Ahhhhh! The mainstream is finally catching on! A golden ray of hope this morning from the New York Times, in which Bob found the article “Water, Water Everywhere, but Guilt by the Bottleful.”
In the last few months, bottled water — generally considered a benign, even beneficial, product — has been increasingly portrayed as an environmental villain by city leaders, activist groups and the media. The argument centers not on water, but oil.
It takes 1.5 million barrels a year just to make the plastic water bottles Americans use, according to the Earth Policy Institute in Washington, plus countless barrels to transport it from as far as Fiji and refrigerate it.
Your tap water is unsafe, you say? First, make sure this is true. Although our drinking water systems in the United States are aging, many cities and towns continue to provide excellent drinking water to their residents. If your tap water actually does fall in the non-potable range, invest in a filtration system (we use a Big Berkey, which cost us $235 four years ago) and get involved with the local water board to see what you can do.
And how to keep yourself hydrated during your busy, busy days away from your kitchen? There are plenty of options, including water fountains, used glass jars, thermoses, and canteens.
