All this talk about hydration has us thinking about our industry and its efforts at further minimizing its environmental impact. One of our product categories - bottled water - has developed into an industry in its own right, but has taken some unwarranted heat for its alleged negative environmental impacts. So today we’re going to share some of the facts about this healthy and convenient beverage category.

Let's start with packaging.  First off, bottled water containers are 100 percent recyclable.  And our industry is constantly innovating to further reduce the amount of plastic used to bring product to market through lightweighting.

Next, the industry takes great care in working on minimizing the effects of its operations on the environment. A few initiatives include maximizing production and distribution efficiency for products, using plastics that are more universally accepted in recycling programs across the country and implementing technology such as solar roofing in plants in order to be more earth-friendly.

In addition, bottled water has served an important role in relief efforts from Hurricane Katrina to this year's earthquake in Haiti. The accessibility of clean drinking water is integral to the safety and health of people in areas whose infrastructures have been crushed by such natural disasters.

We at Sip & Savor, along with our member companies, are fully committed to protecting and preserving our environment.  This is apparent through  not only recycling efforts, but other environmental commitments, from internal operations enhancements to the final products that end up in the hands of our consumers.

So as you enjoy your favorite beverage, whatever it may be, please remember to "Think Inside the Bin!"