Is Boxed Water Really Better? [Greenwashing or Not]

Due to the increased environmental degradation from plastics, people are asking; Is Box Water Better?

There is a high chance that you’ve seen someone drinking from something that looks like a carton of milk, and you feel weird because who dares drink milk by the side of the road or airport?

Don’t worry because unless it’s a kid, you won’t find an adult doing so.

But the reason why you are seeing more and more people drink from a boxed container is that it’s not milk but box water.

It is especially the case among those people who call themselves environmentalists.

Over the past few years, Boxed Water has made its way into the market, providing consumers with an alternative way to consume fresh and crispy water while reducing their carbon footprint.

So do you think having Boxed Water is a step in the right direction for people?

We live in a time when most people appreciate having convenient reusable water bottles of water and products, which is the case for people who need water in bottles on the go.

Although it’s good to have refillable water containers, Boxed Water has innovative and unique packaging best for people who are fashion-conscious.

You find that sometimes people don’t buy things because they need them but because of the design, which may also apply to Boxed Plastic bottles of Water.

Boxed Water provides people with an alternative to bottled water which has been stigmatized as bad for the environment and human beings.

Speaking with the Food Republic, the founder of Boxed Water, Ben Gott, said that they had experienced exponential growth since its inception.

Their water has reached even places they never thought possible such as a gas station on the outskirts of Nebraska.

At one time, even CNN compared boxed water with other water or water filter packages.

It shows that boxed water is gaining recognition, and it’s high time you also join the ship.

So is boxed water better for your health and the environment, and why is boxed water better? Read on and find out why you should start drinking boxed water.

Why is Boxed Water So Expensive?

Boxed water has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its perceived sustainability benefits. While traditional plastic water bottles contribute to environmental pollution and waste, boxed water uses renewable resources and has a lower carbon footprint. However, some consumers may wonder why boxed water is often more expensive than its plastic counterpart.

The cost of boxed water can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the manufacturing process for boxed water involves higher production costs, including sourcing and processing the cardboard packaging. The packaging is also more complex, requiring more materials and equipment to produce. Additionally, boxed water may have a smaller market share than traditional plastic water bottles, which can lead to higher prices due to economies of scale.

Another reason for the higher cost of boxed water is the marketing and branding strategies employed by companies. Many boxed water brands position themselves as premium products, using sleek and modern designs and emphasizing their eco-friendliness. This can lead to higher prices as consumers are willing to pay more for perceived quality and sustainability.

Ultimately, the cost of boxed water may be seen as a tradeoff for consumers who prioritize sustainability and reducing their environmental impact. While it may be more expensive, boxed water offers a more eco-friendly alternative to plastic water bottles, which can have long-lasting negative effects on the environment.

Why Should You Invest in Boxed Water?

Boxed water is sourced from municipal water repositories rather than transported from springs, which is expensive.

Therefore, when we source it from our customers’ locations, we can also reduce the carbon footprint.

Boxed Plastic bottles of water undergo a series of purification steps, ensuring that all the minerals, chemicals, and other impurities are removed. 

Water packaged using the boxes does not contain the chemical compound Bisphenol A (BPA), primarily found in plastic containers and leads to severe health problems.

The water is also treated using UV, ensuring that the water in plastic water bottles you buy from the supermarket has a crisp, clean, and refreshing taste.

The packaging is ecologically friendly.

The boxed drinking water packaging is made of paper from trees, paperboard, and other paper waste.

You may think that it’s the regular paper, but no.

The boxed paper is obtained from sustainable forests, which helps reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and environmental impact is less.

Ensuring that harvested trees are recycled continuously to avoid constantly felling new trees is vital to a renewable future.

Shipping minimizes carbon footprint.

Compared to plastic bottled water, boxed drinking water’s carbon filter footprint is less. 

The most exciting part of reducing carbon footprint is that the boxes are shipped flat to the filling stations.

It ensures that only one truck is used to transport the empty, flat boxes, meaning that every truck of boxed packaging represents 24 trucks of bottled water.

So you can see the difference. 

The manufacturers of Boxed Water ensure that the water filling stations are as close to the consumers as possible to minimize movement.

Part of the proceeds is donated back to environmental conservation.

Since we are using our contributions heavily to our boxed packaging, it only fits that we give back to the National Forest Foundation.

