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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Back Away From the Bottled Water


Back Away From the Bottled Water

No aqua for you!


watercooler.jpg


There’s been a singular notion around New York City’s government agencies recently, for the type of people who think about this sort of thing: How come NYC so encourages residents to drink tap water – which is among the cleanest in the country – while stocking its own offices with water coolers and bottles? For one, because they like to spend taxpayer dollars. And also, because they can. UNTIL NOW!


New York’s City Council, which went through 6,000 bottles last year, will no longer stock bottled water; they’re even replacing water coolers with jugs that use filtered tap water, rather than whatever those hunky guys in the delivery trucks carrying plastic containers on their shoulders have been serving us. The decision comes on the heels of trend stories like this one that claim there’s a bigger push across America to start refilling bottles with tap water rather than grabbing a Voss every time thirst hits.


If true, this would very bad news for a company like Poland Spring, which has spent millions on its eco-friendly bottle redesign (to use less plastic!) and Fiji Water, which, despite killing the earth by burning fuel to ship water around the world, insists “every drop is green” and that, in fact, every drop is carbon negative. (It’s a stretch, but leave it to a strong marketing effort to make the case.)


Back in the office, meanwhile, the City Council will make paper cups available to those wishing to drink from its new communal taps. Feel free to throw them in the trash after each use.

No aqua for you!


watercooler.jpg


There’s been a singular notion around New York City’s government agencies recently, for the type of people who think about this sort of thing: How come NYC so encourages residents to drink tap water – which is among the cleanest in the country – while stocking its own offices with water coolers and bottles? For one, because they like to spend taxpayer dollars. And also, because they can. UNTIL NOW!


New York’s City Council, which went through 6,000 bottles last year, will no longer stock bottled water; they’re even replacing water coolers with jugs that use filtered tap water, rather than whatever those hunky guys in the delivery trucks carrying plastic containers on their shoulders have been serving us. The decision comes on the heels of trend stories like this one that claim there’s a bigger push across America to start refilling bottles with tap water rather than grabbing a Voss every time thirst hits.


If true, this would very bad news for a company like Poland Spring, which has spent millions on its eco-friendly bottle redesign (to use less plastic!) and Fiji Water, which, despite killing the earth by burning fuel to ship water around the world, insists “every drop is green” and that, in fact, every drop is carbon negative. (It’s a stretch, but leave it to a strong marketing effort to make the case.)


Back in the office, meanwhile, the City Council will make paper cups available to those wishing to drink from its new communal taps. Feel free to throw them in the trash after each use.

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