My Grandmother used to say “Who’s really the fool? Is it the fool himself or the person arguing with him” I would keep this in mind before you engage Mr. Lauria. He can’t be reasoned with but he can be bought.

Have a great weekend

The thing is, I never buy them. But once or twice a month we wander around our neighborhood and pick up trash out of the gutters, to keep the storm sewer grates clear (and because I have a little kid who thinks this is one of the most fun activities ever- treasure hunt!).

So even though I do not buy plastic-bottled water, ever, I recycle 2 or 3 plastic shopping bags full of them – flattened, usually, since they come from the street – every month. I can’t even estimate the number. There are other things in there too – the high school kids must have a milk vending machine, they toss a lot of milk pint bottles, and some people still toss aluminum soda & beer cans – but 90% of them are water bottles. People have really bought the idea that bottled water is good for you from industry hacks like Tom Lauria.

Our storm sewers discharge into the Mississippi River. Some of the bottles I miss probably get picked up by other people, some get caught in the settlement ponds the city has spent so much money to build the last decade or so…but most end up in the river, and from the river they go to the Gulf of Mexico, and then they’re in open ocean.

So, hey, it’s great 27% of the bottles sold get recycled – but 100% of the bottles NEVER SOLD do not need to be disposed of at all.

EcoYogini: Look up the Luddites in Wki. You know, the Scots who violently charged the machine-operated fabric looms — thrashing against the future with ignorance and fear. Plastic is the backbone of the modern world! It’s not going anywhere. It seems socially irresponsible to mount a wholesale protest/ backlash against the substance of plastic when it contributes so much to modern society and in most cases is easily recyclable.

So many blogs; so little time…this is my final comment here. I’ve enjoyed presenting our point of view here. Thank you for allowing me to be your guest for a few days. I will leave you with a newsflash: in 2008, water bottles were recycled at 27% rate. That’s a 9% increase in only one year and a welcome trend we intend to encourage going forward.

I understand that this is probably something you got from the film. But, it isn’t true. Congress’, and the FDA’s, control over bottled water does come from the Commerce Clause found in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the US Constitution. The US Supreme Court has ruled that under the Commerce Clause, Congress has jurisdiction to control “persons and things in interstate Commerce even though the threat may come from intrastate commerce.” Bottling water for commercial distribution is a commercial activity and Congress does have jurisdiction over bottled water that is bottled and distributed within a single state.

I usually take these types of films with a grain of salt because they employ manipulative story telling, and public ignorance of how the US government and industries work, to convey points (much like conservative talk radio).
.-= Kirsten´s last blog ..Easy as Apple Pie =-.

As for the whole pollution-lead-greenhouse emissions circular discussion, regardless of my opinions (ruchi said it all best), Tom you are RIGHT. Clean and safe drinking water should be available TO ALL. Supporting an industry that makes something that should be Human Right into a commodity to be sold to only those who can pay ISN’T something I morally agree with. Instead of investing your time and money into an industry that is all about co-opting water rights (ahem, ever heard of the Bolivian Water War?? No?? Didn’t think so, please wiki), I will support a government and society that values water as a free human right.

By supporting FREE clean and safe water I: vote for leaders who will bring change and update our water system (i.e. those old lead pipes you keep referring too), continue to support the system that tests tap water more stringently than the bottled water companies (so that lead pipe theory is kinda cracked anyway), support a system that will continue to value lowering water tax costs and providing infrastructure that will eventually move towards providing clean and safe water to EVERYONE not just those who have housing.

Essentially, by bringing my Klean Kanteen filled with delicious, filtered TAP water so that I can conveniently drink water where ever and whenever I want while saving this planet thousands of plastic water bottles (and petrochemicals), I will be supporting a society that values water as a RIGHT and not a product.

Also- have you tasted plastic? I’m sure that it’s tasty and worth the risk… just as the awesome BPA leaching into the water probably adds a nice TANG to it, ya know?
.-= EcoYogini´s last blog ..Personal Practice Adventure: Needing some Creativity! =-.

