Buying bottled water is wrong, says Suzuki

ThePrude · #1 02-01-2007, 05:44 PM

For some reason, I just don't trust tap water...maybe I'm just paranoid.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/200...uki-water.html

Quote:

Buying bottled water is wrong, says Suzuki

Canadians wanting to do something about the environment can start by drinking tap water, environmentalist David Suzuki says.

"Everywhere I go across Canada, I insist I be given tap water when I get up to speak," Suzuki told CBC News on Thursday.

"I think in Canada it's absolutely disgusting that people are so uncertain about their water that we buy it, paying more for bottled water than we do for gasoline."

Suzuki — who was in St. John's on Thursday to launch a cross-country speaking tour aimed at engaging people in politics, particularly environmental issues — said there is no good reason for Canadians to buy bottled water.

Moreover, he said it's destructive to import bottled water from producers in countries such as France.

"It's nuts to be shipping water all the way across the planet, and us — because we're so bloody wealthy — we're willing to pay for that water because it comes from France," he said in an interview.

"I don't believe for a minute that French water is better than Canadian water. I think that we've got to drink the water that comes out of our taps, and if we don't trust it, we ought to be raising hell about that."

Key environmental issues with bottled water, Suzuki said, are waste and uncertainty over the long-term health effects created by plastic.

"Not only does bottled water lead to unbelievable pollution — with old bottles lying all over the place — but plastic has chemicals in it," he said.

"Plastics are ubiquitous. I don't believe that plastics are not involved in a great deal of the health problems that we face today."

Last August, delegates to the United Church of Canada's general council voted to discourage the purchase of bottled water within its churches. The motion called on church members to advocate against the "privatization of water" and to support healthy local supplies of water.

Suzuki spoke Thursday to a group of students. Through his David Suzuki Foundation, Suzuki will be visiting 50 communities across the country throughout February.

The tour is called "If You Were Prime Minister," and asks participants to identify what environmental regulations they want politicians to enact.

"This was actually planned months and months ago, and it just happens to coincide with this tremendous upsurge in public concern in the environment," said Suzuki.

The purpose of the tour, he said, is to tap into basic concerns that Canadians have about the environment, and then bring those messages to Ottawa.

"Right now, we're at the top of the polls and the politicians are going to do everything they can to seem green. But it's up to us to demand that those things be done — not just rhetoric."

Suzuki, meanwhile, said the tour does not indicate he has political aspirations. At 70, he said, he sees himself as "an old fart" and that running for office is best left for a younger generation.

CounterfeitVoid · #2 02-01-2007, 05:49 PM

I totally agree. I drink tap water. I read somewhere that over 90% of bottles in the world from bottled water end up in the garbage or littered as opposed to recycled.

Loverentiy · #3 02-01-2007, 05:58 PM

I do not trust water possessing facilities. They put kind of shit in there that'll make cockroaches puke. Fluoride, Chlorine... But there is no way I'm gonna pay for water. What's next bottled air? Tap filter helps but I forgot how to get rid of chlorine ... is it lighter or heavier then water? In any case boil water before drinking.

orchestral · #4 02-01-2007, 06:02 PM

i get the complaints about water.
but my deal with rampant water-bottle consumption, is the PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES. and people dont even recyle them.

get a fucking nalgene.

ThePrude · #5 02-01-2007, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loverentiy

In any case boil water before drinking.

I've done this, but it never tastes right afterward. I never drink bottled water at home...but I do take a bottle to work with me every day.

I think nalgene also releases toxins into the water. Maybe glass bottles, like strong pyrex type, are the way to go?

Grunge Dust · #6 02-01-2007, 06:33 PM

Buy the super big poland spring bottles like mee and get a little water dispenser. Poland Spring guys come to pick up the old ones to recycle them and bring you new ones.
I ain't drinking no tap water. Where I live you'd probably find a placenta in your cup.

JohnGalt · #7 02-01-2007, 07:42 PM

I won't buy bottled water. I filter my tap water with a brita filter, it tastes as clean as any bottle water and costs virtually nothing by comparison.

lmnop · #8 02-01-2007, 07:49 PM

i can't drink my tap water. it's disgusting and the aftertaste makes it unbearable, even with ice and lemon added to it. i can't even drink most cheap bottled waters because even they're inferior quality. i've been hooked on aquafina and other more expensive waters for quite some time now.

you shouldn't have to pay a ton for water, but you do have to pony up for good water.

ThePrude · #9 02-01-2007, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnGalt

I won't buy bottled water. I filter my tap water with a brita filter, it tastes as clean as any bottle water and costs virtually nothing by comparison.

I also filter any tap water I drink, and it tastes great. I think it depends on where you live though. For example, Toronto has good water, but every time I go to Ottawa or Montreal, the water tastes awful.

zoanthropy · #10 02-01-2007, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loverentiy

I do not trust water possessing facilities. They put kind of shit in there that'll make cockroaches puke. Fluoride, Chlorine... But there is no way I'm gonna pay for water. What's next bottled air? Tap filter helps but I forgot how to get rid of chlorine ... is it lighter or heavier then water? In any case boil water before drinking.

There are secret plans to poison the air and force people to buy clean fresh breathing bottled air....

Its amazing people already pay for dirt, water and air...

Dirt for planting
bottled water
air to fill up your car tires..

Mother Greer · #11 02-02-2007, 02:03 AM

the tap water here is fucking feral, there's no way i'm drinking it. lol
i kind of like the pura-tap idea but that also tastes bad.
but i don't buy bottled water, we get the cardboard boxes with like a bladder thing inside .. 10 litres. so good. (i know thats almost the same thing

sh)

fagarielina · #12 02-02-2007, 02:14 AM

that might be true aboutplastics causing health problems
bottled water scares me

Eve · #13 02-02-2007, 02:24 AM

the tap water here was tested and found to have carcenigens and a high lead count no fucking WAY im drinking that. I'll stick with my Aquafina

Manhattan · #14 02-02-2007, 02:26 AM

I never buy bottled water. It's a waste of money. I drink filtered water.

Eve · #15 02-02-2007, 02:28 AM

oh yeah i have a filtered thing too but it doesnt get ALL the stuff out

zoanthropy · #16 02-02-2007, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eve

the tap water here was tested and found to have carcenigens and a high lead count no fucking WAY im drinking that. I'll stick with my Aquafina

Aquafina water is water that have been filtered using a black light...

Eve · #17 02-02-2007, 04:03 AM

is that bad? it says it uses hydro-7

KillTheLastRomantic · #18 02-02-2007, 04:07 AM

filtered water. although im not fussy, i have tap water aswell.

bort · #19 02-02-2007, 04:07 AM

Buying bottled water strikes me as weird, and a total rip-off, but I guess in some places you can't be too cautious. My home city has freaking amazing tap water, it's beautiful, and I really miss it since I moved away. It's better than any drink you can buy, except maybe chocolate milk.

code:light · #20 02-02-2007, 04:11 AM

I pretty much only drink bottled water... in fact my preference is Canadian spring water... :/