It may be time to re-evaluate how we use bottled water.

When I was growing up the idea that one day most of us would pay for bottled water at the supermarket seemed positively preposterous.  Yet, as I write this in 2009 it is estimated that consumers worldwide spend between $50 and $100 billion dollars per year on the stuff.  I have always been skeptical about the claims that the bottlers make about the quality of the water that they are peddling and rarely buy it.   Recently,  I decided to take a closer look at this issue.  Chris Baskind writes on Environmental issues and is the Publisher of Vida Verde Media, a green lifestyle media company.  I came across an article he has written entitled "Five Reasons Not To Drink Bottled Water".   Mr. Baskind makes a very compelling case for his position.
In this article,  Chris Baskind offers five good reasons why people should avoid the use of bottled water whenever possible.  I will summarize them briefly:
1)  Bottled water is not a good value.   This is certainly true.  The fact of the matter is that people pay much more per gallon for bottled water than they do for gasoline. 
2)  Bottled water is no healthier than tap water.    This is a point that I am sure can be the subject of intense debate.  But a good deal of the evidence that I have looked at seems to indicate that this is largely true.
3)  Bottled water means garbage.   On this point there can be no debate.  The evidence is incontrovertible.  According to Mr. Baskind's article "Bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic each year.    
4)  Bottled water means less attention to public systems.  In my view this is one of Mr. Baskind's most cogent points and something I had never really considered.  To quote Mr. Baskind from his article:  "Only the very affluent can afford to switch their water consumption to bottled sources.  Once distanced from public systems, these consumers have little incentive to support bind issues and other methods of upgrading municipal water treatment".   So once again,  lower class working stiffs and the poor are forced to make deal with the consequences of poorly maintained infrastructure.
5)   The corporatization of water.   In order to raise funds to address immediate budgetary shortfalls municipalities all over the world are selling off their water works to private companies.   This might solve the immediate financial problems but in the long-run this idea is extremely short-sighted. 

So there you have it.  A very compelling case why we should limit our use of bottled water.  Now am I saying that people should never use bottled water?  Certainly not.  For one thing everyone should have a stash of bottled water at home in case of an emergency.  Furthermore, each one of us has our own particular set of circumstances that may make the use of bottled water a necessity at times. Perhaps the water in your neck of the woods is of poor quality and you have no other choice right now.  What I am trying to accomplish here is to make everyone aware of the fact that there are consequences to our use of this product. Think of all the fuel that is wasted hauling this stuff around the country. Think of all the waste that is being created. If we all take the time to consider this perhaps we can begin to reduce the wasteful and unnecessary consumption of this product.

    
To read Chris Baskind's entire article click on the link below:

ighterfootstep.com/2008/05/five-reasons-not-to-drink-bottled-water/