Off The Fence - Daughter’s observation of ecological hazards is astounding

Susan Thompson
Express staff

My husband and I took our daughters out for ice cream the other day.

Being a Mom, I thought the girls would get thirsty, so I grabbed a bottle of water and put it on the counter. I was about to pay for it when my 9-year-old tapped me and reminded me, “Mom, you shouldn’t buy bottled water. It just makes more garbage, and it costs more than gas.”

After I got over my surprise (how does a kid who can’t drive know what the price of gas is anyway?) I had to agree... she was right. Apparently, she’d seen a video about it at school, but I know I’ve even told her the same thing myself.

The problem is, as a parent, buying bottled water generally seems like a good idea. Water isn’t packed with sugar like pop and juice. It’s a healthy alternative; or at least it’s been pitched that way to us.

Thanks to millions of dollars in advertising, bottled water immediately calls up mental images of crystal clear streams and attractive people in spandex taking a swig in between going for their daily run and heading off to their yoga class.

It’s just not that simple in real life. First of all, there’s the cost. If gas cost per litre what bottled water costs per litre, there would probably be riots in the streets. Water is “Blue Gold”, putting Alberta’s black gold to shame in terms of price versus production cost. Most of that cost comes from the bottle itself, and its lid and label.

Yet people never complain about the price of water. We should complain. After all, isn’t access to water a basic human right? Selling water by the bottle turns it into a commodity instead, something to be bought and sold rather than something everyone can access as needed. That will only become more important as the world’s clean water becomes more polluted, or lost to processes like steam injection in the oil patch. Corporations know this, and are buying up groundwater and distribution rights where they can, increasingly privatizing the water supply.

Then there’s the idea that bottled water is somehow healthier or better than tap water. It isn’t. Sometimes, it’s even worse, possibly containing more bacteria and other nasty things. In general, there are actually fewer restrictions and less testing of bottled water than of municipal water.

Meanwhile, there is absolutely no proof aside from slogans and advertising that bottled water is in any way cleaner or more pure than tap water. Some bottled water companies simply bottle municipal water out of the tap themselves, putting an extra strain on those public systems.

Many people don’t like the taste of their local water, sure. But why not buy a (far less expensive) carbon filter system then, which can eliminate that problem quickly and easily? You’ll also know for sure that your water actually is cleaner, instead of just taking someone else’s word for it.

Bottled water also means garbage. Yes, the bottles can be recycled, but most aren’t. Instead, they’re simply chucked in the trash. Plastic doesn’t decay, meaning that all those bottles are still around, somewhere. Lots of them end up drifting in the ocean, clogging it with trash and threatening marine life. That’s not an image the companies selling bottled water are going to use in an ad anytime soon, so most people don’t think about it. It’s an increasing problem.

Vancouver banned bottled water on city property for all of these reasons. Meanwhile, the federal government got slammed recently for spending $15.7 million on bottled water over the past five years. That’s a huge waste of taxpayers’ money, considering most federal sites provide water - for free - at fountains.

Despite the many reasons not to buy bottled water, bottled water has already become one of the most popular beverages around, and bottled water sales are only increasing.

I still want my kids to drink something healthy, but next time, I’ll try to remember to bring a stainless steel bottle of my own tap water from home instead. I know my kids, and the earth, will thank me for it.

Copyright © 1999-2009 Smoky River Express. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.

View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster