In a bid to reduce plastic usage and promote sustainability, a campaign led by Gurudas Nulkar and Aditi Deodhar from the Centre for Sustainable Environment (CSE) at Gokhale Institute of Technology is advocating for a change in the way hotels and restaurants serve water to customers. The initiative calls for establishments to prioritize offering plain drinking water in jugs and glasses on tables, rather than defaulting to bottled water.
The campaign, aiming to cut down on plastic usage and associated costs in city hotels, emphasizes the importance of providing customers with the choice between bottled and plain water. Failure to offer regular water could lead to complaints filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Contrary to the common perception that bottled water is healthier, the campaign stresses the potential risks associated with bottled water, including harmful chemicals from the plastic manufacturing process. Additionally, the recycling of plastic bottles requires significant resources, contributes to carbon emissions, and poses environmental challenges, as plastic can only be recycled a limited number of times.
Reports indicate a growing number of restaurants opting not to offer bottled water, with an increasing awareness of the environmental impact of plastic waste. Plastic bottles, once discarded, contribute to long-lasting environmental pollution and may break down into microplastics that enter the food chain, posing risks to human health.
The campaign encourages the FDA to conduct routine inspections and address customer complaints related to water provision in hotels and restaurants. Acknowledging and appreciating establishments that opt for serving plain water aligns with the broader goal of minimizing plastic usage and promoting sustainable practices in the hospitality industry.
