Comments on: Off the Bottle

By: Rhiannon

Rhiannon — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:41:15 +0000

I try to avoid plastic more for the health reasons than environmental to be honest. We have a tap Brita filter at home, and both use stainless steele water bottles as opposed to plastic. With the new reports of the harm plastic bottles cause to the water, I’d just rather stay away.

But I kind of like the idea of a tax as opposed to an outright ban. Kingston tap water certainly doesnt taste or smell that clean, and with the Walkerton episode I think it will be very hard for municipalities to prove they can guarantee safe drinking water. However, since there are several alternatives to using plastic, maybe a tax on those that do choose their water bottled would be a good thing. Use the tax to improve our water purification and recycling programs. Kind of treat it like smoking, keep the purchase legal, but make them pay through the nose for it.

By: Gordo

Gordo — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 01:48:35 +0000

If Garrison wants to get rid of bottled water in municipal facilities, more power to him. But, they will have to put in and maintain water fountains in their place.

I still remember a video of a Robin Williams performance in the 80′s. He held up a bottle of Perrier and called it the “French joke on the world”.

By: junior

junior — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:00:45 +0000

I think you hit the nail on the head with walkerton – the burden of proof will be upon municipal water services to show that they have the due diligence and safe practices to ensure a safe water supply. Having said that, we use an inline purifier.

In my travels to Germany I have noticed that bottled water is generally marketed in glass containers (and at a reasonable price) which I think has at least some moderating effect on the volume of consumption – not to mention a reduced impact on the environment.