Rethinking Bottled Water: What You May Not Know

Where does the water come from that we buy bottled in our supermarkets and, in fact, anywhere we look?

Little did I know, and you may not either, that as co-author of Blue Gold, the Fight
to Stop Corporate Theft, Maude Barlow says: “Fierce disputes are being waged in communities around the world where companies like Coca-Cola and Nestle are aggressively seeking new sources for their “boutique” water, draining acquifers and even buying up whole water systems. The bottled-water industry is growing at a rate of more than 20 per cent a year.” Author Vandana Shiva has written a book
illuminating similar issues, called Water Wars.

It seems to me it is time to mind our own watersheds, buy good filters for our taps so we can safely drink our local water, and when we want to take bottled water with us, we go with stainless steel bottles. This way we protect ourselves from plastics, don’t use water that belongs to others, and ensure our local water is
safe.

Read more: Home, Reduce, Recycle & Reuse

By Annie B. Bond

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

David N.

1:48PM PDT on Apr 21, 2012

A number of Third World governments are now selling aquifers, and other sources of fresh (potable) water to large corporations. It seems the idea is to force as many people as possible to buy water in plastic bottles that add to our pollution problems. The BPA that is contained in the plastic contaminates the bottled water and is harmful to human health. The "water wars" may be fast approaching, actually Darfur (in the Sudan) is counted as the first major water war.

send a green star

J.L. A.

2:00AM PDT on Mar 17, 2012

scary

Marie W.

10:09PM PST on Mar 10, 2012

Ban the bottle-only for emergencies.

Cody L.

3:20AM PST on Jan 9, 2012

Our society needs to stigmatize the use of bottled water regularly.

june k.

11:54AM PST on Dec 19, 2011

thanks for the great advice

Naomi M.

6:44PM PST on Dec 14, 2011

Thanks.

helene f.

4:16PM PST on Dec 14, 2011

Even my kids carry reusable aluminum or BPA free water bottles. How unnerving that some places charge up to $2.50 for water that I can get free at home. We are a different society, ban boutique water!

Joe R.

2:33PM PST on Dec 14, 2011

Sanja T.

3:34AM PDT on Oct 9, 2011

interesting... thanks

Ida J.

3:21AM PDT on Oct 9, 2011

thank you