have you seen the documentary
A Kind Lifer recently recommended the documentary Tapped. I haven't seen it, but it sounds like an interesting film about the bottled water industry, and how it has co-opted water resources in communities around the nation. Previously, I blogged about how this industry is disturbingly unregulated. If you want to know more about water rights, health, and safety issues, check out Tapped on Netflix, or buy the DVD here, and tell me what you think!
Do you drink straight tap water, or do you filter it? What kind of bottles do you use for staying hydrated on-the-go?
40 comments
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I have also discovered a good one called Food, Inc. this will definatley leave a clear picture in your memory of why we do this and anyone that just needs a little more convincing will be on board after this movie.
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I'm always looking for a new water bottle that is light, portable and more on the slender side. Can anyone link me to any of their favorites that fit this description?
@seraphimia: Peace to you and your family. I'm really interested in your Father's story. While I'm always a skeptic of the Govt; I've learned, straight from the source that city water regulations are actually much more strict, making city water a lot safer than bottled water. What do you think of this? Take for example, a study done by the American Water Works Association: " one sample of about a quarter of the bottled waters tested violated strict state (California) health standards or warning levels, and about one-fifth of the waters exceeded unenforceable state or industry bacteria guidelines."
In my opinion, bottled water is just another way for big corporations to make money. Public dollars that are being spent to support the privitization of water is extremely concerning to me. This corrupted system allows for the ransack of money from the public water system. Water is what we call a global commons: it belongs to no one and everyone; much like the internet. If people continue to support big corporations by buying bottled water, we're only telling them that we want more of their product. Supply is Demand. If people stop purchasing the product, companies will have no reason to continue making it.
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Hi Kathy and Rhona, we agree that a whole house filter is THE way to go, wherever practical. That's what we are doing here at Rancho de Caldera eco-resort and restaurant. Our guests love that they can enjoy filtered well water from the tab of their kitchenettes and our oversized showerheads let them enjoy their bath absent chlorine smell and red eyes. Many say they find that they need less shampoo and soap that way and that hair gets nice and shiny. At Madre Tierra restaurant, Chef Craig and the kitchen staff wash fruits and veggies with filtered well water and use it for cooking and beverages. Our guests also appreciate a swimming pool that is chlorine free (perhaps the only one in the region) thanks to our state of the art solar powered pool heating and filtration system. Pictures of the pool are at http://ranchodecaldera.com
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It's been in my Netflix queue for a while now, but I think this post has pushed it to the top of the list.
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Kathy O Neill,
How very sad your post makes me feel for you and for the thousands of people who must live this way because of irresponsible industries and shipping contaminate so much of the fresh water streams, lakes and rivers. I think more people need to stand up and make a mission to try and turn this situation around. With 7 billion people on this planet, we need to protect our waters instead of treating them like sewers which pollutes all of the ecosystems in the waters. So of course people eating the fish or algaes or sea vegetables or seaweeds are adding more toxins to their bodies.
If I were you, I would find a good water source and get the large water bottles and fill those for all drinking water. But then there is the problem of washing your food, dishes, hands and showering in the same contaminated water. Aside from moving from that place, I would highly recommend a whole house water filter system. I looked into this a couple of years ago and I researched and found what I felt was a good system that was affordable. I live in a smaller city at the base of a 10,000 foot mountain that supplies several states with water, however our state heavily ranches cows and farms spray so our water gets the run off of the chemicals which is not a good thing. So I installed one of these whole house filters and our bath water no longer smells of chlorine and we also installed an under the sink drinking water system from the same company and now I feel confident that our water is drinkable and useable for all of our household needs. Here is a couple of articles and the link where you can look into the filtering systems.
http://www.natural-health-cafe.org/clean-drinking-water.htm.
http://www.natural-health-cafe.org/whole-house-water-filter.html
You are welcome to contact me for more info at:
http://www.natural-health-cafe.org/contact-page.html
Kind regards,
Rhonda
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I have heard about this doc and i am scared to watch it! I live in Ontario, Canada at the shores of Lake Superior. I live on top of a large hill, and we have a drilled well. Even with the recommended amount of softener salts, our water is not 'drinkable'. We buy a lot of bottled water to mix with juices, make ice and so on. Even though Lake Superior is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world, it has become highly contaminated by industry and perscription medications. I could, go to the city and get a swipe card that would allow me to fill up jugs of water to use for drinking and cooking. If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.
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This is somewhat connected to Alicia's post about unplugging your TV. We'd like to ask members to participate in our new online poll and ask their friends and family to do the same.
We've built an award winning, solar powered, Green Globe certified organic eco-resort and want to know how people feel about vacationing at a hotel that has horses for rent, hot springs nearby and a solar powered chlorine-free swimming pool, but no TV at all. Please click the poll link and vote.
Hotel homepage: http://www.ranchodecaldera.com
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I think I saw this disturbing video or one like it some time ago. I use a reverse osmosis water filter and carry a stainless steel water bottle on the go. I also cook with filtered water and plan to put a whole house carbon filter outside of my house to filter out the chlorine and chloramines for shower use, etc.
