CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- When you recycle things like plastic bottles, you may think you're doing something good for the planet.

However, most plastic ends back in landfills and can take 450 years to decompose.

Last month, Governor Ralph Northam (D) signed an executive order to phase out the use of non-reusable plastics, and the initiative encouraged a small local business to help clean up the environment.

Two environmental advocates put their passion for protecting the planet into business.

"We inherited this planet, we only have one and it is our initiative to take care of it," said Faith Kelly, the co-founder of Civil Water.

The water bottle business, Civil Water, redesigned the traditional bottle by swapping plastic for aluminum.

Research shows that it takes around 80 to 100 years for aluminum to decompose and that new aluminum is hardly produced because it is easy to recycle it into new products. 

"Once your product is recycled, it takes around 60 days to get it back onto shelves," Kelly said.

The Civil Water founders said that although they can't get rid of all the excess plastic in the world, it's not too late to give the planet a helping hand, believing their innovation can make a difference

"It’s all affected by how we treat our environment, starting with a more sustainable option. Then that's one step forward into a more sustainable planet," said Neil Wood, co-founder of Civil Water.

They hope that their environmentally-conscious business will inspire like minds to follow suit in working toward a more sustainable future.