eaves.ca: Water Footprint and the bottled water debate
Tariq
· 9 months ago
For me, the issue isn't about whether or not to sell it, it's about the price that we pay. Bottled water, a declining resource in both quantity and quality, is not being sold at a price that represents it's true value. The same can be said of most items that one could buy off any shelf in any store. In other words, the environmental costs of doing business are not reflected in the price we pay. I believe they should be. How that is "quantified", I will leave up to those who are more "qualified" to say. That said, I am not advocating that we privatize and/or increase the costs of tap water. I'm thinking strictly in the realm of the bottled variety. The positive byproduct of reflecting environmental costs into the price of bottled water could be that more people buy re-usable water bottles instead, reducing the demand on plastics and landfills.
David Eaves
· 9 months ago
Completely agree - the question for me isn't whether we do or don't ban bottled water, but do we ensure that everything sold - water, coke, orange juice, coffee - reflects the full costs of its production and impact. If there is still a market for bottled water after the environmental costs are accounted for, so be it.
Conrad Barwa
· 9 months ago
Actually can't find too much to disagree with here which scares me tbh; if we are on the same side in a debate I gotta start wondering where I took a wrong turn.
What pisses me off though is bottled water in emerging countries like India/Bangladesh; where it is priced out of the reach of the mass of people but within that of the middle classes. In a system where clean piped drinking water isn't available this removes an important constituency that would force the state to deliver it.
Tariq
· 9 months ago
Good point, Conrad. I hadn't thought of the accessibility issues for areas where tap water is not potable. Even areas in Canada where there have been boil orders in place for far too long. One policy across the board may not be practical, or ethical. How do we balance incorporating environmental costs into the price of the products we buy, and at the same time respect the most basic of human rights with regards to access to water (or any other basic need for that matter).
Ah, ethics. How complicated thou art.
David Eaves
· 9 months ago
Baba - we agree on lots of things! Why do you hurt me so?
I completely agree with you regarding the bottled water issues in the developing world. In the developed world the bottled water market really centres around convenience, not access. The key is to ensure that there is always a baseline access to safe and sanitary water for all citizens.
Christopher Blizzard
· 9 months ago
Weird. I'm made crazy by the bajillion plastic bottles that are used. But beyond that? I could care less. (Other than we need a general carbon tax that might be included in the price of a shipped bottle of water.)
CharlesGYF
· 9 months ago
I'm still not convinced that a ban would lead significant numbers of people who would normally buy water to then buy an unhealthy beverage. It just doesn't compute.
Also, bans being proposed and enacted are quite nuanced... not for all bottled water everywhere.
To me, water footprint is irrelevant in this debate.
We can settle this by agreeing to raise bottle deposits to something meaningful - like a dollar per bottle - across the board, including sodas, juices, etc.
sassy
· 9 months ago
We can settle this by agreeing to raise bottle deposits to something meaningful - like a dollar per bottle - across the board, including sodas, juices, etc.
With you 100% on that.
I have a couple of water bottles that I have used over and over and will continue to do to.
David Eaves
· 9 months ago
Agreed, this is what I've been advocating from the beginning. Let's reflect the cost. Not ban.
CharlesGYF
· 9 months ago
EVERYONE - For Dave's birthday, let's buy him a reusable water bottle of his choice. Who wants to chip in?
Dave, want to pick one out that you would want to use?
David Eaves
· 9 months ago
Thank you Charles - I have a bottle already. The challenge is that I don't carry it with me everyday, everywhere I go (and I won't be... I've already lost enough of them that way).
However, my birthday is May 31st... and for those who are so inclined here are some charities I'm big a fan of: Take a Hike ForestEthics Kiva
Of course, you could also buy me a book from my amazon wish list... :)
CharlesGYF
· 9 months ago
I'm going to raise money as well from children in the downtown east side and ask them to give their week's allowance to this cause. We want to make you feel guilty every time you look at the bottle or forget to bring it with you when you're out and about.
In a comment, David touched on local bottled water being a convenience issue, not an access issue, and how that is not true in other parts of the world. I entirely agree and contend that policies related to being green, sustainable, etc. can, and should, draw on precedents from other jurisdictions, but really need to be made with a clear understanding of the local situation.
Rob Wynen
· 8 months ago
Great food for thought, I generally support a ban but do understand some of the issues raised. To me the big problem is the idea that even when perfectly clean water is available people buy bottled water with all the associated environmental impacts in a time when we are trying to go green. I work in a community centre and people will buy water at $1.50 out of a machine that is less then 2 metres from a water fountain. Almost seems like some of these people take pleasure in creating waste. The advertising around bottled water also troubles me as some of it is completely misleading and I wish the government would take a bigger role in combating this misinformation. The reality is that as people begin to increasingly rely on bottled water there is less impetus to ensure our public water supply remains clean. This argument is also very big in the private vs public health care system. Let the rich buy health care and their need for a good public system diminishes as these individuals are no longer dependent on the public system. Have a great day and thanks for the debate, Rob
All Comments
What pisses me off though is bottled water in emerging countries like India/Bangladesh; where it is priced out of the reach of the mass of people but within that of the middle classes. In a system where clean piped drinking water isn't available this removes an important constituency that would force the state to deliver it.
Ah, ethics. How complicated thou art.
I completely agree with you regarding the bottled water issues in the developing world. In the developed world the bottled water market really centres around convenience, not access. The key is to ensure that there is always a baseline access to safe and sanitary water for all citizens.
Also, bans being proposed and enacted are quite nuanced... not for all bottled water everywhere.
To me, water footprint is irrelevant in this debate.
We can settle this by agreeing to raise bottle deposits to something meaningful - like a dollar per bottle - across the board, including sodas, juices, etc.
With you 100% on that.
I have a couple of water bottles that I have used over and over and will continue to do to.
Dave, want to pick one out that you would want to use?
However, my birthday is May 31st... and for those who are so inclined here are some charities I'm big a fan of:
Take a Hike
ForestEthics
Kiva
Of course, you could also buy me a book from my amazon wish list... :)
In a comment, David touched on local bottled water being a convenience issue, not an access issue, and how that is not true in other parts of the world. I entirely agree and contend that policies related to being green, sustainable, etc. can, and should, draw on precedents from other jurisdictions, but really need to be made with a clear understanding of the local situation.