Community & Labour Action
Of all the natural resources on Earth, drinking water is arguably the most precious. It is essential to life. As recently as 10 years ago, most people living in the United States and Canada took their drinking water directly from the tap or the water cooler in their workplace. Today, close to one-fifth of the population relies exclusively on bottled water for their daily hydration. Over the past decade, sales in bottled water have exploded in North America. It is now the fastest-growing segment of the entire beverage industry.
Between 1993 and 2004, the consumption of bottled water more than doubled in the U.S. alone—from 10.5 gallons (40 litres) per capita to 23.8 gallons (90 litres). (Source: Beverage Marketing Corp).
Articles
Des milliers participent à la première Journée sans eau embouteillée au Canada
Posted: March 11, 2010 Ottawa - Partout au pays, des Canadiennes et des Canadiens participent aujourd'hui à la première Journée sans eau embouteillée au Canada....Read More
Thousands Mark Canada’s First Bottled Water Free Day
Posted: March 11, 2010 OTTAWA ––Today, Canadians across the country are participating in Canada’s first Bottled Water Free Day. Organised by the Canadian Federation...Read More
Australian town votes to go dry on bottled water
Posted: July 10, 2009 Kristen Gelineau, July 10, 2009, ASSOCIATED PRESS - SYDNEY–Residents of a rural Australian town hoping to protect the Earth and their wallets have...Read More
Smiths Falls - Bottled Water Report
Posted: June 16, 2009 OTTAWA/ June 16, 2009 – A new report released...Read More
BC Municipal Bottled Water Campaign
On May 28th, a joint package of materials was distributed to every municipality in British Columbia. Click here to read the letter sent to municipalities. Click here to see Municipal examples. Click here to read the press release. - Read more
Update to come soon on status of Aquablue: Smiths Falls EMC News
Posted: January 14, 2010 Jan 14, 2010 By Dianne Pinder-Moss Mayor Dennis Staples expects an announcement to be made shortly on the status of Aquablue International in...Read More
[Maine] Wells voters reject water extraction
Posted: November 5, 2009 Steve Bodnar, November 04, 2009, seacoastonline.com - Residents on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a large-scale water extraction ordinance despite...Read More
Sacramento tells Nestle: Stop building bottled water plant
Posted: October 27, 2009 Ryan Lillis, Oct. 27, 2009, Sacramento Bee - The city of Sacramento has ordered food giant Nestlé to stop work on construction of a new bottled...Read More
Winning the water bottle waste debate: NOW Magazine
Posted: October 22, 2009 Oct 21 - 28, 2009 By Adria Vasil My roommates buy highly packaged products and bottled water. How do I address this in a completely...Read More
Bottled water foes may join forces [against Nestlé is California]
Posted: October 5, 2009 Suzanne Hurt, originally published October 4, 2009,Halifax Bans Bottled Water at City Hall - Coalition calls it “good first step”
Posted: September 16, 2009For Immediate Release, September 16, 2009, HALIFAX – Halifax Regional Municipality has voted to immediately phase out the purchase and...
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What's the bother about bottled water?: Cheaper, safer tap water making a comeback
Posted: September 8, 2009 Suzanne Elston, September 5, 2009, The Toronto Sun-- As students return to the University of Winnipeg this month, they'll notice that something is...Read More
Hay River, NWT - Town adopting bottled water ban
Posted: September 3, 2009 Written by Diana Yeager Wednesday, 02 September 2009 10:37 The Town of Hay River is phasing out bottled water in its facilities as of the...Read More
City to dump bottled water: North Shore News
Posted: July 20, 2009 Benjamin Alldritt, North Shore News Published: Sunday, July 19, 2009 Plastic water bottles will soon begin disappearing from the City of North...Read More
Riverkeepers pour cold water on Aquablue plan: Ottawa Sun
Posted: July 17, 2009 By BETH JOHNSTON, Sun Media Last Updated: 16th July 2009, 8:16pm Smiths Falls residents are being sold down the river by a bottled water...Read More
David v. Goliath: Help Michigan Citizens Protect Their Water from Nestle's Bottling Operations
Posted: July 3, 2009 Leslie Samuelrich, Alternet, July 1, 2009, Time is ticking. It's been nine years now since Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation first went to...Read More
Water, water everywhere, but how many drops to drink?: National Post
Posted: June 29, 2009 By Jennifer Sygo, National Post The plastic water bottle. It is one of the quintessential images of urban health consciousness, and has become a...Read More
Report questions Smiths Falls bottled-water plant
Posted: June 18, 2009 Jon Willing, Ottawa Sun, 17th June 2009 - An advocacy group warns that a new bottled water plant at the former Hershey’s property in Smiths Falls...Read More
Give up the bottle, not water, ‘back-to-tap’ advocates urge: Metro News, Edmonton
Posted: June 9, 2009 NEWS CANADA June 08, 2009 12:32 a.m. Can’t bring a plastic water bottle into work anymore? You’re not alone. According to the Polaris...Read More
Canmore will likely soon eliminate bottled water sales at the Rec Centre: Canmore Leader
Posted: May 21, 2009 Canmore will likely soon eliminate bottled water sales at the Rec Centre Posted By Hamish MacLean/hamish@canmoreleader.com It will likely one...Read More
Caledon Councillors reach for the tap: The Caledon Enterprise
Posted: May 13, 2009 BY MATTHEW STRADER, ENTERPRISE STAFF At the April 23 meeting of the Region of Peel council, a report was approved with a plan to minimize the use...Read More
The politics of bottled water: Kingston Whig Standard
