Unlock the untapped potential of your faucet

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Drinking tap water might be the simplest solution to ocean plastic pollution (oh dear, and this even rhymes).

The solution to plastic water bottle pollution could be as simple as educating the general masses that (their) tap water is safe to drink. While it is not the case everywhere – the safety of the tap water, that is – and unfortunately also in many places in the US, in most places in the more civilized countries it is the case. Also, tap water undergoes far more rigorous testing for purity and safety than does any bottled water.

Bottled water, for anyone who does not know it as yet, is also one of the greatest scams ever created by industry. In the great majority of cases the water is nothing more than tap water filled into plastic bottles – the latter which then end up polluting the environment – and while it is true that in some cases that water went through some additional “filtration” treatment to remove chlorine, for instance, it still is tap water.

And for a bottle of that, which as tap water would cost you just a fraction of a cent, you end up paying hundred times as much and more. That sure does not make sense. Not only are we hurting the environment with the plastic (bottle) waste, we are also hurting ourselves in our own pockets.

The pollution of those bottles, which more often than not are not recycled in any way, shape or form, pollutes the environment even if they are properly disposed off into the waste stream.

In 2017 about 480 billion bottles of plastic will be produced and less than 10% of them will be recycled. The remaining 90% will end up somewhere – whether discarded in nature or in landfills – where the plastic then breaks down into microplastic and ends up in our groundwater, rivers and eventually lakes and oceans. In addition to plastic pollution, bottled water also has an enormous carbon footprint from production and transportation.

And the problem is getting worse as bottled water consumption is growing, all while households may already have access to a clear and present solution, namely their kitchen tap.

Unfortunately, some people are afraid to drink from the tap. A survey of 1500 households in the US and Europe found a growing mistrust in tap water. The concerns are based on a myriad of factors including multiple water crises like the one in Flint, Michigan, the water database by EWG and microplastics reported in tap water by Orbs, preference in taste, health expert opinions, bottled water advertising, and urban myths.

There is also a misconception around recycling, mineral water, and everything else related to bottled water. And so more people are turning to bottled water.

While there are some issues here and there the fact is that, generally, tap water has gotten better in both Europe and the US over the last ten years. More importantly, there is no scientific evidence that bottled water is healthier than tap water.

So here are a couple of recommendations:

1. Drink tap water. It is almost free and in most places in Europe and North America it is as healthy and clean, if not even more so, as bottled water.

2. Anyone worried about the quality of the tap water or who does not like the taste can use a water filter, such as a filter jug even, costing very little to buy and “run”.

3. Always bring a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated.

4. Ask for tap water in restaurants and bars. This, alas, may not always be successful.

It is time to stop polluting the environment with plastic and to clean up the oceans. This way our children and grandchildren can enjoy clean oceans full of life and plastic free sand beneath their feet on the beach. We also must not forget that, if we eat fish, those tiny particles of plastic find their way into the food chain – they already have done so – and end up in the fish that we eat and thus in us.

© 2017

Stash this collapsible water bottle in your pocket and turn back to the tap

It's time we made water bottles part of our every day carry (EDC) gear, just like our keys and our phone. This handy little bottle squishes down small enough to go everywhere you do.

It's great that we're a lot more conscious of drinking water these days, and not just sodas and coffee and sports drinks, but that water consumption comes at a pretty hefty environmental cost, at least if we buy bottled water all the time. It's estimated that getting one liter of bottled drinking water into our hands requires seven liters of water and a quarter liter of oil, so there are a huge amount of wasted resources tied up in our bottled water habit, as well as an enormous plastic trash problem from all of those bottles and packaging.

It's quite silly to my way of thinking, as while there may be some appropriate times and locations for bottled water (emergency relief, sporting events, caching and reserves for if/when the SHTF), the majority of the time we can do just fine without it. After all, water is a basic human need, and we know we'll be thirsty at some points during the day, every day of our lives, so why would we NOT have a water bottle with us all the time, just as we wouldn't ever forget to have our keys or our phones or our wallets with us?

