Photo by jillclardy (Creative Commons)

Everyone knows that the world’s landfills are piled high with empty bottles of Dasani, Evian, Aquafina, and the rest.

But there’s more to the impact of our bottled water obsession than the heaps of plastic empties.

The good folks at Environmental Graffiti break down the true cost of bottled water - factoring in everything from the bottle manufacturing process to the oil burned in transport.

Of course, in many parts of the world the tap water isn’t safe - for travelers or locals. Matador member Josh Kearns is on the case: check out his ground-breaking research into safe and affordable water filtration systems at Aqueous Solutions.

How do you handle water concerns when you travel? Let us know in the comments!

Eva Holland

Eva Holland is a historical researcher and freelance writer based in Ottawa, Canada. She is a blogger for World Hum and for Rolf Potts Vagablogging, and her travel writing has appeared in The Ottawa Citizen, and The Edmonton Journal.