Comments on: You’ll never look at bottled water the same again http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/ Big Changes Start With Small Steps Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:34:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Peter http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-295 Peter Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:50:54 +0000 http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-295 I left the above message dated Jan. 2, 2008. Well, I went ahead and made the decision to phase out the bottled water at our office. I went and bought one of those Brita filter water dispensers (like the pitcher but really big with the spigot on the end) to put in the office fridge. And a good supply of filters too. As soon as people realized what was going on, a couple of the office staff got all upity, but I held firm. There will be no more bottled water (at least paid for by the company). Feels good to have done my part, but it's a drop in the ocean when you consider the rampant, senseless consumption of bottled water in this country and the plastic waste it creates. I left the above message dated Jan. 2, 2008. Well, I went ahead and made the decision to phase out the bottled water at our office. I went and bought one of those Brita filter water dispensers (like the pitcher but really big with the spigot on the end) to put in the office fridge. And a good supply of filters too.
As soon as people realized what was going on, a couple of the office staff got all upity, but I held firm. There will be no more bottled water (at least paid for by the company). Feels good to have done my part, but it’s a drop in the ocean when you consider the rampant, senseless consumption of bottled water in this country and the plastic waste it creates.

]]> By: Peter http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-225 Peter Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:16:41 +0000 http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-225 I work in an office that stocks the fridge with 4 different brands of soda (in cans) and 4 different types of fruit juice in plastic bottles. Oh, and bottled water too. All of this is free to our staff, and my job is to order more and stock the fridge. It's revolting how shamelessly the people here take advantage of the free beverages. What really disgusts me, though, is the amount of the bottled water they drink. The people here for some reason refuse to entertain the thought of drinking the tap water, even though this is Minneapolis, MN and we have perfectly good and safe tap water. I would bet that most of these people drink tap water at home for economic reasons, but because this bottled water is free at work they suck it down with abandon. I am looking at getting a filtration system put in, but it's pretty expensive to lease monthly. And the sad truth is, it's unnecessary anyway. The tap water's fine. But people have this irrational attitude that it's not. I truly just don't get it. I work in an office that stocks the fridge with 4 different brands of soda (in cans) and 4 different types of fruit juice in plastic bottles. Oh, and bottled water too. All of this is free to our staff, and my job is to order more and stock the fridge. It’s revolting how shamelessly the people here take advantage of the free beverages. What really disgusts me, though, is the amount of the bottled water they drink. The people here for some reason refuse to entertain the thought of drinking the tap water, even though this is Minneapolis, MN and we have perfectly good and safe tap water. I would bet that most of these people drink tap water at home for economic reasons, but because this bottled water is free at work they suck it down with abandon. I am looking at getting a filtration system put in, but it’s pretty expensive to lease monthly. And the sad truth is, it’s unnecessary anyway. The tap water’s fine. But people have this irrational attitude that it’s not. I truly just don’t get it.

]]> By: Nick http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-85 Nick Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:28:01 +0000 http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-85 Thanks for writing about this issue and for creating the pledge. I just wanted to let people know that Corporate Accountability International is running the Think Outside The Bottle campaign, which also has a pledge for people to sign, as well as an online activism kit. The website is www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org and there are also a lot of facts and some more info about the campaign. Thanks for writing about this issue and for creating the pledge. I just wanted to let people know that Corporate Accountability International is running the Think Outside The Bottle campaign, which also has a pledge for people to sign, as well as an online activism kit. The website is www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org and there are also a lot of facts and some more info about the campaign.

]]> By: Dave Tilford http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-71 Dave Tilford Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:49:42 +0000 http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-71 Concering Tom Rossen's comments: Yes, it is a problem when your local water supply isn't so pure. On the C3 campaign page http://c3.newdream.org/, and on the Conscious Consumer page <a href="http://www.newdream.org/consumer/water.php" rel="nofollow">http://www.newdream.org/consumer/water.php</a>, we do encourage people to check their local water supplies and perhaps get a filter if they feel their local supply is unsafe. We do want to counter the impression that bottled water is safer, given the fact that tap water is actually more closely regulated. But we don't wish to give the impression that tap water quality is never an issue. That is why we include information on how to check local water quality and determine whether a filter is warranted. There are a number of home water filtration systems that do filter out lead, if that is a concern in your area. (And contrary to Tom's claim, Brita filters do purport to filter out lead.) You can find more information on water filters on our Conscious Consumer bottled water page: <a href="http://www.newdream.org/consumer/water.php" rel="nofollow">http://www.newdream.org/consumer/water.php</a>. (See especially the link to the excellent Consumer Reports overview of filters and what they filter out.) Hope that helps! Dave Tilford Senior Writer New American Dream Concering Tom Rossen’s comments:

Yes, it is a problem when your local water supply isn’t so pure. On the C3 campaign page http://c3.newdream.org/, and on the Conscious Consumer page http://www.newdream.org/consumer/water.php, we do encourage people to check their local water supplies and perhaps get a filter if they feel their local supply is unsafe.

