Water Bottles

[Jeff Scott]

I came across this article today. It is now illegal to sell bottled water in Concord, MA. I'm not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, it kind of makes sense given all waste the bottles produce. But I'm not sure this will end that. Are they going to outlaw soda bottles too?

There are already recycling processes that could be used to make the "filling of the landfills" a non-issue. I don't see the need for buying bottled water given the tap in my sink! Of course, this is something that I've often taken for granted.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/articles/2010/05/01/concord_fires_first_shot_in_water_battle/

[Mike Fraley]

Personally, I try to drink out of plastic bottles as little as possible. It's mostly because of the endocrine blockers that they leach into the stuff you're drinking. They can do some pretty nasty things to your hormones. Bears are being captured in the wild that are showing signs of pseudohermaphrodism (i.e., a lady bear growing a phallus), and 100% of the male fish in the Suskwahana were found to be carrying eggs. It is largely due to endocrine blockers. But mine is a personal choice.

However, I've got a problem with the initiative. They specifically target plastic water bottles. However, a quick look at the convenience store case shows a vast supply of supple plastics, and only a portion of them are water. It appears that this initiative specifically targets water, when if they want to be fair, it seems that Coke, Gatoriade, and Mountain Dew should all go by the wayside if the pollution is the problem.

Who knows, we may see a new line of water in cans. :)

[Gina Stevenson]

However, I've got a problem with the initiative. They specifically target plastic water bottles. However, a quick look at the convenience store case shows a vast supply of supple plastics, and only a portion of them are water. It appears that this initiative specifically targets water, when if they want to be fair, it seems that Coke, Gatoriade, and Mountain Dew should all go by the wayside if the pollution is the problem.

Who knows, we may see a new line of water in cans. :)

But, perhaps the water companies don't have as much $$$ with which to lobby/pay off those writing these bills, such as the soda companies might be doing to be excluded from the bill??

[Greg Farra]

Perhaps a refundable deposit would work?

[Mike Fraley]

Perhaps a refundable deposit would work?

That's just crazy talk! Why would you do something like that when you can just ban stuff? :)

[Jeff Scott]

Perhaps a refundable deposit would work?

Massachusetts already has a deposit program for many drink containers. I don't know if it's working or not, but there are drink containers of all kinds everywhere on the ground. Maybe it would be more without the system.

I bet Concord is glad they're not in the effected area of today's catastrophe!

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/05/catastrophic_le.html

[Kazimiera Fraley]

Umm we here in MA can turn in our bottles for $.05. If we wanted to hang on to our cans and bottles and take them to the Star Market we could put them in a sort of reverse "pop machine." You put the bottle/can in and out comes $$ instead of putting $$ in and getting the bottle/can full of pop out. We just choose to do the easy less profitable curbside recycling. ;)

[Gina Stevenson]

Massachusetts already has a deposit program for many drink containers. I don't know if it's working or not, but there are drink containers of all kinds everywhere on the ground. Maybe it would be more without the system.

I bet Concord is glad they're not in the effected area of today's catastrophe!

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/05/catastrophic_le.html


Umm we here in MA can turn in our bottles for $.05. If we wanted to hang on to our cans and bottles and take them to the Star Market we could put them in a sort of reverse "pop machine." You put the bottle/can in and out comes $$ instead of putting $$ in and getting the bottle/can full of pop out. We just choose to do the easy less profitable curbside recycling. ;)

Have noticed with our 10c, rather than 5c, or by weight as some places, things more frequently get returned. Guess people just throw out a nickel easier than a "whole dime," and especially out West where I saw it done by weight (CA), which was not much/can/bottle they were more easily just discarded than returned for recycling.

Since there seems to be something "magical" about that "dime" thing, perhaps this could be the answer wherever, instead of varying amounts of deposits?

[Jeff Scott]

Umm we here in MA can turn in our bottles for $.05. If we wanted to hang on to our cans and bottles and take them to the Star Market we could put them in a sort of reverse "pop machine." You put the bottle/can in and out comes $$ instead of putting $$ in and getting the bottle/can full of pop out. We just choose to do the easy less profitable curbside recycling. ;)

Haha! You called it "pop!"

For some reason, most if not all water bottles are not refundable. However, most "pop" bottles/cans as well as liquor containers...so I'm told. My kids LOVE to return the bottles/cans in the machines. I always take wet wipes with us to clean their hands afterwards! Those machines are GROSS!

[Jeff Scott]

Since there seems to be something "magical" about that "dime" thing, perhaps this could be the answer wherever, instead of varying amounts of deposits?

It's been a nickel ever since I can remember. We moved to MA in 1983 and a nickel meant something more then. Perhaps bringing it up to a dime would help.

Anyone remember the Seinfeld episode where Kramer wanted to fill a truck with 5 cent deposit cans and take them to ME where they were redeemable for 10 cents???

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Recycling is not the only issue. Note that the ban is on bottled water only. They didn't ban soda bottles. Many people believe that bottling and selling a daily human need is ethically wrong, particularly noting the need for clean water in many places throughout the world. I wonder if rather than banning them, a significant luxury tax could be placed on their sale, with that tax contributing to clean water efforts where there is none. This would partially satisfy the capitalists (banning seems a bit excessive...there are a lot of other things that I would ban first).

