We've all become accustomed to the convenience of drinking bottled water. So much so that many of us have forgotten that it is a relatively recent consumer phenomenon. We have also followed the objections that many have raised concerning their effect on our environment. On campus, a student group formed called Bottle Free Badgers to organize around some of the negative impacts of our use of bottled water and propose a ban on their sale throughout campus. Their campaign points out that plastic water bottles are harmful to the environment and major corporations are profiting off of our natural resources unnecessarily. Bottled water is more often than not just tap water that has been repackaged and sold back to us at a 1000 times more expensive cost. By using reusable water bottles, drinking tap water, and making a commitment to avoid using bottled water, we will use less plastic and produce less waste in our environment. These are compelling arguments and certainly worth our consideration.
Here are the top five reasons Bottle Free Badgers thinks its important to reconsider bottled water sales on campus:
1. Bottled water leads to water shortages.
2. Bottled water contributes to climate change.
3. Our landfills cannot support bottled water.
4. Bottled water is not safer.
5. Water is a human right.
Follow Bottle Free Badgers:
On Twitter
On Facebook
And by reading their Bottle Free Badgers Blog
SIGN Bottle Free Badgers petition to ban sales of 1 Liter or less plastic water bottles on UW Madison's campus, specifically in unions, housing and athletics. HERE
The Wisconsin's Water Library has many books and DVD's that address the topic of bottled water including:
Bottled and Sold : The story behind our obsession with bottled water
Bottlemania : How water went on sale and why we bought it
Tapped (DVD)