A small, nagging concern that had been bubbling under the surface of the American water consumer’s mind has, in recent weeks, burst to the surface, causing a wide-ranging ripple effect in the media. It’s about bottled water.
Many Americans (and consumers worldwide, as well) have come to rely on bottled water as their primary source of drinking water. They’ve invested untold sums of money in supplies of bottled water, mostly manufactured by large corporations such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, but often bottled by small, boutique companies. All of these organizations have claimed that their bottled waters offer consumers a healthier, safer alternative to tap water.
Environmentalists have expressed concerns about these bottled waters. One concern was that no one was really confident that the waters were in fact any better than most area’s tap waters. Another concern – and a pressing concern, as the price of oil has gone up since 2001 – was that the production of all the plastic bottles was causing environmental problems. The bottles’ manufacture and post-consumer processing incur serious environmental costs. A recent New York Times article quotes a scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, who states that more than 90% of the environmental impact of plastic bottles is made before the consumer even opens the bottle.
This is, in other words, a serious environmental problem, with considerable costs, and it is not easily solved through recycling, a notoriously under-utilized process.
In addition, this summer it came to light that at least one of these very popular bottled waters was basically just tap water poured into plastic bottles. At this point, companies are going to have to revise their labeling in order to maintain consumer confidence and justify their positions in the marketplace. Soda sales are going down, which is doubtless a good sign for the health of the average American, but is the increase in bottled water sales actually benefiting anyone except the companies who bottle the water? To the point: Is it benefiting you?
The answer is almost certainly no. At a fraction of the cost of bottled water, anyone can consume filtered water. If the concern is having access to water while traveling (whether you’re going on a camping trip or just walking around town) it is perfectly easy to use a refillable bottle (which you can keep hygienic by washing it out daily) and have your own, homemade bottled water with you everywhere you go.
Some areas are even catching on to filtered tap water as the next trend. This past spring, there was much discussion of Chez Panisse, the world-famous restaurant in
Every person who reaches for a glass, aluminum tumbler, or re-useable plastic bottle of filtered tap water is doing the right thing not only for himself or herself, but for the local community, and for our global community.
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