Tap Water

Buying bottled water is wrong, says Suzuki
Environmentalist launches national tour on green issues
Last Updated: Thursday, February 1, 2007 | 2:16 PM NT
CBC News
Canadians wanting to do something about the environment can start by drinking tap water, environmentalist David Suzuki says.

"Everywhere I go across Canada, I insist I be given tap water when I get up to speak," Suzuki told CBC News on Thursday.

David Suzuki says plastic water bottles generate waste and potential health hazards because of their chemical composition.
(CBC) "I think in Canada it's absolutely disgusting that people are so uncertain about their water that we buy it, paying more for bottled water than we do for gasoline."

Suzuki — who was in St. John's on Thursday to launch a cross-country speaking tour aimed at engaging people in politics, particularly environmental issues — said there is no good reason for Canadians to buy bottled water.

Moreover, he said it's destructive to import bottled water from producers in countries such as France.

"It's nuts to be shipping water all the way across the planet, and us — because we're so bloody wealthy — we're willing to pay for that water because it comes from France," he said in an interview.

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"I don't believe for a minute that French water is better than Canadian water. I think that we've got to drink the water that comes out of our taps, and if we don't trust it, we ought to be raising hell about that."

Key environmental issues with bottled water, Suzuki said, are waste and uncertainty over the long-term health effects created by plastic.

"Not only does bottled water lead to unbelievable pollution — with old bottles lying all over the place — but plastic has chemicals in it," he said.

"Plastics are ubiquitous. I don't believe that plastics are not involved in a great deal of the health problems that we face today."

Last August, delegates to the United Church of Canada's general council voted to discourage the purchase of bottled water within its churches. The motion called on church members to advocate against the "privatization of water" and to support healthy local supplies of water.

 

it's a good point. not only is it incessant waste and totally mindless, but unnecessary in most places in the developed. the energy consumed by making the bottles and recycling them, or dealing with them in the trash is mindless. i don't really see how anyone can consider themselves green when they're throwing their money at something so wasteful. there is a company out here that makes water bottles out of biodegradeable corn or whatever, but that still costs energy to make.

 

I keep meaning to get a filter, but I keep forgetting.

I hate drinking the tap water here because they put fluoride in the water and I am tired of them forcing chemicals down my throat.

 

The tap water here is nasty and even after filtering it.. well it still tastes nasty. But I refuse to buy bottled water sooo... yeah.

 

It may be nasty, but because it kills so many waterborne germs, bleach(chlorine) saves more lives than all other manmade chemicals/drugs combined.

 

Maybe some people like dysentery...hmmmm? Have you ever thought of that?

Progress is the devil..

 

people shouldn't complain about overpopulation and low standards of health in the same place and time.

 

Some people just want everything to be perfect. Those people are never going to be happy.

 

Yep, the water here in Apopka smells like poo.

I still drink it. It was 100000 times worse in Honduras.

 

I’d be far more worried about plastic water pipes leaching then pipes with led solder

 

the tap water here is some of the best i've ever tasted.. comes out icey cold and clear, clean, no smell, no color.. and it's not too hard not too soft

bottled hawaii water or the fiji water are my all time favorites

 

I don't like the tap water from my house, well atlest not a much as i like the well water at my grandpa's

 

our citys tap water is fabulous, it always tastes good (though i dont drink from the kitchen sink cuz every now and then the water smells funny). the cities to the norht and south used to have -horrible- water... norht it tasted like lickign a penny and in the south it was brown. they fixed it within the last 5 years or so though so they have good water too now, huzzah

 

Because imaginary toxins are so much more dangerous than the real ones.

 

I got no problem with chlorine in the water... I don't want germs. But fluorine is totally unnecessary. But I just gulp it down and hope for the best since I feel immense guilt when I drink bottled water.

I agree that Fiji water does taste really really good, but it uses such an insane amount of resources to bottle it and ship it. I constantly have to resist the urge to buy it.

 

The water here tastes great, but if you aren't raised on it, it'll kill your kidneys. I'm not even close to joking...I've known a lot of adults who have moved here from other areas and ended up with bad kidneys. Granted, I'm sure that the stupid refineries around here are going to end up either making me super radioactive and badass or give me some horrible cancer eventually.

 

I've never been that particular about tap water or anything else ~ the only thing I think is gross is that new flavoured water.... ick.

 

WE GET A LOT OF RUST. It can turn the porcelan and affect the laundry.

 

I forgot to mention that I hate bottled water. It's retarded to pay a buck a pop for one of nature's most abundant resources, not to mention all the shit they put in a lot of it. It tastes nasty and hurts my teeth. Blech.

 

If the water is highly chlorinated, just buy one of those 2 gallon water jugs with the spout and cut a hole in the top so you can refill it from the sink. The chlorine will bubble out while in the fridge and the water will taste better each day.