Singing the bottled water blues

[Maine-ah]

March 24): When I was a kid, a few people bought Poland Spring water in glass bottles, probably to show off their refined, expensive taste. I just drank from a glass, filled at the kitchen sink. I mean, it’s water.

But now everybody seems to be clutching a plastic Poland Spring bottle, drinking the expensive contents. It’s just plain water, but it sells like it’s the elixir of youth.

Just about anywhere you go you see the familiar green label. But there is nothing “green” about this national addiction to buying plain old water in plastic containers. In an example of “greenwash,” Poland Spring now claims to have an “eco-shaped” bottle that uses an average of 30 percent less plastic than “comparable size, leading brands.” This begs the basic question: Why buy water in plastic bottles in the first place?

Consider these facts: Americans throw billions of plastic bottles into the waste stream each year, just so they can have a drink of “pure spring” water. Do you imagine beautiful maidens are dipping this water from a pristine spring in the wilderness?

Don’t kid yourself. This water is systematically and relentlessly pumped from land that belongs to Maine communities. Poland Spring, which began bottling water generations ago in the town of that name, is now an arm of the global conglomerate Nestlé. Poland Spring is trying to strong-arm Maine so Nestlé can continue to extract our water, for free, and sell it back to us.

Poland Spring water dates at least as far back as the mid-19th century, when Hiram Ricker built the Poland Spring House with its opulent ballrooms, elevator, golf course and water he claimed could heal the sick. It made Ricker a very rich man.

more....

http://www.knox.villagesoup.com/opinion/story.cfm?storyID=151042

screw nestle. Tax them for the water they are currently pulling from the State of Maine (and Florida) and pull our state out of debt.

[cali]

1. I just drove across the country

the water from the tap in place after place, was undrinkable as far as I was concerned. If I can smell chemicals from a glass a few feet away on the table, I don't want to drink it.

Fortunately, my water at home is the best damn water I've ever had. It's town water, but it comes from a spring (gravity fed). It's always icy cold and has no odor at all and an almost sweet taste to it.

If I had lousy water, I'd buy it bottled water to drink as well= though I'd buy it in the form of a cooler or at least in large containers.

[Maine-ah]

2. I'm on a well, and I have fabulous water

but these buggers are taking this water from us. In my opinion, stealing it from us. Time for the Maine legislators to start doing something about it.

The water in my well, is the same as what is in the PS bottles. Same chemical make up. I had to have my water tested a couple of years ago when my daughter was born. I compared the results of my test to what PS has posted on their website. It's the exact same water.

I know there are lots of places where the water has that chemical smell. Rockland water has it. I lived in Florida for a couple of years, and I could see floaties in the water from the tap. Certainly there is a calling for bottled water, but why should they be getting it from us for free?

[lunatica]

3. Lots of those people use the same bottle and just fill it from the tap

I do that. We have great water in the Bay Area, but I like having a bottle of it at my desk so I don't have to keep going to the tap for a drink. It also saves on the paper cups which get thrown away after every use. Not perfect, but at least something.

[chrisa]

4. My tap water = almost undrinkable.

Tastes like chemicals, and is brown when it comes out.

I would gladly drink tap water if I knew it was safe.