In a move you’d expect from a city in California, the sale of bottled water has been banned in Concord, Massachusetts. According to Treehugger:
Last week residents of Concord, Massachusetts voted to ban the sale of all bottled water by next January, making it the first U.S. town to take such action.
The effort was lead by Jean Hill, an 82-year old activist, who lobbied neighbors and officials alike on the consequences of plastic bottles filling landfills and polluting local waters.
While I definitely have green leanings, this ban seems a little ridiculous. Why aren’t bottled sodas and juices banned too? Why not give incentives to consumers that buy glass containers or get their water from companies that reuse large containers of water? Instead of banning bottled water, wouldn’t it be more useful to offer incentives on products like metal water bottles, Brita/Pur filters, etc.? To me, expensive bottled water is pretentious (looking at you Voss), but this ban is pretentious in its own way.
I’d love to hear what you think of the Concord, MA ban on bottled water. Is it an inspired move or a misguided one?
Aren't they recyclable? Plastic?
@Insomniacswaltz
Do you put them in the recycling bin?
@Topic
Not sure on this one. Bottled water is the worst invention in non crisis situations. You have a sink for a reason and it's not to just wash dishes. That said, telling people they are stupid for buying that crap falls under freedom of speech. Forcing people not to be able to buy them is oppression. Also, they're just going to drive outside city limits and buy it anyway. All they're doing is hurting their income from sales tax. OK, so maybe I'm not torn on this subject anymore.
Banning bottle water is tough. Some people juat dont like the way tap water tastes or paranoid about it. They should have a choice.
@Sandrock323
Yeah, of course
Are they being banned because people are not recycling them?
Here in NC it is a state law that you recycle aluminum cans and glass bottles… I definitely find that a better and more intelligent way of approaching this.
@Insomniacswaltz
They're complaining about them filling up their garbage dumps, so I'd assume so.
I only buy bottled water because its cheap and convenient. I get a 32-pack of Nestle for $4.38 at Sam's. But I can see why the ban is a good thing because I make a ton of trash with the bottle, even after crushing them.
I can't stand water from my sink. Tastes like a swimming pool. I didn't have this problem when I lived out in the country and my water came from the well. Good stuff.
Living in town has forced me to become a bottled water guy.
@smartguy Why not use a Pur or Brita filter?
@Ray
I use a Brita as well, but I like the bottles as well. I have to have something to drink while I drive. The bottles fit the need.
@Smartguy
Well water is the best, that is the only thing I miss about living in Ohio. The house we lived at had a great well with some of the best water ever. However I usually have a pretty hearty stomach so eating or drinking things that other people can't is usually not an issue for me anyways.
Alright, this is a bit absurd. I drink bottled water, and the bottles can be recycled….ya know, just like soda cans and everything else. So start a recycling program or something.
In fact, just try living in a place like Phoenix, AZ and living off of tap water. It's crunchy and tastes like Grandma's over chlorinated pool. No thanks.