Bottled water consumption, which has more than doubled globally in the last six years, is a natural resource that is heavily taxing the world’s ecosystem, according to a new US study. “Even in areas where tap water is safe to drink, demand for bottled water is increasing, producing unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy,” according to Emily Arnold, author of the study published by the Earth Policy Institute, a Washington-based environmental group. Arnold said although in the industrial world bottled water is often no healthier than tap water, it can end up costing 10,000 times more. “At as much as 2.50 dollars per liter (10 dollars per gallon), bottled water costs more than gasoline,” the study says. It added that the United States was the largest consumer of bottled water, with Americans drinking 26 billion liters in 2004, or about one eight-ounce (25 cl) glass per person every day. Mexico was the second largest consumer at 18 billion liters followed by China and Brazil at 12 billion liters each. In terms of consumption per person, Italians came first at nearly 184 liters, or more than two glasses a day, followed by Mexico […]