A pet peeve: the popularity of bottled water when, most of the time, perfectly good drinking water is available from the average kitchen tap. I mean, why are people willing to pay good money for water when you can get it more or less for nothing? Are we that susceptible to marketing gimmicks and fancy packaging?
Anyhow, I was heartened to see this headline during my daily slog through the science news: “Bottled water debate hits a boiling point.” Here’s the gist … The US Conference of Mayors passed a resolution yesterday to promote public drinking water and phase out bottle water in municipalities.
Their argument–one echoed by many environmental groups around the world–is that bottled water is no safer or more pure than regular drinking water from public aquifers. Plus, according to The Pacific Institute, producing plastic bottles for water consumes at least 17 million barrels of oil annually, pumps more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and costs three liters of water for each liter of bottled water put on supermarket shelves.
Some groups argue that bottled water is less stringently tested than regular water, and therefore less pure on average. This point is debatable.
Bottled water manufacturers, of course, defend their product, claiming that it’s necessary for people who live in places where the tap water is no good. Kevin Keane, a spokesman for the American Beverage Association, defended bottled water like this. Bottled water, he said, “is convenient and a good tasting beverage, especially in this day when you have fewer water fountains and even when you have them, people are skeptical about using them.”
Really? That’s the best defense the ABA can mount? As a frequent user of public water fountains, I can testify to the fact that, at least where I live (Bloomington, IN), drinking fountain water is crisp, cold and delicious.
So here’s my take. As water goes, the bottled variety is basically fine. Like any other food product, it’s regulated by the FDA and has to meet all sorts of public health standards. But bottled water is no more pure or safer or better for you than the stuff that comes out of your kitchen faucet. People buy bottled water because, as the ABA guys says, it’s convenient. And because relentless marketing campaigns for Evian and Polish Spring and other brands have done their job. Bottled water is chic.
There is one argument for bottled water that makes at least some sense. If you’re going to buy a beverage from a vending machine, water is probably a healthier option than a soft drink. Fine. But, at least for me, that’s counteracted by the stats on how much oil is used to keep bottled water flowing.
Bottom line, bottled water is a luxury–not something we need. As oil prices soar beyond recognition and CO2 emissions continue to feed global warming, the last thing we need is millions (billions?) of water-filled plastic bottles.
So I applaud the US Conference of Mayors, even if their resolution probably won’t make much difference. And just for fun, check out this clip of comedian Lewis Black ranting about bottled water.
Wow- I couldn’t have said it any better myself.
The only response the bottled water industry has to these concerns about the environmental impact of bottled water is that it presents personal choice of healthy beverage option. Yes, water is healthier to drink than soda, but why pay an exorbitant amount for something that runs pure and freely from the tap?
This is why it’s so important for people to realize that the manipulative actions and deceptive marketing of corporations like Nestle, Pepsi, and Coke’s are changing the way our society thinks about water. We must challenge corporate control of our most essential resource!
This is why we are encouraging mayors and citizens to think outside the bottle!
To learn more about Corporate Accountability International’s Think Outside the Bottle campaign check out,
http://www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org
Thanks for bringing attention to this issue. In addition to the good points made:
The NRDC did a study of 103 bottled water brands. Many labled “natural” or “pure” had been run through basic filters that removed bad taste and odors but not other contaminants.
The NRDC tested 103 bottled waters and found over 25% were simply tap water
Several tested failed the bacteria test.
Also - there are many well-documented reasons to question that bottle water OR tap water are as healthy for us as they should be. There are studies that suggest the chemicals added to tap water aren’t good for us to be drinking. For example, municipalities need to disinfect water - but that doesn’t mean we need to drink the water with the disinfectant in it. For more information visit http://www.friendsofwater.com/Bottled_Water.html and other pages. We’re a family business dedicated to providing info, inspiration and products to save water.
We believe the best solution is to filter your tap water and use your own bottles. The idea that because we might want some water when we are away from home means we need to buy throwaway plastic bottles just doesn’t hold up.
Two years ago I moved to where I live now. For weeks I was getting sick most every day with cramping and diarrhea. After about two weeks I started noticing a correlation between my illness and drinking the tap water. Seven months (seven months!) later I received the annual Water Quality Report. In this report it stated one time when they tested the water they found an excessive amount of E. coli. One time?
Since then I have periodically “tested” the water (usually because I didn’t have a choice of bottled or tap so I drank tap) and have had mixed results. I travel throughout my state often and have not encountered this problem anywhere else.
I would also like to add, this same water treatment plant has been found on a number of occasions to be legally dumping bacteria laden waste water into our local river.
And think of all the bottled soda that’s consumed, which is worse for you. Perhaps these mayors should add all bottled drinks to that list instead of just taking the healthiest choice away.
Regarding the issue of petroleum, I usually get my water from recycled three gallon bottles (restaurants could do something similar and perhaps they should be required to recycle) and often carry my personal reusable water bottle with me.
Now I ask you, if it’s not taking another’s right away (in this case environmentally) isn’t a persons right to spend their money as they see fit?
E. coli in the water, blatant environmental pollution, and rights being taken away. I feel I have come to a third world country.
Since I stopped using bottled water I have saved countless dollars, both in terms of what I was spending at the store and also using the resource I was already paying for right in my own kitchen. Changing this one habit has also helped make me more cognizant of how I can “recycle” water at home for indoor plants, the garden, etc. Another way I’m saving is that I’ve stopped buying exorbitantly priced cups of coffee from the various chains: when gas hit more than $4/gallon it struck me as supremely silly to be paying more than that for a “coffee drink” made of water, coffee, sugar, and various flavorings when a good old cup of java made at home or in the office costs pennies.
While tap water may be “safe” it isn’t without risk, like driving in a car is “safe” but you still wear a seat belt I assume. But it doesn’t taste good. One reason you may think it does is because you have grown accustomed to the taste. Safe water is made safe by the addition of a disinfectant commonly Chlorine. Besides not being good for you it carries an off taste and odor. Residual chlorine MUST be present in water as it is an indication there was nothing left to kill. So be careful who is feeding you your information. Trust the government no more than these marketers. Everyone has an agenda. The government is sacred to death over people demanding drinking water (<2% of total) better conditioned for consumption than flushing their commode.
Want to be smart, safe, economical, and green? Buy a quality water filter and a reusable bottle. Best of all worlds at pennies per gallon. Personally I like to be the one in control and this way I am…including my wallet.
My boyfriend and i installed a faucet mounted filter in our kitchen to avoid more frequent trips to the store to fill up our jugs (which we clean and reuse). What this article fails to mention is that tap water can contain very high levels of fluoride and unneeded minerals that can build up into deposits in the body and/or have other adverse affects. Also keep in mind those of us who live in rural areas with only ground wells, which is high in rust, and whatever else sinks into the ground (including pesticides from surrounding fields).