Could you imagine it: A state tax to generate funds that go across seas?

I would think that this would have a negative effect on Concord's local economy. (But then again, I'm no economist...afterall, I just suggested that a luxury tax be placed on bottled water. :smilies0295:)

[Susan Unger]

For some reason, most if not all water bottles are not refundable. However, most "pop" bottles/cans as well as liquor containers...so I'm told. My kids LOVE to return the bottles/cans in the machines. I always take wet wipes with us to clean their hands afterwards! Those machines are GROSS!My cousin 'earned' his weekly spending money at college doing this. He went to a school that had lots of parties in the dorms on the weekends. On Sunday mornings [he didn't party], he'd go around his dorm collecting all the cans and bottles of the partiers and redeem them. He earned enough to keep him going during the week.

[David Graham]

From memory we had a local council do the same thing out here; i.e. ban the sale of bottled water. Their arguement was that the plastic water bottles made a significant contribution to land fill, and although some were recycled not all were able to be recycled. (Contamination being the reason for this I think although I'm not sure why)

The other reason was simply the question of need. Why have bottled water when the in most cases the quality of the water is no better? And so they used a moral arguement about the amount of carbon produced in the manufacture and disposal of the bottles as well as in the bottling process versus the amount of carbon produced by turning on a tap...... no contest!

Personally I think it's a no brainer..... when ever we go out bushwalking, to play sport or to engage in some other activity away from a tap, we simply fill up a couple of (glass) bottles of water from our home taps before we leave. BTW, it's much cheaper too!

Cheers,
Dave

[Ryan Scott]

I'm sure it has much more to do with the idea that people living in a place with abundant clean water decide to spend a lot of extra money bottling and shipping other water. San Francisco has had a similar ordinance for a while now, maybe more than a year.

I drink nothing but water most of the time and I've stopped drinking bottled water, even when there is no other water available. As Jeremy said, there are places in the world without abundant, safe water - many of them don't even have access to bottled water. I don't see how I could, in good conscience, drink water I don't need.

[Gina Stevenson]

I drink nothing but water most of the time and I've stopped drinking bottled water, even when there is no other water available. As Jeremy said, there are places in the world without abundant, safe water - many of them don't even have access to bottled water. I don't see how I could, in good conscience, drink water I don't need.

A balance between buying bottled water refill them from reverse-osmosis site, tho' it gets heavy hauling gallon after gallon after gallon] and drinking tap is this refilling I do.

Could not drink the water I should to feel well/be decently healthy were I to try to use tap ... at least here [and many places I've visited] the "gag-me" chlorine amount just makes it impossible to not stop after a couple swallows or less, if we can even get it down ... which is just not enough water at a time.

[Susan Unger]

A balance between buying bottled water refill them from reverse-osmosis site, tho' it gets heavy hauling gallon after gallon after gallon] and drinking tap is this refilling I do.

Could not drink the water I should to feel well/be decently healthy were I to try to use tap ... at least here [and many places I've visited] the "gag-me" chlorine amount just makes it impossible to not stop after a couple swallows or less, if we can even get it down ... which is just not enough water at a time.My water has that effect on me, too. Usually a water filter makes it drinkable but still isnt' the greatest.

[Gina Stevenson]

My water has that effect on me, too. Usually a water filter makes it drinkable but still isnt' the greatest.

Yes, it does depend on what sort of filter. Here, I tried the counter-top filter that I'd used in Phoenix. It would need replacing in a month instead of 5 or 6. Waaay too costly, but a shame. In winter it's especially hard to keep hauling those water bottles. But, anyway, the problem here is sediment filling up the filter a whole lot faster than if things were normal. Tho't at first this water must now have much more sediment than before. THEN realized/learned that it's ancient pipes actually disintegrating(!!) that put out all that sediment that clogged the filter pronto! Plumbing needs help, but it's not a "cosmetic" thing that's visible, so gets ignored. Other things don't work/work well either b/c of it, such as the humidifier ... tiny hose that goes to it clogged within a few days of its being replaced, and then there are the washer/pot problems ... aside from that bad-before-pipes-went-bad "pipe trick" drizzle shower! :(

[Susan Unger]

Yes, it does depend on what sort of filter. Here, I tried the counter-top filter that I'd used in Phoenix. It would need replacing in a month instead of 5 or 6. Waaay too costly, but a shame. In winter it's especially hard to keep hauling those water bottles. But, anyway, the problem here is sediment filling up the filter a whole lot faster than if things were normal. Tho't at first this water must now have much more sediment than before. THEN realized/learned that it's ancient pipes actually disintegrating(!!) that put out all that sediment that clogged the filter pronto! Plumbing needs help, but it's not a "cosmetic" thing that's visible, so gets ignored. Other things don't work/work well either b/c of it, such as the humidifier ... tiny hose that goes to it clogged within a few days of its being replaced, and then there are the washer/pot problems ... aside from that bad-before-pipes-went-bad "pipe trick" drizzle shower! :(

I think this might explain why my water has gotten so much worse lately. It's always been bad water...to the point that I need a shower filter to get even partially clean. But the last few months even with a new filter the water has been atrocious.