“Are you nuts? There are great reasons to allow plastic bottles.”
And I predicted such comments would make me feel like a geezer.
I was correct on both counts.
After a ban was actually introduced people said the following:
“(The city) ... ignored the facts and decided to target a healthy consumer choice. This is a move that will cost taxpayers more and do less for the environment.” - J. Sherwood, Pres. of Refreshments Canada
[Report in London newspaper]
I put my hand to my forehead.
Ouch. My geezer temp - usually stable - was at 98.7 degrees.
“A ban will push people to drink less healthful alternatives.” - Deputy Mayor Tom Gosnell and Controller Bud Polhill
I hit 98.8.
“We are penalizing water.” Dep. Mayor Gosnell
98.9 degrees soon followed and sweat from my nose dripped into my orange juice.
Could civic leaders respond in a more out-dated fashion?
Stay tuned.
.
4 comments:
After reading your column this morning, Gord, I found myself checking my neck for sprouts of hair. None yet, but I'm sure they're on their way :0)
Your recent writings - columns and blog posts - have struck a chord with me. It bothers me that we've cast a blind eye to the impact our "convenient" lifestyle has on the world around us. Since I was a kid, I've always left the house will a nicely chilled water bottle tucked into my backpack or mounted on my bike. If I'm going to be gone a while, I take more.
I often ask myself "at what cost, convenience?" Apparently, too many among us don't seem to care about the cost. So thanks, Gord, for keeping it visible. And real.
(LOVED the bottom-up windmill pic, btw. Gave me happy chills!)
Having just lived through a 100-year drought where water conservation was the lead story in every news broadcast and everybody was trying to find ways to reduce consumption I started using "packaged" water for cooking, making coffee, and the like (faithfully recycling the empties). It was a small contribution to the overall savings, but when a metro of a half-million or so is down to a 90-day water supply every drop becomes important. And I learned something. The bottled stuff tastes different. Better even.
Fast forward to the Summer of '08 when Falls Lake is back to normal levels and normalcy (or something like it) has returned to our fair city. And tap water still tastes like tap water.
Except when it doesn't.
I'll bet you already knew that several companies sell these neat pitchers that have replaceable filters in them that produce something remarkably like the stuff in the bottles for about 1% of the (monetary) cost... and no empties to recycle or wind up in a landfill. Amazing, huh? They cost anywhere from US$10 to US$35 depending on what you get and where you get it and the only installation involved is inserting filter cartridge A into Slot B and installing water (from the tap) in Slot C.
Add a fetching anodized aluminum loop cap bottle for the fashion conscious (available from various makers and retailers in the US$10- US$20 range) and bottle your own!
Even amortizing the cost of the bottle and pitcher over a year, it doesn't take long to leave the bottled product in the dust at $1-$2 a pop (no pun intended).
The RBC Center isn't going to let me bring my Bean Canteen in for a Hurricanes game -- not when they can sell me 20 oz. of Aquafina for four bucks a shot. But guess what? By statute, buildings that are open to the public are required to provide a source of drinking water -- free of charge. And scattered around the concourse on every level you'll find water fountains waiting for you to come and drink your fill for nothing. (There's a whole row of them right outside Section 328 if you're headed that way.)
Banning bottled water altogether? Mmm... not likely to happen. Unless the public at-large begins to recognize that they're being hijacked by Dasani, et.al. But even then, there are going to be times when it's just easier.
hi carmi,
one of the many benefits of my retirement has been the gift of time.
I have time to walk, bike, think, reflect, write etc. among many other things.
As I unravel a few thoughts and put them down on paper it's a bonus to have a small platform (soapbox) and a few readers who provide critical, thoughtful responses.
(does the above sound like a good intro to a post? i think so!)
thank you for your visits,
gord h.
ps one mile west of Pt. Burwell stands a turbine less than 30 meters from the road; a driveway leads to its base; very inviting; the quiet swish of the rotating blades is a beautiful sound.
hi mojo,
i used your paragraph re the water filter process for a local reader with concerns re our tap water. it may also make it into next week's column.
i have a filtration unit (purchased because of news re lead content in old pipes) but after testing our tap water got the seal of approval. and it tastes almost as good as my old hometown's well water (so many minerals you could skate on the stuff).
one councillor's line re becoming a nanny state got my goat; our city only imposed a limited ban and fair access, filtration units etc. we still have at our disposal.
a total ban may be discussed farther into the future when all costs related to plastic products are better understood. I'll likely be pushing up daisies by then (real ones, not your plastic variety).
cheers,
gord h.
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