Posted: May 12, 2009 May 12, 2009 A city committee will decide tonight whether to give first approval to a ban on the sale of bottled water in municipal facilities....Read More
Water-permit application by Nestle taps wellspring of conflict in community
Posted: May 4, 2009 R. SCOTT RAPPOLD, May 1, 2009 , The Gazette - SALIDA, Colorado • The name Nestle conjures images of chocolate. But many in Chaffee County say...Read More
Activists ponder the true cost of government buying bottled water: Metro Halifax
Posted: April 30, 2009 JON TATTRIE April 30, 2009 The federal government spends millions of dollars on bottled water, wasted money better spent ensuring all Canadians...Read More
Water you waiting for? Run out and tap some: Toronto Sun
Posted: April 28, 2009 By MARIANNE MEED WARD 26th April 2009 As teenager, I wouldn't have dreamed of spending my limited cash on something so mundane as bottled water....Read More
Stay Connected
Unchartered Waters, 26 au 28 – mars 2010 à l'université McGill
Connecter le Militantisme et le Milieu Universitare sur les Problèmes Hydrologiques: Es-tu interessé par les problèmes hydrologiques? Curieuse de savoir comment l’eau est le lien entre la privatisation, l’accessibilité et la dégradation environnementale? Alors, viens à une conférence de 3 jours organisée par des étudiants sur les problèmes hydrologiques! www.unchartedwatersconference.ca
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Unchartered Waters: March 26-28, 2010, McGill University
Connecting Academia and Activism on Water Issues
Are you interested in water issues? Curious about how water is the common current through privatization, issues of access, and environmental degradation? Then come to the three-day student-led conference on water issues!
www.unchartedwatersconference.ca
- Read more
BC Municipal Bottled Water Campaign
On May 28th, a joint package of materials was distributed to every municipality in British Columbia. Click here to read the letter sent to municipalities. Click here to see Municipal examples. Click here to read the press release. - Read more
Take the Bottle Water Free Orientation Challenge!
Now is the time to promote a bottled water free orientation/event to your Student Union and PIRG for Fall 2009. Here are two ways you can help: 1) Send Elly the contact info of your campus orientation organizers; 2) Call or meet with your orientation leaders to discuss bottled water free events. If you think you can do either of these tasks, please email Elly Adeland, Water and Energy Campaigner at: Elly@polarisinstitute.org
We will get the ball rolling together!
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Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Action on Bottled Water
March 7, 2009 - The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) adopted a policy to encourage their members to "phase out the sale and purchase of bottled water" on city/town property. Click here to access: FCM Resolution, Polaris Institute FCM Briefing Memo, Polaris Institute Press Release, FCM Press Release - Read more
Ontario Municipal Bottled Water Campaign
On February 20th, a joint package of materials was distributed to all 444 municipalities in Ontario. Click here to read the letter sent to Municipalities. Click here to read the Municipal Examples and click here to read the Municipal Options sent to municipalities. - Read more
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Confronts Bottled Water
Click here to read AMO's memo to all its members on bottled water. - Read more
Nova Scotia Campaign to Turn on the Tap and Ditch Bottled Water
On December 12th, a provincial campaign on bottled water was launched in Nova Scotia. Click here to read the press release. Click here for Municipal Examples and click here for Municipal Options on bottled water. - Read more
JOIN THE BOTTLED WATER FREE ZONES CAMPAIGN
Create a bottled water free zone in your classroom, student union, workplace, union local, community centre, City Hall buildings, environmental social justice or faith based group, and more! click here to find out how you can participate in the campaign - Read more
CFS Bottled Water Policy Canadian Federation of Students policy on Bottled Water passed at the May 2008 General Meeting. Click here
FOI Request Template: Accessing Your University's Beverage Exclusivity Contract Click here
Cliquer ici
Alternatives to Bottled Water on Campus Organizing bottled water-free events on campus, such as Orientation Week.
Bottled Water FAQ Take the plunge! Frequently asked questions about policies for phasing out bottled water and re-investing in tap water.
Click here
Cliquer ici
Bottled Water Facts Fact sheets on the environmental, health, social and economic impacts of
the bottled water industry.
L'empreinte ecologique de l'eau embouteillee
Sante
Repercussions sociales
Repercussions economiques
L'empreinte ecologique de l'eau embouteillee
Sante
Repercussions sociales
Repercussions economiques
Municipal Action: Bottled Water Options and Examples Take the Plunge: Materials for Municipal Action on Bottled Water!
For Municipal Options click here
.For Municipal Examples click here
Community Organizing Package This package outlines some useful ideas and tools for building a campaign challenging the bottled water industry in Canada. Click here
San Francisco Executive Directive Use this example in a campaign to encourage your local government to ban bottled water. Click here for a copy
Student awareness to action kit PART 1
A tool kit to challenge the bottled water industry and beverage exclusivtity contracts at school and on campus
Find part 1 of the kit here
A tool kit to challenge the bottled water industry and beverage exclusivtity contracts at school and on campus
Find part 1 of the kit here
Utility Calculator for Vending Machines Calculate the energy consumption of your institution's vending machines
Find calculators here
Find calculators here