. Bottled water has one big flaw - the bottles themselves. As Business Insider notes, those plastic bottles are not environmentally friendly, filling our landfills with unnecessary trash.

Instead of spending the money on bottled water, why not spend a few dollars on a reusable water bottle? Fill it up with ice and water each morning, and carry it with you through the day, which is an eco-friendly idea that, in the long run, saves you money, too.

Think of it like this. If one were to buy a bottle of water a day, at a conservative estimate of $1 a day, one is spending $365 on water a year. Or, one could spend $10-15 on a nice reusable water bottle, and, with a little planning, will in turn save $350 - and all it really takes is remembering to fill that water bottle each morning.

It's amazing that water sales have surpassed soda. But let's take it a step further, and try an environmentally friendly approach that saves dollars too.