What's the Eco-Impact of Your Everyday Choices?
Which is greener, printed books or e-Readers? Plastic wrap or aluminum foil? The answers will surprise you.
By Rachel Z. Arndt
Aluminum Cans vs. Glass Bottles
Assumption
Because aluminum manufacturing is so taxing, glass bottles should be your drink container of choice.
Reality Check
Making cans is still less arduous than making glass bottles. Plus, aluminum wins big in shipping: An empty 12-ounce can weighs up to 14 times less than a 12-ounce glass bottle; less weight means less fuel and fewer emissions in transport. And after the drink's been consumed, aluminum wins again: Recycling ten pounds of aluminum can save 37 pounds of carbon emissions, compared with one pound saved through glass recycling. The verdict: six-pack ahoy!
Go Greener
If you're a soft-drink lover, consider the SodaStream. The home sodamaker uses reusable canisters of CO2.
From the
September 2011 issue of
O, The Oprah Magazine