Corporations can use technology to create some highly beneficial products for our use, but unless they are on a tight leash, they will run amok and destroy our entire planet, which is what it looks like they are doing. I urge all Kindlifers to support legislation that is aimed at removing from corporations the judicial recognition that corporations are people.
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Another very important issue impacting our personal and planetary wellfare. Thanks to Alicia and all commenters here for shining the light on it. In recognition of this crucial issue, we offer neither aluminum cans nor plastic bottles at our restaurant. Instead, Chef Craig creates healthy yummy fruit and veggie juices, teas and coolers made with crystal clear filtered deep well water, fresh herbs and other organic ingredients from our Bamboo greenhouses and from our solar, hydro and wind powered agriculture and orchards. We recycle most leftovers from our kitchen and also make organic dog food for our lovely four legged friends. Those members who've been asking to see photos of our place are welcome to visit http://www.ranchodecaldera.com
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Been filtering water with a Multi-pure stainless steel housing + carbon block since 1989. We have a mix of Nalgene and stainless steel water bottles. I will check out Tapped, thanks for bringing it to our attention.
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Yes, I've seen it and blogged about it a while back. It's worth watching, and pretty disturbing!
http://elizabethskindcafe.com/blog/item/166-no-more-plastic-bottles
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I saw this film about 5 months ago. I recommended it to all my friends and family on FaceBook and 'Tweeted' about it as well. I won't buy bottled water anymore unless it's basically an emergency of some sort and I have no choice (I think I've bought maybe 4 bottles since watching the film...and 3 were during a heat wave!). Personally, I use Kleen Kanteen products and I got a gravitational, counter-top Santevia unit last November and use it to filter and re-mineralize/magnetize my drinking water. I also use the Santevia water for cooking soup and rice, or items that absorb water. It's the best tasting water, I love it :)
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GT's Kombucha bottles from Whole Foods! They're glass with a plastic lid and a wide mouth. The perfect waterbottle!
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I have a good filter installed in the fridge and I drink often in a small cup because aside from all the other issues in the pastic bottles of water alot of the water gets waisted. I like those bottles that have a filter in them so that when I am not home I can fill it with water from the sink. I always make sure I am buying safe plastic or prefferably a good quality steel bottle n I always prefer glass but with kids around thats not safe. I save my glass bottles from my favorite Ice teas and re fill them with water to take with me. I just never cared to drink from a plastic bottle It taste funny and I just dont like the waist it produces. It annoys me.
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Similar to an earlier comment, we're also fortunate enough to have a deep well supplying excellent mineral water for our residence, eco-resort guest rooms and on site Madre Tierra gourmet restaurant. We do filter all our water. Besides drinking water, our well also supplies the water for the resorts solar powered CHLORINE-FREE swimming pool.
Our entire 50 acres property is off the grid running on clean energies all year round. Solar, hydro- and wind generators provide for our eclectrical needs. Note to members who were asking to see photos, please visit http://www.ranchodecaldera.com
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I use a Brita water filter and a Nalgene bottle. Ideally, I would love to have a reverse osmosis system installed in the whole house but for right now, it's too expensive.
I got the water bottle for only the cost of shipping with an online code that I found in the box when I bought my Brita filter. It's in support of FilterForGood.com The campaign is to reduce waste from plastic water bottles. It's pretty cool what they're doing. Check it out!
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It is an excellent film. I didn't realize how much plastic gets wasted all the time until I saw the film.
I have an old Zephyrhills bottle that I just keep refilling with filtered tap water from my Brita that I use for my workouts.
I guess I should invest in a reusable thermos-type bottle. But, it's the same difference, right?
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I watched this in Vancouver, BC back in October 2010 and since then have only bought 1 bottle of water. It was an emergency and I couldnt' get tap water. I used to buy bottled water all the time, pretty much daily. Even though I had reuseable bottles. Now I bring my Vapur (BPA free) bottle with me everywhere. This movie opened my eyes to the effect that even one bottle can have, let alone the millions purchased daily. Its a must see!
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I live in Manhattan and I simply drink tap water. We have 2 large (somewhere between a half gallon and gallon) glass mason jars that we fill up, put in the fridge and rotate so we always have cold water available.
I have a couple of stainless steel bottles that I fill up at work and for the gym.
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We are very fortunate that we live in the country and get are water from a well. We get the water tested frequently and it has always been clear. But I still use a Brita filtered pitcher. When I take water on the go I use BPA free bottles. I just purchased a beautiful bottle from Oceana, an organization to save the oceans. Part of the price is a donation.
Go to na.ocean.org to see how we are harming our oceans!
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I guess I am a little bit of a water freak. I have a reverse osmosis unit and then I also filter that through my Brita filter prior to drinking it.
For bottled water I use these great BPA free bottles I got from Costco a while back.
Gretchen
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