Drink and Give: PurBlu's Giving Project

Going green usually means using reusable water bottles. While the plastic bottles that come in packs of 24 or so are great for convenience's sake (easy to grab with no need to wash after using), the plastic waste generated from such bottles is typically seen as largely unjustifiable. Although recycling encouragement programs such as Greenopolis's "Dream Machine" or Terracycle's non-profit benefit program have reduced the amount of plastic bottles being thrown away (as opposed to recycled or upcycled), a large portion of plastic water bottles are still thrown away after just one use. Now, consumer's have the opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds: the convenience of a one-time use plastic water bottle while still being some-what environmentally conscious.

DrinkGive (created by PurBlu Beverages) is a bottled water brand that is working to provide their customers with more than just the convenience and ease of a delicious bottled beverage. The stated purpose of the DrinkGive project through this company is to turn ordinary consumers into mini-philanthropists. With the saying "follow your dime..." DrinkGive donates $0.10 from every bottled water purchase to the project that you, the customer, designate through their website. While the DrinkGive project is not only for "green" related issues, the company still is placing an undeniable emphasis on environmentally-related projects. For example, the DrinkGive water bottles have a large raindrop shape as a part of their label design. The inside of the raindrop for the earth-themed DrinkGive bottles shows a friendly print of a man in a blue/green drop promoting recycling. Besides the "Give Love to the Environment" DrinkGive bottle, other beverages promote green, earth friendly activities as well. The "Give Energy" series is a group of energy-boosting beverages through whose purchase can result in donations to "grassroots sustainable energy initiatives, such as solar, wind, and bioenergy projects." These energy beverages have the catchy green-friendly motto of "Drink alternatively. Live sustainably."

Besides donating $0.10 for every bottle purchased and encouraging recycling in general, the DrinkGive project also promotes other green-related issues. The website is dedicated to promoting environmental awareness through things such as facts about the United State's general pollution issues. PurBlu as a company has awarded other companies for their green efforts, including bicycling promotion movements and bio-diesel firms. All of the water bottles are composed of 100% biodegradable materials that can decompose in a mere ten years--a significantly shorter time than regular plastic water bottles.

PurBlu's DrinkGive project is a great, green idea. Through a clever combination of green awareness informative snippets, recycling promotions, biodegradable bottling materials, and regular donations to help environmentally friendly causes, the DrinkGive project is successfully helping water-bottle-buying consumers live greener lives.