In Defense of Bottled Water
I'm getting a bit annoyed with all the criticism of bottled water by various environmentalists.
Frankly, I think they're out of line and off base.
Does bottled water create loads of plastic waste? Yes it does.
Is it any safer than tap water? That depends on whether or not the tap water is filtered appropriately. If it's not filtered then the bottled water is safer.
Does bottled water contain pthalates from the plastic bottles? It might or might not. The NRDC study that looked at contaminants in bottled water showed very few samples that contained pthalates or other contaminants. The point they made was that there's no guarantee that bottled water is safer than tap water and that's true.
Are consumers drinking too much bottled water? Yes, they are.
Are we lowering high quality aquifers by pumping too much water from them? Yes.
Is the American consumer being fooled by all the bottled water hype? Absolutely!
From my perspective the issue of the environmental impact of bottled water is one of degree. As with all things, Americans take consumption to the extreme. We're a wasteful, piggish species. We drink too much bottled water and drink it when there are more environmentally friendly alternatives...like filtered tap water.
But there's nothing wrong with bottled water itself. I drink it when traveling on road trips, at a restaurant or other occasions when I can't get healthy filtered tap water.
And it's much better for you than soft drinks. If the environmental community is lacking for things to do then let's take on soft drinks. Not only do they waste plastic and aluminum containers, they're downright bad for you.
There are differences to water just as their are differences to wine. You can learn to appreciate those differences and then drink the water that's appropriate to the meal or occasion. Read more about that here:
Fine Bottled Water - Water is not just Water ... (finewaters.com)
I'm standing up right here and right now to say that there's nothing wrong with drinking bottled water. The problem, as with all things American, is that we don't consider our impacts on the planet or other species. We're a lousy neighbor and a really bad tenant. If we were to simply try to live consciously, aware of our impacts, that would be a huge step forward.
If you'd like to know how to select the best bottled water then read this:
Which Bottled Water is the Best?
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My name is Jim McMahon and I help people achieve healthy water in their homes.
James P McMahon Ecologist
"What's in YOUR Water?"
To view my experience and credentials:
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