In addition to having a container for our water, we can also turn back to the tap and away from the fancy bottled water advertising. If you live in a modern city with an appropriate water treatment and delivery infrastructure, the water that comes out of your tap may be exactly the same as that in the bottles at the corner store, except at a huge markup in price. By choosing to refill your bottles and cups from the tap or a water fountain, instead of buying bottled water, it's not only much cheaper, but it's also more convenient and easy to drink more water.

Read more: http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/stash-collapsible-water-bottle-your-pocket-and-turn-back-tap.html

Make your own BPA-free reusable water bottle

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

What do you mean? I can hear you think and ask. How can I make my own reusable water bottle? Simple, I tell you, and it will not cost you a cent.

The only true and guaranteed BPA-free reusable water bottle is made but from one substance, namely glass, and you can easily make your own. No, not glass or the bottle by blowing your own glass bottle and all that jazz. That is complicated and requires a great deal of skill. We are talking here reuse of what you would, otherwise, toss into the recycling bin.

Yes, that Snapple® bottle that you are just about to toss, washed out and label removed (if you want – I do) and then filled with tap water makes a real good reusable BPA-free (as it is glass) water bottle.

But, I hear you say, glass is breakable and therefore plastic and stainless steel bottles are much better, and lighter. Yes, it is true that glass is breakable and glass bottles will break if handled incorrectly but most plastics contain plasticizers that are hormone disruptors though some are free from it and stainless steel is the best choice when it comes to wanting an unbreakable bottle. However, if you want a BPA-free one for, well, free then reusing a glass bottle of one sort or another is a much better way to go. It is also better for the Planet as it is reuse.

There are many reusable water bottles on the market now that are but tarted up bottles similar to the ones that you can easily make yourself by reusing the likes of Snapple® bottles or other drink ones or even glass tomato ketchup ones. I have done it and so can you and with a little soft cozy made from some thick cloth they can be protected easily against breakages.

So, go for tap water with your own reused reusable water bottle. Please do not think about reusing plastic bottles (PET bottles) for this purpose as they are leaching BPA and other phthalates, and those all are hormone disrupting chemicals.

So-called BPA-free plastics also are not harmless as scientists have recently found and while some plastics are fine glass, especially if it costs you nothing, is much better for you and the Planet.

© 2014

Nestlé is draining Pakistan to sell us bottled water

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Nestlé is draining developing countries to produce its bottled water, destroying countries’ natural resources before forcing its people to buy their own water back.

Now it is happening in Pakistan. Groundwater levels are plummeting, families are being driven into poverty, and whole areas are being rendered uninhabitable.

But we still have got time to help before Pakistan's water supply is completely tapped out – and if we show Nestlé its heartless policies are sparking a global backlash, we can stop it from decimating more of our natural resources.

But in this context we must also remember the words of the former CEO of the company stating that, as far as he and his company are concerned access to water is not a human right and that water is but a commodity to be exploited.

Until we all wake up and refuse top buy bottled water then those companies, and not just Nestlé, will continue to do as they do. The answer is a simple one: switch to tap water and leave the bottled, whether plastic or glass, behind.

As said, Nestlé is but one of the bottled water companies that are responsible for decimating the groundwater supply in many places. While Nestlé is now doing it in Pakistan Coca Cola has been doing it, and probably still is doing it, in India and those two companies also fill their bottles with tap water and then sell it to us at a horrendously inflated price. Each company has a brand of bottled water where with at least one of them it states – in very small print – on the label that the water comes from “municipal sources”, in other words, it is tap water.

Who in their right mind is going to buy a bottle of tap water at the rate of $1.50 per liter when from the tap it is almost free? Alas, it would seem that many people do believing, as they do not bother to read the label or want to understand the truth, that this water is better for them and safer, because it is bottled water, that the water that comes from the faucet.

Every one of us can take a stand and by doing so change what is happening by refusing to buy water in bottles and fill up reusable bottles from the faucet. Just don't reuse the PET bottles in which bottled water comes. Get a proper reusable bottle of a BPA free plastic, stainless steel or glass. But make the change for the sake of your finances and the Planet.

© 2013

Stay hydrated (this summer), but best avoid drinking from plastic water bottles

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Water in plastic bottles can cause all sorts of health and environmental problems – so rather use tap water and use a refillable bottle instead. If you do not like the taste of tap water or are concerned about the chlorine and possibly even fluoride in the water then use a (charcoal) filter.

