March 02, 2006
A Case of Bottled Water
In the NY Times Magazine weekly column "consumed", Rob Walker writes about Ethos Water, a bottled variety (on the The Earth Policy Insitute recently argued that producing the bottles to meet American demands consumes 1.5 million barrels of oil a year"
There is also speculation, spurned by some ("disinterested" parties), that the consumption of bottled water is leading to increased tooth decay in children.
The proliferating consumption of bottled water is yet another example of how we are swallowing the corporatocracy whole. Can you imagine what the profits are on a bottle of ordinary water that retails for more than a dollar. Purchased water has been sold to us -- a luxurious status symbol (like a Hummer, a McMansion) that now is generally thought to be preferable to that which is free.
I would go so far as to propose that this has led us to undervalue our generally wonderful, potable, safe, hot and cold running tap water, and contributed to the chilling trend of the privatization of water resources.
Bet the folks in Dubai know alot about water management.
May I suggest that you savor tap water, like the Parisians, and make generous donations directly in cash to water development projects in third world countries with the money you save on bottled water.
Oh god, just as I was about to push the publish button -- look what I found. They also say that bottled water isn't the answer. Maybe make that contribution to a clean water project right in your own backyard.
Photo note: This is my own delicious tap water, running into a bowl in my kitchen sink, with a bottle of water drowning in it. No metaphors here.
Posted by Dakota at March 2, 2006 04:32 PM