USA Water Filter Blog

MNN: What made you want to write aboutbottled water?
Gleick: I’ve been working on water issues for about 30 years, but my interest in bottled water has grown in the last several years alongside the growth of the bottled water industry itself. As sales of bottled water have exploded, the controversies over bottled water have also grown. Fiji water in particular is in many ways emblematic of the problems with bottled water: the high cost of production and transportation, and the advertising that’s required to sell it. It’s such a strange idea that it could possibly be an appropriate thing to do — to bottle water in Fiji and transport it all the way to the U.S. to be bought and sold. It’s an extreme example of the lengths we’ll go just to bring a product to the American consumer.

Bottled water has gotten a lot of flack for its environmental cost, but aren’t the plastic bottles recyclable?
PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) is 100 percent recyclable, as the bottled water industry tells us over and over again. But recyclable is not the same as recycled. In the U.S. about 75 percent of plastic bottles are tossed in the landfill. And most of the stuff that’s recycled doesn’t get made into new plastic bottles. Instead, it’s shipped to China where it’s downcycled into secondary plastic materials like fiber filling. There’s a value to that, but there’s no reason why all of our PET bottles couldn’t be made from recycled PET. The technology exists. It’s a little more costly for the bottled water companies, but it would be less costly for the environment.

How do we get people to start drinking less bottled water?
We’re not going to get rid of bottled water entirely. It’s a commodity, and if people really want to buy it, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be allowed to. But, we ought to really look at why people buy bottled water. One reason is because, rightly or wrongly, people fear our tap water. In general our tap water systems are good, but I also believe very strongly that they ought to be better. But the first line of defense against bad tap water systems isn’t bottled water, it’s making our tap water systems better and making sure the public has confidence in them. The second reason people buy bottled water is because it’s available everywhere, while public water fountains are becoming increasingly harder to find. Third, some people simply don’t like the taste of their tap water. And finally, advertising and marketing play a big role. Often-deceptive advertising convinces us that bottled water is going to make us healthier, skinnier, smarter, sexier … even holier. We need to tackle all of these issues if we’re really interested in reducing bottled water consumption.

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/bottled-and-sold

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The proliferation of plastic bottled water and the perceived threat to free access to drinking water will highlight a public presentation Tuesday evening at the Fundy Chocolate River Station on Coverdale Road in Riverview, organized by The Eywa Institute Holistic Clinic & Hillside Retreat.

The event, which gets underway at 6:30 p.m., will feature a showing of “The Story of Bottled Water” by Annie Leonard and a presentation entitled “The Straight Talk on Water for Health” with Tracey Dunn, founder and director of The Eywa Institute, and Eileen Fauster, holistic nutritionist, allergist and iridologist and cancer coach from Toronto. The presentation is in collaboration with OlivierTV.

The intent is to educate people on the health benefits of water and start a movement to ban plastic bottled water in our region, said Dunn. Participants can learn about healthy, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions to what she called the drinking water crisis.

Dunn invited people to bring refillable water bottles to the event.

Fauster is the founder of Essential Balance Holistic Health Services, a holistic-based wellness company in Thornhill, Ont., and will be working at the Ammon Road Moncton institute from Tuesday to Saturday offering one-and-a-half-hour sessions that include a comprehensive iridology and nutrition evaluation and allergy treatments.

For further information, call the institute at 204-1421 or e-mail eywainstitute@gmail.com

http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/news/article/1241761

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You don’t need an exercise machine that uses electricity to help you burn calories. You can do that all on your own. Outside. And while you’re at it, boost your mood, too.

Recent research shows just five minutes of “green” exercise — physical activity in a nature setting — a day improves your mood, self-esteem, and mental health.

Isn’t it nice to know the environment is looking out for you? Why not return the favor?

Check out these tips on how to reduce that fit footprint of yours.

Get moving outdoors. I know this may sound obvious, but let’s get a little creative here. Have you ever thought of all the things you can do outside that use only YOUR energy? Besides walking, jogging, or biking, try skipping, jumping jacks, or running up and down stairs. Maybe even add some strength training like a few lunges, squats, or situps to your routine.

Drink up. But don’t you dare buy bottled water. Or use those paper cups at the gym by the water jugs. Such a waste! Instead, bring your own reusable water bottle for your H2O when you workout.

Wear your green on your sleeve. Buy workout clothes made of organic cotton, bamboo, or other natural fibers. And try yoga mats or yoga bags made of recycled materials.

Give those old threads and treads a second life. Did you know you can send some of your worn-out workout clothes to places like Patagonia’s Common Threads Recycling Program and they will turn them into new ones? You can also drop off your old sneakers at a Nike Reuse-A-Shoe collection center and they will use them to make basketball courts, running tracks, and playgrounds.

One other thing I try to do is to walk when I do my errands whenever I can. I’m fortunate because I live in an area where I’m within a mile or two of my bank, gym, and grocery store so I don’t have to drive to those places unless the weather is bad. Or the grocery list is too long.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/healthy_living/110204/are_skinny_people_ruining_the

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Re: Risk and plastic, by Navana Senic, Sept. 3

I read this letter to the editor with interest. In her correspondence, Ms. Senic raises concerns about the outside storage of bottled water at Windsor retailers and the possible leaching of plastic compounds into the product as a result.

