Photo Credit/Julio Cruz

It takes 1.5 million barrels of oil – enough to fuel 100,000 cars for a year – to make plastic bottles and an estimated 38 billion water bottles end up in landfills each year, taking an average of 700 years before they begin decomposing, according to Earth Policy Institute.

If your plastic bottle has a number 1, 3 or 7 inside the recycling symbol then try to avoid them as much as possible. These bottles contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that causes breast and uterine cancer, and an increases the risk of miscarriage, according to bringyourownbottle.org.

Filling plastic with hot liquids or exposing it to heat such as being left in a car can cause chemicals to leak.

Instead, use BPA-free containers like some sports bottles, stainless steel containers or – my favorite – thermos that keep the water cold for as long as 18 hours.

The water used should come from tap water or filters, which tastes better. A decent filter starts at about $50 and a non-plastic container cost about $20.

Not only will this be better off for your pocket book but for the environment and your health.

According to TheWaterPoject.org, the average American spends over $100 per year on bottled water.

So start using a water bottle to start saving approximately $80.

It pays off to go green; preserving the environment, your health and your finances.