Sigg ^©, Klean Kanteen^©, Nalgene^©- all of these brands of water bottles and more can be seen in the halls of UMD any given day. Have you made your New Year's Resolution yet? If not, make it be to carry your own water bottle!  We hear all the time about the disadvantages of bottled water, but sometimes that's just not enough to convince us to grab a trusty bottle and fill it up throughout the day.

Americans are the largest users of water- we use up to 150 gallons in just one day. Doesn't seem like much? The British use a quarter of what we do, only 40 gallons; the Chinese, 22. Those in third world countries, for instance Kenya, don't use the minimum 13 gallons a day to satisfy basic needs.

"Water is overtaking oil as our scarcest natural resource in the world," said Steven Solomon, author of the new book ‘Water: The Epic Struggle For Wealth, Power, and Civilization.' "And even we're going to find, in the United States as well."

It takes more than 3 liters of water to produce just 1 liter of bottled water. Avoiding bottled water is also results in savings of oil and energy usage. Of course, there will always be those days when you might forget and have to buy a bottle. In this event, just remember to recycle! More than 80% of plastic bottles end up in the landfill or an incinerator.

A reusable bottle is a cheaper investment than buying a new water bottle every day, and won't take up that much space in your backpack. You can fill it up at any water fountain on campus, or at a water spigot for more convenience. You will find spigots on fountains near ITSS, near the Kirby Lounge, and in the Med School.

Even if you already have a plan to ditch extra pounds, this resolution will help reduce the pounds sent to landfills and incinerators.  Good for you, good for the earth. Grab a reusable bottle today!

Sources: CBS Evening News, America's Dwindling Water Supply; USA Today, Breaking the Bottled Water Habit