Is bottled water about to become the cigarette of the 21st century?

A study published recently found that bottled water contains microplastics in far higher concentrations than previously anticipated: just 1 litre of water contained almost 250,000 pieces of micro- and nanoplastics.

It’s all over the media and my social feeds, from headlines by The New York Times and the BBC to the Washington Post’s climate-focused Instagram. (Side note: the news itself is pretty shocking, but it was a clever idea to publish it in the new year, when people’s health-conscious resolutions are still front of mind.)

For me, what stands out about this news is that it isn’t really new. Since at least 2018, we’ve known that there are microplastics in bottled water. The World Health Organisation called for more research and a crackdown on plastics pollution caused by bottled water back in 2019.

It’s been abundantly clear for decades that bottled water is bad for the environment. We know that it pollutes the ocean – we’ve seen the giant garbage patch in the Pacific. We know there’s no form of plastics recycling that is actually sustainable and that plastics are filling landfills instead; in 2018, less than 9% of plastics in the United States were recycled.

But despite this, the bottled water market saw a 73% growth from 2010 to 2020. In the US, bottled-water consumption has increased by a whopping 30% over the last decade (though Singapore and Australia were the biggest per-capita consumers of bottled water).

2022 was the best year yet for bottled water.

Will 2024 be the year of change?

Seeing the skyrocketing growth in bottled water sales is enough to make your blood pressure skyrocket, too. But I’m hopeful that this year could see a change in attitudes. The impact of plastics on our health is only getting clearer, with microplastics being found in the placentas of unborn babies and scientists suggesting that they are linked to a dramatic increase in young people with bowel cancer.

It’s not just research – it feels like there’s a behavioural shift brewing that’s spurring the virality of new nano- and microplastics research. Despite the stubborn growth in bottled-water use, there’s been an incredibly strong shift towards reusable drink bottles. I’ve noticed it in my day-to-day life – there’s been a proliferation. Sustainability, health and wellness are massive trends, and reusable water bottles have emerged as a major status symbol that combines eco-consciousness with optimal hydration.

The most recent example, the Stanley Cup craze, has been driven by “WaterTok”, a community of water-focused influencers and enthusiasts on TikTok (yes, really). It’s had a massive impact on consumer behaviour. (Of course, there are obvious overconsumption issues when people end up with shelves full of unused reusable water bottles.)

I’m curious to see whether the latest news about microplastics will bring us to a kind of tipping point. Will this be the year when we transform our drinking habits? Which consumer habits will change, and how will markets respond?

And, as a science communicator, I’m always interested in what makes something finally click in people’s minds. Trends are incredibly powerful. Mega-corporations like Nestle spend millionsof dollars on lobbying for their insanely lucrative bottled-water market – can scientists harness the viral power of the Stanley Cup to accelerate the reusable drink bottle trend?

Once it was proven without a doubt that cigarettes were bad for our health, habits changed quickly and dramatically. Could bottled water go the same way?

Inspiring me this week… the Welsh Tidy Mouse

It’s always a bit tough settling back into the ‘real world’ after the chaos of the holidays – particularly if you’ve been putting chores on the long finger. So, this week I’m inspired by the Welsh Tidy Mouse: a renegade rodent that’s been caught on camera tidying up after the humans it shares a house with.

The tale began when Rodney Holbrook, a 75-year-old retiree and wildlife photographer, noticed that his workbench was being mysteriously cleaned of its detritus every night. Holbrook set up a night-vision camera to catch the culprit – and caught a tiny mouse tidying his tiny house.

According to a scientist who was interviewed by The New York Times, “Mice are willing to put in a lot of effort to work at something they find rewarding.”

I’m hoping to channel the Welsh Tidy Mouse’s work ethic and organisation skills through January, and beyond!

We’re obsessed with… Unknown Dazza

On the topic of tiny creatures, we’re obsessed with Unknown Dazza, whose palatial creations for the frogs and other creatures of “Frodworld”have been seen by more than 30 million people in Australia alone.

Unknown Dazza’s tale began when he found a frog perched on fencing outside his home. Hoping to make his frog friend more comfy, he designed and 3D-printed it a tiny house. Documenting the process online, Unknown Dazza attracted an audience of ribbet-ed viewers on TikTok, who quickly formed a passionate community with ideas, feedback and requests. The frog that started it all was named “Frodrick” and Frod’s house was swiftly upgraded through multiple versions, including a design with an infinity pool and bug-attracting light. “Frodworld” was born.

Frod’s palace just enjoyed both local and international success, attracting numerous frogs in the area, as well as millions of viewers online. You can tune in on the Twitch livestream to see how the OG frog pad is doing, or even buy yourself a FrodDesign to create your own Frodworld.