Bottled Water Backlash

All of a sudden, rumblings against bottled water are turning into a global outcry. Environmentalists condemn the product for the high levels of CO2 emitted while producing it, and the food miles clocked up in its distribution. Other critics just think its madness to spend money on something available from the tap at a fraction of the price. The backlash seems to have started in earnest in the US where at least one state has banned spending of public funds on the product, Mayor Bloomberg of New York has condemned it, and Chicago has enforced a 5 cents bottled water tax. Anti bottled water articles and comment are now flooding the British media, fuelled by environment minister Phil Woolas calling drinking bottled water "daft", and "verging on the immoral". The shadow environment minister has endorsed Mr.Woolas's comments. BBC's Panorama is doing a programme tomorrow (Monday), examining the bottled water industry, and its unlikely to be favourable.



The backlash has reached New Zealand, and the issues surrounding bottled water have been covered in the United Arab Emirates and India. The Catholic Patriarch of Venice has suggested giving up bottled water for Lent, and donating the cash saved to a water pipeline project in Thailand. He is supported by his mayor who calls bottled water an unnecessary luxury.



What could have brought on this groundswell of negative opinions? Certainly environmental campaigners around the world have played a big part. Recent coverage in the UK will have been heightened by the Woolas article, and its worth noting that Thames Water, in conjunction with a government funded body called the Council for Water are encouraging caterers to supply tap water for diners without being asked for it, so presumably some of the publicity comes from them. There may well be a touch of anti big business playing a part as the bulk of the bottled water market profits go to Nestle, Coca Cola and Pepsi. Whatever the reasons, the companies selling bottled water in the UK are sufficiently concerned to have set up a body to counteract the bad publicity (the Bottled Water Information Office). They are reported to be preparing a campaign later in the year to promote the health benefits of bottled waters, and the steps being taken to reduce the environmental impact of the product.


Why should farming be so concerned with bottled water? Well, there seem to be parallels with the issue of livestock farming and its impact on the environment. At the moment the calls for a reduction in eating meat or dairy to protect the environment are rumblings. What is desperately needed is for the farming industry to communicate its environmental strategy before the rumblings become louder.