Comments on: Green Moms speak out on Bottled Water

By: Seriphina

Seriphina — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:02:29 +0000

I don’t know if you go back and look at the older posts, but here goes… There’s on factor that no one has yet mentioned in all of these posts about the dangers of bottled water, at least not that I’ve seen so far… IT EXPIRES! The bacteria and things in the water that is sold in those wonderful toxic plastic bottles actually becomes MORE unhealthy over time. Furthermore, when they do expire, they’re not dumped out so that the bottles can be recycled; They are tossed water and all into a dumpster to head to a landfill. Last time I checked, the water from my tap doesn’t expire or have to be thrown out… and if a house has laid dormant for a while without water being used, you run the tap for a few minutes to flush the lines where it goes down the drain to be processed through our sanitation systems and eventually become… you guessed it… water.

By: Carol R.

Carol R. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:56:06 +0000

Check out what singer Jackson Browne has to say about bottled water. He has great ideas on saving the planet.
http://fakeplasticfish.com/2009/10/jackson-browne-defiant-about-bottled-water/

By: PRH

PRH — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:45:15 +0000

Just stumbled onto your site...love it. Regarding Keri's post on the organic alternatives, while Green Planet demonstrates their product reduces the reliance on fossil fuels, using plant-based raw materials (corn) introduces other complex moral, health and economical issues. Crops use chemicals/pesticides, crops are subsidized for outdated reasons and using crops to create single serving containers instead of providing food to the hungry in our world seems strange. I guess progress in some areas comes at a cost for others. Net, net, I'm not sure these alternatives are the answer--it is consumer education and accessible (healthy) public water supply with a reusable container--the primitive cup or canteen.

I must commend Green Planet on their initiative and progressive approach to keeping the bottles in the recycling stream; they offer redemption for empty bottles. Our school is trying to introduce Green Planet bottled water into our lunch program to promote an environmental initiative. Green Planet will provide a 50 cent redemption on every case of empty bottles returned by the school and the redemption proceeds will benefit the 8th grade class.

State legislators should take note of this practice and use more funds to provide redemption and less to maintain the landfill those empty containers create!

By: Peter H

Peter H — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:18:39 +0000

Until very recently most Conferences and meetings I have ever been to used water jugs, with ice if necessary and glasses. that is no big deal. Sure, a bit of water might be wasted if not used.....but hey, it is simple and easy.

why do you need a water sponser anyway?? surely the venue "sponsers" [ or provides] the TAP water!!

BTW......in many places around the world, tap water can taste ghastly, if legally ok. That does open an option for bottled water, and a necessary one too.

It is not always a one dimensional debate.

By: Diane MacEachern

Diane MacEachern — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:08:24 +0000

As another member of BlogHer's Green Team, I have to say I felt cheated when I arrived at the conference expecting to celebrate the lack of plastic water bottles only to find they were there – filled with flavored water instead of "plain." That was frustrating! Even more frustrating is how many conference-goers didn't have a problem with the bottles at all. We can only blame companies for so long – consumers are fueling demand for these products. We need to shift our spending to greener, cleaner alternatives. Thanks for a great wrap-up of the controversy.

By: Robj98168

Robj98168 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:46:15 +0000

Hee hee- you bloghers! Wouldn't it make more sense to get a company to provide reuseable Kllen Canteen style bottles and have the hotel provide water in those big water things that look like coffee pots? Of course I just bought a "Green Canteen" Love the thing. It is made in China though so I may be losing points on buying something transported god knows how many miles made by children working in a sweatshop. Sometimes you can't win!

By: Farmer's Daughter

Farmer's Daughter — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:37:47 +0000

Thanks for the idea, Beth. I'm not sure how that would work with high schoolers. Perhaps I'll ban all water but let them go to the water fountain whenever they want. Being a science classroom, it's totally reasonable to ban water.

I'm not sure if they'd all remember the reusable bottles. They never forget their cell phones or ipods, but calculators, notebooks and pens (the things we actually will use!) are tough.

By: John Costigane

John Costigane — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:28:06 +0000

Hi Beth,

Plastic bottles, in general, are worth avoiding simply for the waste destination they mostly have.

One aspect I notice is the extensive use of these bottles in sports events, eg tennis. Seeing all the top names using them can only reinforce their 'good' image for the general public. This type of activity should be questioned perhaps by contacting the stars to suggest their using sustainable alternatives. If one did so the others would likely follow suit.

Advertising is hugely negative for other situations with top sportsmen promoting a well known brand of razor, with its ever-recurring waste output to consumers.

Zero Waste requires the questioning of these items, as many already are. The more the issues are raised the better the impact.

By: The Mom

The Mom — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:16:46 +0000

I'm glad that Pepsi listened to you to a certain degree. It's amazing to me that in such a short time people have been brainwashed to believe that water from a plastic bottle is easier and safer than the water we've been drinking forever. Why is it easier to buy a huge case of water, lug it home, store it, and then dispose of it. It seems to me much easier to turn on the tap and put a glass or reusable metal bottle of your choice under it.

By: Josh Patel

Josh Patel — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:11:38 +0000

It is simply great that you could get a giant like Pepsi to listen to you. This battle against bottled water is really important for the health of millions.
Just stumbled and submitted your site to Viralogy. Hope you get some great traffic from it. Your blog is here http://www.viralogy.com/blogs/my/14214

- Josh