Who is dumb enough to support banning bottled water? A totally healthy, convienent, and legal substance!?

Question

Who is dumb enough to support banning bottled water? A totally healthy, convienent, and legal substance!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080629/lf_...

(1) Water is healthy. Far better than alcohol, milk, sugary fruit drinks, and esp. sodas. I would rather being sipping on water all day then a combo of those things. I would also rather see more americans with a bottle of water than a Extra Big Gulp, a Budweiser product, or a can of Red Bull.

(2) Bottled water is a legal product.

(3) The plastic from bottled water does not cause that much harm to the environment compared other sources of plastic waste on the market.... plastic bags or detegerent bottles anyone?

(4) Not all public/city water tastes great. Some cities have good water, but some do not. I live in Florida, and trust me, you can tell the difference from county to county

(5) Bottled water is great for emergencies, from city-water contamination to hurricanes and floods.

Answer 1

1.) Bottled water isn't as healthy as you think. It's exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act. As a result, it isn't required to be as safe as tap water. Many tests have revealed unsafe levels of everything from bacteria to contaminants in bottled water. People assume it's safe because it's on the shelf. In reality, it doesn't get tested.

2.) Alcohol was perfectly legal when it was outlawed for Prohibition. We've got a history of outlawing things that used to be perfectly legal.

3.) The plastic is just as harmful as other plastic products, you're right. And there's a big push to get rid of plastic grocery bags. Water is being targeted because so many people pick plastic water bottles over the nearly-free, nonplastic tap in their home. When there is a detergent tap in my home, I won't buy packaged detergent either.

4.) You're right that it doesn't all taste good. Neither does all bottled water. At least you know your tap water has to meet federal standards for drinking water. Your bottled water doesn't.

5.) Bottled water is great for emergencies. And I expect it would still be made available for emergencies when taps aren't safe.

Bottom line: There's two sides to this.

I'd love to hear from someone who is living with drought restrictions because the local bottling company is using all of their city's tap water. (Yes, many water companies are bottling tap water from municipal sources, like your tap.)

I wouldn't get my knickers in a twist just yet, though. The bottled water industry is huge - thanks to you folks - and will fight any laws that ban it nationwide. You'll get plenty of notice if anything's changing.

Answer 2

Water is healthy. Bottled water need not be. I have seen bottled water with a label that gave the nitrate content as being worse that what the World Health Organization allows and the WHO standards are far more lax than any American standards.

Don't dump on Budweiser. It may not be good beer but a moderate consumption of beer fights cancer and heart disease and is a source of B vitamins.

I'll grant you that Florida water can be terrible. I had some in West Palm Beach that tasted like mold. However, a cheaper way to solve the problem is to charcoal-filter the water (something the water company should have done) and then put it in a refillable bottle.

My question to you is who is dumb enough to buy water that has been transported great distances when you can get the same thing for pennies per gallon?

Answer 3

Carry a stainless steel cup or thermos - so there will be no problem with using plastic.

Answer 4

teh plastic is killing the penguins man! Stop the pollution the enviroment *wheese*

Answer 5

I think that that you would be crazy if you supported the banning of bottled water. If anyone believes in that because they think processing the plastic is harmful to the earth, here's a solution: Just recycle them when you're done with them! Also, I agree completely with #5. I also live in Florida and Whats gonna happen if you need to evacuate for a hurricane or flood. I mean, you can't take the whole sink and pipes with you to get water. having bottled water is the only you'd get water at all! And I also aggree with #1. Everyone in the world should have twice the amount of water they are getting now, not less, which is what would happen if they banned bottled water, meanwhile people getting more drunk and having higher blood sugar levels from all the sugary sodas! And you're exactly right about not all public water tasting great. It deffinately differs.

Answer 6

The majority of bottled water is nothing but that. Tap water put through a filter or reverse osmosis, some have added vitamins and minerals too. Theyre put in a bottle and slap a label on it LIEING to you that its from some special source. Fiji water is one of the water companies thats actually genuine.

Some of the tap water still contains bacteria especially when not filtered correctly.

I think the majority of bottled water is just a waste and deceptive way for people to make money.

I think companies should make tap water filters more available and less expensive so people can simply bottle their own water.

Answer 7

laws banning it would be completely unreasonable, people not buying it should determine whether it continues to be produced or not, though perhaps companies could look into safter container types and if people buy those instead you would think plastic bottles would go by the wayside

I don't drink tap water as it gives me a noticeably bad taste in my mouth upon waking, some bottled water also does that so I don't get the ones that are like that

Answer 8

The point isnt saying "bann water" its just trying to stop pollution.  Many people are drinking the bottles of water then throwing away the bottles.  Thats all adding up.  Now im not saying that im going with the whole bann bottled water thing but you have to look at it in the way of its for the environment.  Where do all your bottles go? do you chuck yours in the rubbish? even if YOU dont there are millions that do and all that rubbish has to go somewhere and because our worlds so cheap the governments dont want to spend money on recycling.  I agree with you on number 1 and 5.  Bottled water is great for emergencys but the fact is many people buy bottled water because it tastes nice and its a quick grab.  If you dont like the taste of tap water add some lemon or something.  Plastic bottles do play a major part in the worlds environmental pollution issue.

Answer 9

although i do disagree with you there is one common thread between us both and that is the fact that we are both facing extremely high gas prices - through the production of plastic petroleum is used - as crazy is this might sound if everyone stops buying bottled water we will have lower gas prices

Answer 10

You lost me when you stated that "...bottled water does not cause that much harm to the environment...."

Say what?