The ideal outside storage temperature range for bottled water is 5 C to 25 C, which according to Environment Canada, is well within the temperature range one typically experiences in Windsor during the summer months.

Temperature fluctuations outside of that range would have to occur in a sustained fashion over a minimum two-week period for the product to be impacted. In any case, the product never sits in direct sunlight over a prolonged period, partly because of building overhangs and partly because of the continuous rotation of the sun.

Regarding leaching, Health Canada is aware of reports appearing on the Internet expressing concerns about the potential degradation of plastic water bottles which have been left in cars exposed to summer heat, for example.

The focus of such concern has been the alleged release of cancer-causing chemicals from the plastic bottles into the water. However, according to Health Canada, there is no scientific evidence to support such a concern.

http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/Bottled+water+facts+website/3537037/story.html

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Our generation is living in “The Green Age.” Seriously, take a look around you. Whether it’s the recycling bin against the wall, the kid sitting next to you in class with the environmentally-friendly notebook, products in stores labeled “energy efficient” or “made from recycled materials” or, my personal favorite, the reusable water bottle, we are constantly being encouraged to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. Green seems to be the new black in today’s world, and for good reason. We’re slowly but surely turning Earth into one huge landfill, and what kills me is that we have the option of decreasing our negative impact and, generally speaking, no one really cares.

I am so opposed to the concept of bottled water. It is unnecessary, harmful to the environment and, compared to tap water, expensive. So you think that a $1 bottle of water you just got out of the vending machine is cheap? You just paid 5 cents per ounce of water. The water that comes out of the sink in your dorm room, house or apartment costs less than 1 cent per gallon. Here’s a fun fact: you are only getting one twentieth of the water you could be drinking all for the convenience of little bottles that have a better than 80 percent chance of sitting in a landfill for the next thousand years.

http://www.dailygamecock.com/mobile/viewpoints/water-bottles-harm-environment-1.1650476

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We love convenience, but sometimes pay dearly for it. There’s a list out of some of the most overpriced products to avoid if you want to save money.

The list comes from WalletPop.com… a personal finance Website.  It says if you really want to save money, stay away from buying these things that have a huge markup. They include:

• Bottled water. By one estimate, bottled water has a 4000% markup over tap water.  And since much of it comes from municipal taps, you’re better off refilling that plastic bottle at home.  Make sure it’s clean though.
• How about movie theater popcorn? That’s a 1275% markup compared to what you buy in the store.
• Brand name drugs have a 200% to 3000% markup over their generic counterparts.
• Ever tempted to raid the hotel room mini bar? Markups of 300% to 400% are common.
• At four bucks a pop, or more, greeting cards are expensive.  But we still pay the 200% markup that stores put on them.
• Coffee. (Did you hear Starbucks is raising prices?) 300% markup, when we could brew a cup at home for a quarter.

Many of these things are tough to resist because they’re convenient.  But if you really want to cut back, avoiding them will save you money.

Click here for WalletPop’s “10 Most Overpriced Products You Should Avoid”

http://www.ktul.com/Global/story.asp?S=13230423

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Our generation is living in “The Green Age.” Seriously, take a look around you. Whether it’s the recycling bin against the wall, the kid sitting next to you in class with the environmentally-friendly notebook, products in stores labeled “energy efficient” or “made from recycled materials” or, my personal favorite, the reusable water bottle, we are constantly being encouraged to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. Green seems to be the new black in today’s world, and for good reason. We’re slowly but surely turning Earth into one huge landfill, and what kills me is that we have the option of decreasing our negative impact and, generally speaking, no one really cares.

I am so opposed to the concept of bottled water. It is unnecessary, harmful to the environment and, compared to tap water, expensive. So you think that a $1 bottle of water you just got out of the vending machine is cheap? You just paid 5 cents per ounce of water. The water that comes out of the sink in your dorm room, house or apartment costs less than 1 cent per gallon. Here’s a fun fact: you are only getting one twentieth of the water you could be drinking all for the convenience of little bottles that have a better than 80 percent chance of sitting in a landfill for the next thousand years.

Now if you’re like me and think tap water tastes nasty, next time you go grocery shopping pick up a water purifying system. I would suggest the kind you can attach to your faucet at home for about $25. I’ve done the math, and assuming you buy one case of water a week, you spend upward of $150 a year on bottled water. On the contrary, assuming you have chosen to give water bottles the boot, you would spend around $80 to $90 the first year – this includes your purifying system, a reusable bottle and filters – and about $50 every year after that. So tell me who doesn’t want to save about $100 a year?

People don’t realize how serious the effects of plastic are on the environment, and bottled water is a huge contributor. Forty-seven million gallons of oil are used each year to produce bottled water, which means less oil for your gas-guzzling pick-up truck, and the production of plastic releases extremely harmful chemicals into the ground and air – your water and air supply. Going green isn’t just a trend; it is a critical piece of the long term solution to problems we’ve created.

