Americans Now Drink More Bottled Water Than Soda

There has been an awakening—can you taste it? In 2016, bottled water surpassed soda as the most consumed beverage in the U.S. by sales volume for the first time ever. Oh yeah!

According to a report from the Associated Press, bottled water's sales have been increasing for years, while soda's have declined. Research and consulting firm Beverage Marketing Corp. says Americans drank an average of 39.3 gallons of bottled water in 2016, and 38.5 gallons of carbonated soft drinks. In 2015, bottled water was at 36.5 gallons while soda was at 39 gallons.

The means by which industry trackers define these categories affects the figures being reported. For instance, Beverage Marketing Corp. includes sparkling waters in the bottled water category and excludes energy drinks in sodas. Another tracker, Beverage Digest, says that by its metrics, bottled water has yet to surpass soda, but it will by the end of 2017. Additionally, none of these estimates say anything about how much tap water we drink.

With all of this bottled water being consumed, there's the question of what to do with all of those bottles. Well, if you're looking for a way to cut back on the number of bottles you use while simlultaneously reducing your carbon footprint, this stylish and reusable bottle from Soma is certainly a good option. Along with a beautiful design, a portion of the company’s sales go to support charity-owned water projects in underprivileged parts of the world, helping to make clean drinking water available to those communities.

If you're sticking with the plastic bottles, you should at least look for practical ways to use them. For instance, have you used a plastic bottle to separate eggs? It's a great kitchen trick that you'll be amazed you were able to previously live without. Or if you're surf-bored with bottled water, just do as Beyonce does and drink watermelon water instead.