If you live under a rock, you may have comfortably missed all the hubbub about bottled water.
Most people are aware that the purchase and consumption of bottled water has grown beyond the domain of the jet set sipping at an imported bottle of Evian. The major liquid dealers, including the likes of Coca-cola Company and Pepsico, are mass producing their own labeled water and
everyone and their pet is now happily slopping it up.
In typical fashion, most people assumed that they were getting a valued added product. A healthy and safe product.
These days, the bottled water industry is under attack from certain environmental groups that cite numerous issues, including the leaching of toxins from the plastic bottles into the water, the increase in waste created by the increased production of plastic bottles and implying that the industry leaders are privatizing the very water that already comes from the taps we all have access to. Pepsico has recently announced that they will indicate on the Aquafina label that the water comes from a "Public Water Source".
Corporate Accountability International points out a number of valid concerns regarding the future of the world's water on their website. In addition to noting the public water sources that are providing the water for the bottled water producers, the CAI website notes that only one percent of Earth's water is available for human use and claims that by 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will lack access to water. The site also notes that the World Bank requires poor nations to privatize their water systems as a condition for receiving loans. The common resource is being used to drive a $100 billion beverage market. CAI claims that Coca-cola drained much of the water from community wells in India (a claim repeated across the Internet).
In response to a bit in the New York Times entitled "In Praise of Tap Water", the International Bottled Water Association came up with this response:
Most people are aware that the purchase and consumption of bottled water has grown beyond the domain of the jet set sipping at an imported bottle of Evian. The major liquid dealers, including the likes of Coca-cola Company and Pepsico, are mass producing their own labeled water and
everyone and their pet is now happily slopping it up.
In typical fashion, most people assumed that they were getting a valued added product. A healthy and safe product.
These days, the bottled water industry is under attack from certain environmental groups that cite numerous issues, including the leaching of toxins from the plastic bottles into the water, the increase in waste created by the increased production of plastic bottles and implying that the industry leaders are privatizing the very water that already comes from the taps we all have access to. Pepsico has recently announced that they will indicate on the Aquafina label that the water comes from a "Public Water Source".
Corporate Accountability International points out a number of valid concerns regarding the future of the world's water on their website. In addition to noting the public water sources that are providing the water for the bottled water producers, the CAI website notes that only one percent of Earth's water is available for human use and claims that by 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will lack access to water. The site also notes that the World Bank requires poor nations to privatize their water systems as a condition for receiving loans. The common resource is being used to drive a $100 billion beverage market. CAI claims that Coca-cola drained much of the water from community wells in India (a claim repeated across the Internet).
In response to a bit in the New York Times entitled "In Praise of Tap Water", the International Bottled Water Association came up with this response:
IBWA Response to Editorial inThe New York Times
Bottled water is a safe, healthy, convenient beverage that consumers choose to stay refreshed and hydrated. The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) believes it is important for consumers to have the facts about the bottled water industry's outstanding record of environmental stewardship, safety and quality, and role as a bottled beverage of choice.
- Any actions that discourage the use of this healthy beverage choice are not in the public interest.
- The bottled water industry has an outstanding record and solid commitment to environmental stewardship and is a leader in the food and beverage industry in reducing its environmental footprint, while at the same time delivering the healthful value of bottled water to thirsty consumers.
- If the debate is about the impact of plastic packaging on the environment, a narrow focus on bottled water spotlights only a small portion of the packaged beverage category and an even smaller sliver of the universe of packaged products
- Despite their popularity, PET water bottles accounted for less than one-third of one percent of all waste produced in the United States in 2005.
- Any efforts to reduce the resources necessary to produce and distribute packaged goods-and increase recycling rates--must focus on ALL packaging. Any other approach misses a real opportunity to arrive at a comprehensive solution to protecting and sustaining the environment.
- Pitting bottled water against public drinking water confuses consumers who make bottled water their beverage-of-choice.
- People recognize the importance of water consumption for hydration and refreshment and that should be encouraged-whether it is from bottled water or
tap water. When faced with an array of bottled drink choices, consumers often choose bottled water because it does not contain calories, caffeine, sugar, artificial colors, or other ingredients they wish to avoid or moderate.- When it comes to bottled water or tap water, most people drink both, depending on the circumstances.
- Bottled water is a healthy beverage produced by an industry that supports and relies on safe, quality ground water resources as well as municipal water systems and is are interested in strengthening, not undermining, municipal water sources.
- Bottled water consumption has nothing to do with tap water infrastructure funding or drinking water system improvements. It is about beverage choice, available to consumers in all walks of life who choose, or rely upon, bottled water for refreshment and hydration.
As a consumer and an Earthling, I find this response to be a genuine failure. It seems an obvious attempt to obscure the issues raised by the eco-warriors and I'm insulted that they would think anyone would be mollified by this statement. They could have at least proof read the damn thing.
When are they going to start oxygen mining and selling it back to us in spiffy branded tanks? I suppose before that fantastical outcome, the current breathable air supply would have to be spoiled to the point of creating air quality concerns.....
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