Bottled Water?
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Courtesy of Treehugger.com
We often write about bottled water. The continuous fascination stems from how convenience-driven the market is. Laying out logic can't overcome convenience, no matter how significant the environmental effects may be. The only recourse would be to point out the financial waste and absurdity of the situation, to think "outside the bottle". And it's happening. The Muskegon Chronicle let its readers know, for example, that:- "The label doesn't mention that the Aquafina sold in Michigan comes from the city of Detroit's water system...Detroit gets its water from the Detroit River and Lake Huron. The American Water Works Association last year rated Detroit's water the best-tasting municipal water in Michigan...The Dasani sold in Michigan is also Detroit city water; and the Propel sold in Michigan is flavored water from municipal water systems in Indianapolis and New Jersey, company officials said...Critics accuse companies like Pepsi (Aquafina) and Coke (Dasani) of hypocrisy by promoting bottled water as a healthier alternative to tap water when those products are, in fact, purified tap water."
At roughly $1 per bottle, bottled water costs about 3,300-times more per ounce than water from Muskegon's water system. Muskegon, like most West Michigan communities, gets its drinking water from Lake Michigan.
The most amazing fact learned from the Muskegon Chronicle is that there exists an International Bottled Water Association, whose purpose it seems in part is to advocate for the product.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/wedjaget_that_b.php.........................
I am not a big bottled water fan, I only buy it if its an emergency. We have a Brita Water filter that we use and it only costs a couple dollars every few months. Knowing that Aquafina is just Detroit river water makes me never want to drink it again. Yeah it has gone thru a purification process but if you ever spent anytime on the water between the river and Lake Erie you would feel the same way I do. Buy a Nalgene bottle and fill up at home, you will save money and reduce your carbon footprint.
Posted by mardenhill 5/06/2007 06:29:00 PM
Labels: Environment
