“Your Vantage Point”

Article: “Bottled water debate hits a boiling point”
Source: AFP

Introduction

Read the article at the link above. According to it, “a debate over water is boiling over in the United States and elsewhere amid growing environmental concerns about bottled water and questions about safety of tap water.” What thoughts come to mind when you consider this?

In its article, the AFP examines a recent vote that was passed by the US Conference of Mayors that calls for a gradual elimination of the use of bottled water by municipalities. It states that “while largely symbolic, the vote highlighted a growing movement opposing regular use of bottled water because of its plastic waste and energy costs to transport drinking supplies.”

This article discusses how The Pacific Institute “contends” that the bottles produced for bottled water for US consumers necessitated the use of more than 17 million barrels of oil in 2006.

It also mentions that this same group “says bottling water for Americans produces more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide and consumes three liters of water for each liter of bottled water produced.”

Further on, the article talks about how some people claim that bottled water is no more beneficial or clean than tap water, but that some say that it is necessary and beneficial, especially to areas of the world that do not have access to a safe or reliable water supply, or to those affected by disasters.

So what other points are raised in it?

Upon additional reading of the article, it states that “beyond questions of safety and environment, some activists say the bottled water industry is seizing a public resource.”

Moreover, the article mentions that Joe Doss of the International Bottled Water Association believes that bottled water is a replacement for carbonated or sweetened beverages and that the bottled water industry produces only a “tiny fraction of greenhouse gases.”

One View

What did we ever do without bottled water? How did we get by? How could we ever have lived without the regular, daily consumption of water sealed in bottles?

Maybe all we did was use the most convenient method ever – we turned on the tap.

Keep in mind that mass-produced bottled water has only been around for 10 – 15 years. So ever since the introduction of running water and large-scale water treatment plants, we in developed nations have been turning on a faucet, letting it run into a glass, and enjoying the nourishment and refreshment of this precious resource. Could it have been any easier?

So what happened to make us be so obsessed with having to have our water come from a sealed and manufactured container? Does bottled water have any real benefits, or is it just a misappropriation of resources?

Of course there are some real benefits to it, but only in certain situations. It is safe to assume that virtually all municipal water supplies in the United States are okay to drink. There are strict federal standards regulating the safety and cleanliness of tap water, and they are strictly followed. There is typically no shortage of availability of water in the US, measured in terms of reliability of delivery. Yeah, there are areas experiencing severe drought where water supplies are threatened, but I have yet to hear of any areas where, aside from a disaster situation, the tap runs dry and bottled water must be transported in.

So yes, in the event of an emergency, it helps immensely to be able to distribute water to those in need through truckloads of bottled water. It allows for immediate, uncontaminated delivery. In this situation, it is a necessary item.

But when one is sitting at home on the couch, ice in the freezer, and a tap with a seemingly endless supply of water at hand, it doesn’t seem to make sense to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. Period.

It has been said by many authorities that bottled water is no more clean and safe than tap water. Furthermore, a large percentage of bottled water originates from a municipal water supply. So basically, if you look at it this way, you are paying upwards of $1.50 for 16 ounces of something you could pay a fraction of pennies for just by turning on the tap. Period.

Worried about trace elements in tap water? Buy a water filter. Want something convenient to bring while you’re out and about? Fill up a refillable water bottle. Want to stop drinking less soda? Fill up several bottles of water on your own and keep in the fridge, easy to grab.

Industrialized nations that heavily consume bottled water produce an enormous amount of plastic waste in the form of empty bottles. The numbers are staggering. This is not-to-mention the amount of resources that are used to produce bottled water. Petroleum is used to make the plastic and transport it. Water is used to clean the plastic before bottling. Corporations are purchasing water rights and draining viable local resources, only to displace the resources and transport it elsewhere.

The list goes on.

So back to the benefits. So I’m not saying “let’s ban bottled water”. All I am saying is that, due to the issues I have mentioned thus far, we should use it more responsibly. I feel that it is not necessary to grab for a sealed bottle of water every time one is thirsty. I feel that we should not constantly rely on it for refreshment whenever away from the home. Yes, it is nice to be able to stop by a convenience store on a hot summer day and have the choice at hand of a cold drink of water, but only on occasion. Like I said, we got by just fine without it just 10 - 15 years ago. I think we can do so now. Even though some may say that it will make little difference to reduce bottled water consumption, I beg to disagree. All it takes is simple logic to infer that a reduction in this irresponsible usage of precious resources will go a long way.

Your View

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