Bottlemania

Mom is obsessed with bottled water. Not drinking it but raising awareness about the impact it has on the environment. She is always amazed that people in the United States, most of whom have access to clean drinking water, still drink bottled water. Why? When did everyone start drinking this stuff? What happened or should I say what went wrong?

Like the cover of the book says, Bottlemania is the story of how water went on sale and why we bought it. Think about this for a minute. We buy water at the store, bring it home, refrigerate it, and then drink it when it is properly chilled. What's wrong with good old tap water? Not good enough for you?

Nearly half of all the bottled water sold in the United States comes from municipal supplies and is labeld either 'drinking water' or 'purified water'. This water is filtered, filtered, and filtered again so it is nothing like the water that comes from your tap. Is it better for you than tap water? Probably not considering that more than 89% of tap water meets or exceeds federal health and safety regulations.

Can you believe that bottled water costs 240 to 10,000 more than tap water? How crazy is that? Yet people still buy it by the case loads every day. But again I ask why?

The author, Elizabeth Royte, calls bottled water an unparalleled social phenomenon. Kids today never drink tap water because they have grown up drinking bottled water. Drink tap water? No way! And drinking fountains? Cootie city! These kids are consuming bottled water at an ever alarming rate and I'm betting that most of them don't even recycle the bottles. But don't blame the kids because they are just drinking what their parents give them.

As America moved toward a faster paced society with drive thru everythings, our need for instant gratification needed to be met. The author tells us that "Bottled water fills a perceived need for convenience: hydration on the go, with bottles that fit into the palm of the hand, in a briefcase or purse." How true is that? Every car today has at least two cupholders (or bottle holders) with some minivans having more than a half dozen. Everyone is involved in perpetuating this obsession.

The heart of the book is about the author's trip to Fryeburg, Maine where she delves into the source of Poland Springs water. This tiny little town has been fighting a losing battle with Nestle, owner of Poland Springs for years and their story is told through the author. It is eye opening to read about the lives that are changed (some for the good via jobs) when Poland Springs rolled into town. There is one thing for sure about the impact they have made - the town hasn't been the same since they arrived and will never be the same again.

The real cost of the bottle water obsession can be see all around us. The environmental impacts abound when you talk about bottled water. From sinking pumps into water supplies to transporting water to stores, the carbon footprint of bottled water is huge. Just think about how much water it takes to produce a case of water. I'm talking about water that is used to make the physical bottles, caps, and packaging.

But it's not just the carbon footprint that is frightening. Local water supplies are being compromised by companies moving into communities and taking their water. Entire ecosystems are being lost by the continuous pumping of water. Millions of water bottles end up in landfills every day. What exactly are we teaching children when we hand them a bottle of water? What kind of role models are we when we drink bottled water?

What is it going to take to get people to stop drinking bottled water? When Mom and Dad were in San Francisco earlier this month, Dad got resuable water bottles for their group. It's one thing to hand someone a bottle to use and another thing to get them to use it. Mom was hopeful that everyone would do the right thing and use the bottles and she was pleasantly surprised when they did. The only trouble came when there wasn't anywhere they could refill the bottles. This was a minor problem that they overcame and soon the group was as one person put it "Michele water bottle compliant". To say this thrilled Mom would be an understatement. She finally felt like people were listening, understanding their role, and taking action.

We should be so grateful to have access to clean drinking water. We should thank our lucky stars every day that water is plentiful where most of us live. We should also be thankful that we have the knowledge to change the future. Water is a finite resource and one that we cannot live without. If we don't take action now to conserve water, there may be a time in the not so distant future when we will be forced to buy water, if there is any left.

I drink tap water and I love it. If it's good enough for me, isn't it good enough for you? Please get yourself a reusable bottle and carry it with you wherever you go. If you do this you will never be in a situation where you will 'need' to buy bottled water. Purchase reusable bottles for friends and give them as gifts. Spread the word about good old tap water. Encourage those around you to try it - they might just like it.