Whether you want to admit it or not, this planet takes care of you. Earth provides you with breathable air, food, water and all the resources you need to continue to be able to live an abundant life.

http://www.dailygamecock.com/viewpoints/water-bottles-harm-environment-1.1650476

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About two years ago, I received an e-mail from a representative from the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA). I had written a post about bottled water and had mentioned bottled water was 1,000 times more expensive than tap water. I’m sorry to say that I don’t know where I got that statistic, but it may have been a bit low. According to the Story of Bottled Water, “bottled water costs about 2,000 times more than tap water.”

The representative of the IBWA didn’t try to refute the high monetary price of bottled water. Instead, he told me “Bottled water is more expensive than tap.  Yes.  But “1,000 times more” sounds way worse than about $1 or $2 for a bottle. It’s about choice and convenience when you need it.”

I had to laugh. Apparently, telling the truth wasn’t the problem. It was that the truth made bottled water look bad. The representative had a few other not so convincing points to make, and he pointed me to a website calledBottledwatermatters.com.

That website still exists, and the people behind it and the not-so-convincing e-mail have created a video, aimed at youth, that is equally not-so-convincing. Take a look as this teen reads from cue cards and tries to convince her generation that there are mean people trying to take away their bottled beverage that is necessary. You might laugh out loud at times.

http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating-recipes/blogs/video-for-bottled-water-support-is-really-funny

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Often times, professors, crazy Greenpeace representatives who stand in front of McKeldin Library, friends who major in environmental science, random posters and articles in liberal newspapers can leave you feeling depressed and overwhelmed with the enormity of today’s environmental problems. I remember taking those classes, having those conversations with those Greenpeace people and reading those random posters hanging on a bulletin board that no one else read. That is why I am offering a few simple steps that can be taken to reduce your environmental footprint, prevent harmful chemicals from entering your body and help keep our water accessible and clean.

Here it is: Get a reusable water bottle and fill it up with tap water. Repeat. Then never buy bottled water again.

Some people I know spend $5 on a bottle of Fiji water. I see people all the time carrying these huge packs of water bottles across the campus. I also see all the water bottles that are lying on the grass, in the flower beds  and on LaPlata Beach.  Bottled water is one of the stupidest products ever created – worse than the pet rock and the Chia Obama – because it is purely a marketing value-added product that creates way too many environmental and health problems from cradle to grave.

But bottled water is so much healthier, isn’t it? The marketing campaigns for Dasani, Poland Spring, Deer Park and Fiji have done a great job getting people to believe bottled water is actually better than tap water. Think about the words used by advertisers and marketers to describe bottled water: healthy, crisp, clear, refreshing, pure, spring and natural. These words give the impression that bottled water is this glorious drink, while water from the tap is sub-par. Yet it is estimated that 70 percent of all bottled water goes unregulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This should be especially concerning because the inexpensive plastic used in the making of the disposable bottles can leach harmful chemicals into our bodies.

On a macro scale, bottled water companies are having an even bigger, potentially more harmful effect. Water is, according to some media outlets and scholars, the “blue gold” of the 21st century. In the last 20 years, bottled water companies have started buying water rights, acts which have raised prices and hurt farming regions in some countries. Many people believe clean and safe drinking water is the most basic of human rights – which makes it all the more absurd to let a handful of multinational corporations monopolize this most precious of resources.

So what can one do to save money, help the planet and stay healthy? Start off with a small step that has a major benefit – ditch bottled water and switch to resuseable water bottles. Your body, the Earth and billions of people around the globe will thank you.

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/opinion/the-showdown-to-bottle-or-not-to-bottle-1.1650462

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Well, the truth is that I can go to my sink and get a free glass of tap water, or purchase a bottle of water that is nothing more than filtered tap water. That is right it has been found that many bottled water companies use nothing more than a purified tap water. In certain brands there is an obvious after taste that lingers leaving one to wonder what makes this one different than another brand. To regulate bottled water companies and have them put the contents on the bottle would give consumers the fair opportunity to make an informed decision.

One would believe that if a bottled water company is not willing to honestly put the contents on the bottle that they would have something to hide. What could they be putting in our water? What makes this water better than you going to the sink and running a free glass of water? Even if they formulate a special filtering system and have on the label, Specially filtered tap water a consumer would be informed and possibly willing to buy. This is the informed way of giving the consumer the choice.

Consumers have the right to know what they are putting into their body. That is why the food and drug administration has rules and regulations on many foods and drinks. Why shouldn’t water be included among these standards? For a long time consumers have believed that bottled water was better for them than their own kitchen sink. Maybe they still are with the way they filter versus the filtering systems in a home, but consumers should know what they are getting.

Tap water has many chemicals used to clean the water and it has been found that many cities have undetected chemicals that filter through the water such as perfumes, lotions, and even medicines. Depending on the type of filtering system you have there is still a possibility that a small trace of some of these can still get through. The ramifications to a bottled water company that uses tap water and does not label it as such on the bottle could be huge.

http://www.helium.com/items/1502561-regulating-labels-on-water-bottles

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