Dear Chicken: The FDA recommends consumers not eat plastic bottles, utensils or containers. There is no known nutritional value and you are removing valuable material from the recycling stream. Let me know where yoyu live and I’ll refer you to a family-owned water bottler, but be advised that they, too, will admonish you against eating the water container.

But, after reading all these compelling arguments from Tom, I’ve decided that, perhaps, I’m going about it all wrong. So, starting tomorrow, I’m going to start drinking bottled water. I want to help support family businesses. And, now I’m really scared that I’m going to get H1N1 from the kitchen sink at work. I heard that Fiji water is the best, so I’m going to try to find out where they sell it in my area. I don’t believe it’s a family company, but the bottles are really cool.

In fact, I’m so excited about drinking bottled water and its positive effects on my life and other’s, I think that the health benefits of drinking bottled water alone are not enough. Because of this, I’m going to not only recycle the bottles when I’m done drinking the delicious, chlorine-free water, but I am going to eat them. I suspect that the extra fiber in the plastic bottles will help contribute to my overall bowel health. Which is always a positive in my book. Does anyone know if digested plastic will clog my pipes?

I’m thinking that just plain water in the plastic bottles isn’t good enough, so I’m also looking for a company that sells liquid plastic in plastic bottles to help quench my thirst. Does anyone know if such a product exists? I don’t need flavored liquid plastic, just plain liquid plastic will do.

I’m so excited about the thirst quenching satisfaction that my new lifestyle will afford me, I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep tonight.
.-= Crunchy Chicken´s last blog ..Hot men of climatology =-.

And yes, all bottled beverages are mostly water, and therefore should be in the same category as bottled water. I avoid them all!
.-= abbie´s last blog ..Harvest of Friends =-.

2.) Production of every man-made thing on Earth causes greenhouse gas emissions. It’s literally unavoidable. A simple campfire is huge producer.

3.) Of couse PET can, and is, be recycled. The point is keep on keepin’ on and get the rates up.

4.) Natural sources of underground water, in aquifers, is constantly recharging with rain and melted snow. Bottled water consumes 2/100 of 1% of that water. (US Geological Service.) The consumption is less than a rounding error. Every liquid beverage available can also be falsely accused of “privatizing” the water supply in your distorted view.

5.) The U.S. FDA has approved plastic containers for food since the early 1970s. Global studies from around the world find plastic containers are safe.

Filters like you describe have their own set of problems and recycling difficulties. (It costs $3.00 to mail-back the Brita for recycling.)

I understand that you think that it’s unfair that plastic water bottles are being targeted when there is so much other plastic waste around. But just because there is other plastic waste doesn’t make plastic water bottles OKAY.

Now you happen to think bottled water is tastier than tap. I happen to disagree, but whatever it’s subjective. So your points are basically:

1. Plastic is everywhere, so who cares as long as we recycle (even though we both know plastic water bottles are not truly recycled, but down-cycled)
2. People are busy and plastic is the least bad thing for you in a vending machine
3. Our group’s MEMBERSHIP ROSTER is 90% small busineses, you guys!!
4. Water fountains give you the flu!!! ZOMG, H20fountain flu!!
5. Whatever, tap water tastes gross. And those pipes are OLD.

Sorry, sorry, but honestly, Tom, you just bring out the snark in me. Meanwhile, some of the arguments against bottled water

1. Transport of bottled water involves large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions
2. Production of plastic bottles also causes greenhouse gas emissions
3. Plastic bottles cannot be truly recycled so the best you can do EVEN WITH RECYCLING is delay their eventual move to the landfill
4. Privatization of water sources can threaten public water supplies
5. Plastic in the water bottles can leach into water and potentially contaminate said water

I’m glad that you are comfortable with your lifestyle decisions and all, and as a rule, I shy away from telling people how to live, but I can’t help but feel like your arguments for bottled water are pretty weak. If you don’t like the taste of tap, just buy a filter for your tap, dude.
.-= ruchi aka arduous´s last blog ..How To Lie With Statistics =-.