…Bottled Water Across Campus… What is really behind those clear plastic bottles

…Bottled Water Across Campus…

What is really behind those clear plastic bottles

AMBER DESSELLIER, MPH STUDENT

WALDEN UNIVERSITY

PUBH 6165-3INSTRUCTOR: DR. ROBERT MARINO

WINTER QUARTER, 2011

Learning Objectives

Scope out the problemReduce marketing and salesGo green

…Names and Backgrounds…

Purified WaterNatural WaterSparkling WaterGlacial WaterArtesian WaterBottled WaterMineral/Spring Water

The Water Project (2010). What’s “wrong” with bottled water? Retrieved from http://thewaterproject.org/bottled_water.asp?gclid=CP3crqLh0KYCFY64KgodFWbxHw

…Costs of Consumption…

$100 Billion annually 1

In the U.S., 25,766.1 Million Liters 1

31 billion bottles3

Only 10% of water bottles are recycled3

Bottled water = $10/gal vs. Tap water < $.01/gal3

1. The Water Project. (2010). Choices. Retrieved from http://thewaterproject.org/bottled_water.asp?gclid=CP3crqLh0KYCFY64KgodFWbxHw

2. Bottled Water Blues. (2011). Bottled Water Facts. Retrieved from http://www.bottledwaterblues.com/bottled_water_facts.php

3. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. (2006). Too Many Bottles – It’s a Waste. Retrieved from http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/materials_minerals_pdf/waterbottles.pdf

Online Education. (2010). The Facts about Bottled Water. Retrieved from http://www.onlineeducation.net/bottled_water

…Contaminants…

1,000 bottles from 103 brand names were studied

Up to 25% were found to have high levels of contaminants

Contaminants may include carcinogens

bacteria and parasites

NRDC. (1999). Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype? Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/bwinx.asp

…What’s Next?...

Ban bottled water sales on campuses1

Use reusable bottles (i.e. Nalgene)

1. Garrison, C. (2009). Wash U’s Bottled Water Ban Spilling Its Way to Other Colleges. Retrieved from http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2009/02/wash_u_bottled_water_ban_spilling_its_way_to_other_colleges.php

References

The Water Project (2010). What’s “wrong” with bottled water? Retrieved from http://thewaterproject.org/bottled_water.asp?gclid=CP3crqLh0KYCFY64KgodFWbxHw

The Water Project. (2010). Choices. Retrieved from http://thewaterproject.org/bottled_water.asp?gclid=CP3crqLh0KYCFY64KgodFWbxHw

Bottled Water Blues. (2011). Bottled Water Facts. Retrieved from http://www.bottledwaterblues.com/bottled_water_facts.php

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. (2006). Too Many Bottles – It’s a Waste. Retrieved from http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/materials_minerals_pdf/waterbottles.pdf

Online Education. (2010). The Facts about Bottled Water. Retrieved from http://www.onlineeducation.net/bottled_water

NRDC. (1999). Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype? Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/bwinx.asp

NRDC. (1999). Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype? Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/bwinx.asp

…Further Readings…

For additional resources or information:EPA Watershed health and Home:

http://www.epa.gov/bioindicators/The National Clean Water Network:

http://www.cleanwaternetwork.org/USDA:

http://wqic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=7&tax_level=1&tax_subject=596

Water Wiser: http://www.awwa.org/Resources/Waterwiser.cfm?navItemNumber=1561&showLogin=N

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education: http://www.aashe.org/blog/problem-bottled-water