A certain percentage of boxed water sales is donated towards the conservation of forests.

And the companies make sure that they participate in tree planting where employees, friends, and families are encouraged to participate.

Taking care of our forests should be the responsibility of every citizen as it helps reduce CO2 in the air, providing clean air and its rainfall. 

It’s easy to buy.

You can buy boxed water the same way you buy bottled water.

If you want it delivered to your home, you need to enter your zip code online, and you will get a list of the outlets where boxed water is sold.

They are mainly found in Amazon, select supermarkets, whole foods, and other markets.

Therefore, if you are looking to conserve the environment, start by drinking boxed water.

Not only is it crispy and fresh, but it is also packaged in a trendy carton. 

You can recycle the packaging.

The packaging is 100% recyclable and environmentally friendly.

When the box is discarded in the compost pit, it will decompose since it is plant-based.

But make the most use of these packaging types by recycling them.

The box carton is separated into several pieces and then upcycled into other products.

Some companies use it to make building materials such as ceiling tiles.

The only downside to recycling boxed water packaging is that you need to have specialized equipment to separate the materials to be recycled.

This equipment is only available in several facilities across the United States, which means that most of the containers will end up in landfills.

For example, only 26% of Tetra Pak containers make it to the recycling facility. A

nd the inner layer of the boxed container is made of aluminum which is very easy to recycle. 

Compared to tap water, boxed water tastes better because it passes through an eight-step purification process.

It ensures that all the pollutants and chemicals found in tap water are removed.

More so, you don’t get to taste chlorine in boxed water.

The water is also UV treated, and the result is a crisp, fresh taste.

Lately, boxed water is packaged in various flavors, such as lemon, blackberry, cucumber, and grapefruit, which is not the case with tap water. Although, the box of water is loaded with reusable bottles of clean water.

Even better, 92 percent of boxed water packaging is plant-based; thus, no harmful residue leaches from the package.

Although it’s safe to drink tap water, it travels through many pipes before it reaches your home, which can cause variability in taste and quality.

So, If you want to hit your daily water intake and are not a fan of plain water, stock your fridge with boxed water, and you are sorted.

The only downside to bottled water is the cost.

If you have ever bought boxed water, there is a high chance you noticed an expiration date printed on the packaging and wondered how long does boxed water last.

Although water does not expire, it is less pure and fresh when stored for a long duration.

For instance, when we look at tap water, can be stored and consumed within six months; more than that, you increase the chances of developing some illness.

While tap water (bottle of tap water) that has been carbonated loses taste and becomes flat, the gas escapes from the package. 

When you are looking to store tap water, use clean and sterilized food-grade containers.

Ensure to label them with the filling and keep them in a cool, dry, and dark place for not more than six months.

Boxed water has a shelf life of 2 years from the date of manufacture.

When buying flavored water, the shelf life is about six months because the fruits used have a shorter shelf life even when conservatives are used.

Boxed water packaging can be recycled, thus making it convenient for users to recycle the boxes instead of filling landfills.

That is why many people choose to use paper-based/plant-based packaging because it can decompose quickly without polluting the environment.

In terms of logistics, they are cheap to transport and reduce their carbon footprint.

As part of their giving back, manufacturers of boxed donated to the national forests since the boxes are made of paper from trees and make sure that they participate in tree planting.

The shipping cost of bottled mineral water is cheap since they are organized flats, making sure they need only a single trip before they are filled with water.

Thus, you can be sure that boxed water is cheaper than bottled water when weighing the pros and cons.

People and countries are big on environmental conservation due to the increase in plastic in the oceans, rivers, and streams, which is harmful to marine life and humans.

That is why consumers have embraced boxed water because not only does it decompose, but it’s the packaging is plant-based. Boxed water packaging is 100% recyclable. 

Although it might seem that it is selling people lifestyle products, more people should embrace it and provide crispy freshwater.

It also helps in reducing carbon footprint as the companies use municipal water and ship flat boxes and are in various stations across the country to avoid moving with boxed water from one region to the next.

Sources

1. Noble, Paul, and McMinime: Packaging Trends for Bottled Water, https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/it_fac/36/
2. Narender Suhag: An Empirical Study on New Outlook in the Product Development of Beverage. Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=306577