We do want to counter the impression that bottled water is safer, given the fact that tap water is actually more closely regulated. But we don’t wish to give the impression that tap water quality is never an issue. That is why we include information on how to check local water quality and determine whether a filter is warranted.

There are a number of home water filtration systems that do filter out lead, if that is a concern in your area. (And contrary to Tom’s claim, Brita filters do purport to filter out lead.)

You can find more information on water filters on our Conscious Consumer bottled water page: http://www.newdream.org/consumer/water.php. (See especially the link to the excellent Consumer Reports overview of filters and what they filter out.)

Hope that helps!
Dave Tilford
Senior Writer
New American Dream

]]> By: carla http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-68 carla Tue, 23 Oct 2007 02:13:40 +0000 http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-68 i don't trust tap water either. but there are filters that will take out lead. lots of them. even if the tap water were clean at the source, i've lived in houses where i was sure the pipes were not. i quit buying bottled water for home use a logn time ago and switched to pur filter pitchers, largely for the sake of my own pocketbook, and also i'm much less likely to run out of drinking water when i filter it than when i buy it. i don’t trust tap water either.
but there are filters that will take out lead. lots of them.
even if the tap water were clean at the source, i’ve lived in houses where i was sure the pipes were not.
i quit buying bottled water for home use a logn time ago and switched to pur filter pitchers, largely for the sake of my own pocketbook, and also i’m much less likely to run out of drinking water when i filter it than when i buy it.

]]> By: Tom Rossen http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-66 Tom Rossen Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:19:13 +0000 http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-66 Exqueeeeeeeze me, but the arrogant attitude of this campaign has me steaming! I live in Chicago, as do a fair number of other people, and the happy shiny picture C3 paints of tap water supplies doesn't sound anything like this: http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/yourwater/system.php?pwsid=IL0316000 Beyond the issue of the quality at the pumping stations is the prevalence of lead in water at the tap after flowing through old mains and residential pipes. We use Brita filters, but they don't deal with the lead. Sorry, but under these conditions I will continue to drink bottled water, even though our corrupt mayor is about to impose a tax on it - and not on junk beverages - and the money collected will not go to improve the environment. Exqueeeeeeeze me, but the arrogant attitude of this campaign has me steaming! I live in Chicago, as do a fair number of other people, and the happy shiny picture C3 paints of tap water supplies doesn’t sound anything like this: http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/yourwater/system.php?pwsid=IL0316000

Beyond the issue of the quality at the pumping stations is the prevalence of lead in water at the tap after flowing through old mains and residential pipes. We use Brita filters, but they don’t deal with the lead.

Sorry, but under these conditions I will continue to drink bottled water, even though our corrupt mayor is about to impose a tax on it - and not on junk beverages - and the money collected will not go to improve the environment.

]]> By: Rodrigo Sierra Corona http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-63 Rodrigo Sierra Corona Sun, 21 Oct 2007 17:15:57 +0000 http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-63 Hello, why don't you make the map bigger?? I am from Queretaro city, 200km north Mexico city, I really enjoy your blog and I am willing to take the pledge but, and I am pretty sure there are more people like me and like you out of the US. We are facing a global issue so will be nice to have a global blog with global actions don't you think? Thank you. Hello, why don’t you make the map bigger??

I am from Queretaro city, 200km north Mexico city, I really enjoy your blog and I am willing to take the pledge but, and I am pretty sure there are more people like me and like you out of the US. We are facing a global issue so will be nice to have a global blog with global actions don’t you think?

Thank you.

]]> By: George H. Pro http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-61 George H. Pro Sat, 20 Oct 2007 14:24:08 +0000 http://c3.newdream.org/blog/2007/10/03/youll-never-look-at-bottled-water-the-same-again/#comment-61 This article changed forever the way I look at bottled water. This article changed forever the way I look at bottled water.

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