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
US: Bottlers Making Millions Off Dwindling Forida Water Supply
Posted: February 26, 2008 WFTV.com -Every day millions of gallons of Florida water is bottled, wrapped, and shipped out of state. It's a troubling trend for...
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UK: Bottled water: who needs it?
Posted: February 18, 2008 BBC News. By Tom Heap -"A jug of tap water will be fine thanks..." Water tasting Renaud from Claridges gives Tom Heap advice on...
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US: Residents Say Bottling Company Could Worsen Water Problem In Central Florida
Posted: February 15, 2008 wftv.com. -LAKE COUNTY, Fla. -- More than 100 angry Central Floridians faced off with a California company that wants to pump millions of...
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Wales: Council denies cost of bottled water
Posted: February 14, 2008 BBC News.A Freedom of Information Act request was issued to councils A Welsh council has denied spending about £70,000 a year on bottled...
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Italy: Venice's 'war' on bottled water
Posted: February 12, 2008 BBC News. By Marc Duff -The patriarch of Venice is urging Catholics in the Italian city to give up bottled water for the Christian fasting...
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UK: Restaurants urged to serve free tap water
Posted: February 11, 2008 The Guardian. By Rebecca Smithers -Ministers and the UK's biggest water provider will seek to end a long-standing culture of tap water...
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US: Making conventions environmentally green
Posted: February 10, 2008 San Francisco Chronicle. By Ilana DeBare -Imagine a stack of a hundred plastic name badges, resting on top of 600 disposable water...
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US: Bottled water being taxed, banned in some cities
Posted: February 10, 2008 Pittsburgh Channel.com.Metropolitan areas across the country are banning or putting heavier taxes on bottled water because officials said...
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US: Grand Rapids rethinks city-branded water bottles
Posted: February 5, 2008 The Grand Rapids Press. By Jim Harger -For the past 4 1/2 years, city officials proudly have handed out bottles of water at city-sponsored...
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US: Green memo to Beaverton councilors: Try the tap
Posted: January 30, 2008 The Oregonian. By David R. Anderson -When it comes to being green, the Beaverton City Council talks the talk, but does it drink the drink?...
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US: Chipping down the mountain of plastic water bottles
Posted: January 28, 2008 The Journal Times. By David Steinkraus -They are ubiquitous, a habit which people get into and which Sister Jane Weiss took a second look...
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Canada: Scam of scams: bottled water
Posted: January 27, 2008 Nova Scotia News. By Silver Donald Cameron -TWO HUNDRED and sixty kilometres off the coast of Nova Scotia, Sable Island was once a...
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US: 'Flow' leaks shockers of water industry and access
Posted: January 27, 2008 Deseret Morning News. By Stephen Speckman - PARK CITY — You may conclude that the glass is half empty after watching director Irena Salina's...Read More
US: Tap-water push dims prospects for bottled
Posted: January 27, 2008 Arkansas Democrat Gazette. By Mary Jane Credeur and Thomas Mulier -Dasani sales rose by a “midsingle digit,” down from gains of 10...
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Canada: Tap is tops, water experts say
Posted: January 21, 2008 Mississauga News. By Radhika Panjwani -Bottled water, known by any other name, is still tap water. That was the message of a community...
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US: City panel to look at ban on plastic water bottles, bags
Posted: January 17, 2008 Wisconsin State Journal. By Ron Seely -The city of Madison, enamored of bans on everything from smoking to phosphorus...
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Canada: Discussion flows on bottled water
Posted: January 13, 2008 Mississauga News. By John Stewart -January 10, 2008 11:49 AM - Many people who buy bottled water in Mississauga don't realize that they...
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Canada: Water, water everywhere and nary a drop that's cheap
Posted: January 13, 2008 The Montreal Gazette. By George Pandi -It started with the notion that regular flushing is good for the system; some doctors suggested...
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US: Water om botles may hurt the planet
Posted: January 13, 2008 San Jose Mercury News. By Mark Boslet -SAN JOSE, CALIF.: Drinking a bottle of water might seem innocent enough, but each bottle has a...
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US: Backlash starts to build over packaged water
Posted: January 13, 2008 The Green Bay Press Gazette. By Thomas Rozwadowski - In a world where Dasani and Aquafina are as instantly recognizable as parent brands Coke...Read More
Canada: bottled water is a scam
Posted: January 10, 2008 Ottawa Xpress. By Sara Falconer -An astonishing one-fifth of the populations of Canada and the United States drink bottled water...
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US: Religious orders bring clout to war on bottled water
Posted: January 9, 2008 National Catholic Reporter. By Laura Lloyd -If you want to get the lowdown on bottled water, listen to what the “Green Franciscan Sister”...
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Canada: Water bottle ban could be coming
Posted: December 22, 2007 Metro. By TIM WIECLAWSKI -Should the city boot bottled water from municipal buildings and encourage people to use public...
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Canada: Gatineau veut promouvoir davantage l'eau du robinet
Posted: December 22, 2007 Le Droit. By Patrick Duquette -Afin de combattre la prolifération des bouteilles d'eau en plastique, Gatineau envisage de faire la...
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Canada: Bring back the fountains
Posted: December 22, 2007 The Ottawa Citizen.Sometimes, old ideas are the best ideas. The humble water fountain has gone out of fashion. It should come...
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Stay Connected
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