The Achievement
In January 2008, the City of Chicago instituted a 5 cent tax on each
bottle of water sold, making Chicago the first major U.S. city to
institute such a surcharge.
The Benefits
Reducing or banning the purchase and consumption of bottled water
reduces waste, saves money, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions.
Plastic bottles are
made from petroleum and require energy to produce (which in turn
produces greenhouse gases). Also, they are often thrown in the
trash, rather than recycled. Transporting all those bottles to
landfills via trucks is expensive, and produces greenhouse gases. When
a city and its resides reduces bottled water consumption, it means less
trash to transport and fill up landfills, and fewer greenhouse gas
emissions. In addition, using tap water is much cheaper than buying
bottled water. Municipal tap water is safe and is typically more
closely monitored than bottled water.
City of Chicago officials estimate the tax will secure an extra $10.5
million annually.
Getting Started
