Water water everywhere…And not a bit of plastic.
During the summer months, the temperature in Venice can get well into the 90s (32c) on a consistent basis. It is no surprise that the water consumption of tourists elevates with the temperature. This results in an abundance of plastic water bottles finding their way into the garbage cans of Venice. With worldwide consumption of single use plastic bottles at one million bottles per minute (Forbes.com, 2017), we should all consciously think about how we are buying water. The issue is not new to Venezia. In her 1995 book, Death and Judgment, Donna Leon wrote about how Commissario Brunetti and his family were making an honest effort to abandon plastic water bottles for glass ones. Since then, the issue has become even more severe with the discovery of micro-plastics found in the Pacific Ocean (The Great Pacific Garbage Patch) and even in the fish we eat.
Often times the cause seems hopeless. Even if I recycle every chance I get, there still seems to be plastic flying like flags in a tree or water bottles in the trash instead of recycling bins. It’s sad to think these items will be around for 500+ years and were only used once. Venice has the burden of disposing of these single use plastics on a daily basis. On a hot day you will see the rubbish bins overflowing with a good number of water bottles. What can you do? Most everyone is on-the-go in a foreign country and it’s so HOT! We need to stay hydrated, right? The solution may be a easier than you think. With a little pre-planning and about $25, you can have ice cold water with you all day long!
On Amazon, you can find insulated water bottles like those by S’well and Manna. These bottles are light weight (about 15oz), stainless steel, sweat-proof and are designed to keep liquids cold for nearly 24 hours. Better yet, when you need to fill up, Venice has got you covered. Many don’t realize that (similar to Rome) there are 71 free flowing water fountains in Venezia! Each fountain is not only a work of art on it’s own but they also provide access to clean, fresh, cold drinking water… for FREE! Your bottle will practically pay for itself! Your wallet will thank you and Venice will thank you too!