Culver water company makes ‘green’ plastic bottles

In celebration of Earth Day, NewsChannel 21 got an inside look at the EartH2O bottling company in Culver. Plastic bottles might not sound very green, but at this water company, it’s all about reduce, reuse, recycle.

“Earth Day is one day of the year, but here we pretty much celebrate Earth Day all the time,” Mike Peterson, vice president of operations at EartH2O, said Wednesday.

The bottle you drink their water out of is made by using recycled plastic bottles from right here in Oregon.

“We’re the first bottling company in the country to close that loop and use state-generated bottles and recycling to remake the bottles,” Peterson said.

The process starts with small, white pellets, the product of former plastic bottles. They are formed into small tubes, and then high-pressure air is pushed into the tubes, making them “back” into bottles.

Using recycled material from within the state does not just save money in transportation costs. It reduces the company’s carbon footprint.

“We have a great water source right here at Opal Springs. They deliver some of the most pristine water in the country,” Peterson said.

EartH20 is trying to make even that process as green as possible. Peterson said they are using only 6 percent of the total water available.

“It’s a conscious choice,” Peterson said. “And for your children and grandchildren and all the types of things, it’s the right choice — and it’s certainly a feel-good thing.”