I grabbed this 'toon from the webs today. I think I found it via Digg.
It is a good illustration of a recent news topic. What is the source of the bottled water you are drinking? Here in Maine, Poland Spring (owned by Nestle) is the big bottled water producer. However, most of the water that ends up in the bottles is not from Springs, but from deep groundwater wells. They pump the shit out of the groundwater, filter it 7 times (or whatever) and then sell it. Residents who live near these extraction wells have been complaining that the water level in their well is dropping. Here is a good YouTube vid. of a local voicing his concern.
In the news there has been a flap about putting the water source on the label. HERE is one example.
Also, the Natural Resource Defense Council has a pretty good and eye opening article about bottled water HERE. Below I clipped a disturbing piece of that article:
some brands were contaminated: about one-third of the waters tested contained levels of contamination -- including synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic -- in at least one sample that exceeded allowable limits under either state or bottled water industry standards or guidelines.
As a geologist who works in the environmental profession I can understand the impact that pumping can have on an aquifer. The cartoon I posted also states the additional environmental factors that play into the 'carbon foot print' mantra. I did not check into those statements but they don't seem to be too out of whack.
Where am i going with this? Well, In the context of this post, Know that the substantial environmental impact comes from the production of the water bottles (remember that all plastic is an oil product), and the trucking/shipping of the water from the well and to the stores consumes diesel/ gasoline and exhausts CO2.
I think that if you want to reduce your human impact on the earth, purchase ONE bottle to reuse and drink the tap water.
5 Slingshot Thoughts:
Love to read your blogs :).
What do you suggest for people who's tap water is loaded with sediments? Our water here in the desert is very hard, even though filtered, is done only to the recommendations of the government which in our opinion isn't good enough. I think we got spoiled as we're coming from NC and our tap water there was way better. We ran a test on our tap water and was shocked at the amount of soil particles that settled at the bottom of the test tube after time had passed. Sorry, but I just cannot imagine all that crud going into my stomach :D.
We do have water delivered to our house, however, it's done in reusable containers and tests run on our water delivered has not shown any soil particles whatsoever.
I do believe in helping to conserve in going the tap water way but since moving here, until they can make significant changes with the quality of water that flows through our taps, I'm sticking with our delivered water :D.
Sophia. This is a good topic.
Come back on Sunday (3.9.08).
I will post a solution I have for the sediment problem.
OK...so I'm feeling a bit guilty. Here in France, they have this lovely bottled water scented with mint. I love the taste and it's refreshing in cold or hot weather. The water coming out of the tap here in Paris is just fine. Tastes great. I have just become addicted to the mint water. My boyfriend takes my empty bottles and fills them with tap water. The rest of the bottles he uses with ceramic tips, upended in all our plants as drip watering systems.
At least recycling is required here, and everyone happily complies.
But I still don't like the fact that the bottles are plastic, along with all the manufacturing and transport ecological costs associated.
ohmyword, i like the plant irrigation system you boyfriend uses.
but yes, its the maufacture and transport that is the big environmental offender.
sorry sophia i never got back to ya.
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