The weather this summer has been (mostly) glorious, but the heat means we all need to drink more water to stay hydrated. A fact many people forget and then get sick.

As water makes up about 60 percent of our weight keeping well hydrated is vital for proper functioning as every system in the body depends on water. Dehydration can lead to all manner of ills, including kidney failure and death.
Water helps with alertness and performance in sports, it controls appetite, and it also keeps symptoms like fatigue, headaches and dry skin at bay.

In the summer heat, we perspire more and need to drink more. Also, perspiration causes us to lose salt which we have to replenish and for that reason the military issues soldiers with salt tablets in hot conditions.

But in the summer, drinking water from a plastic bottle – which we all know is an expensive way to get water¹, and is never great from an environmental point of view² – means that the exposure to chemicals such as BPA and phthalates³ which leach from the plastic into the water is made worse by the heat. (BPA and phthalates can cause a whole host of problems to the immune system, the brain and the prostate.)

When we talk here about plastic bottles it refers to those made from PET primarily and those made from polycarbonate material of the old style. There are plastic bottles that do not leach BPA and other nasty stuff and thus are usable.

So, follow these guidelines to stay hydrated, healthy and cut down on waste:

On the move: If you're out and about: drink tap water using a refillable, re-usable bottle and you have a number of choices in that department. The best choice is glass, but that is breakable. The next best is stainless steel but there are also some BPA free plastic bottles to be had such as the Ohyo, which is a collapsible water bottle, the Brita with even a built-in charcoal filter, or, last but not least, De Dopper. Plastic is not always bad in all three cases they are BPA free.

About 1.5 million tons of plastic are used to make water bottles each year around the world, and the processing itself releases toxic compounds like nickel, ethylbenzene, ethylene oxide and benzene. Not to mention the health problems that plastic water bottles can cause.

There are many public fountains and refilling places for reusable bottles that can be found on the Internet in and around London and possibly also elsewhere. Unfortunately many pubs and such like are very reluctant to fill up people's bottles and this is rather a shame. Everyone is seeing Pound signs in front of their eyes all the time instead of being community and environmentally minded.

At home: Drink tap water at home instead of buying water and, as said, if you don't like the taste or are concerned about impurities as well as chlorine or even fluoride then use a charcoal filter and filter your water. The same goes for being out and about.

You could also invest in a distiller which guarantees total safety as far as your water is concerned distillation will remove (almost) everything. I never say 100% as it simply is not possible.

You can use filtered water to drink at home, or fill up a refillable bottle to take around with you. But avoid, as much as possible, buying bottled water which, aside from the fact that the plastic bottles may leach chemicals, and thus the stuff is not good for your physical health, it is also not good for your financial health and that of the Planet.

Who, in their right mind, would pay $2 for less than a quart of bottled water which, in a great majority of cases, is but tap water which may, or may not, have been filtered and, maybe, undergone “reverse osmosis”.

In Britain and many other countries tap water is perfectly safe – safer in fact than bottled water as municipal water undergoes much stricter testing than does bottled water – to drink as it comes and even better so if filtered or distilled and then left to settle for a couple of hours.

Please remember also that hydration is not just important in the summer heat. Also in the cold of winter dehydration happens fast, only you do not realize it as easily and often it can be too late. So, remember to stay hydrated at all times with your own refillable water bottle and tap.

Give me tap...

© 2013

1 Typically bottled water retails at up to 500 times more than the price of tap water. ETC, University of Nottingham.

2 Bottled water also has considerable environmental costs, including the energy costs of production and transport, and the environmental costs of disposing of (or, very rarely, recycling) the bottles. Sustainweb

3 Studies have shown that phthalates, which are known to disrupt testosterone and other hormones, can leach into bottled water over time. NDRC

America's new found beverage love... Water

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

It was not all that long ago that America had a serious love affair with all things soda. Now, a new drink, which is in fact an old flame, is taking the country's heart by storm.

As New York City grapples with the legality of a ban on the sale of large cups of soda and other sugary drinks at some businesses, one thing is clear and that is that soda has run as the nation's beverage of choice has fizzled out like a flat Coca Cola. In its place we find a favorite for much of history, namely plain old H2O, also known simply as water.

But, while this is a great move, no doubt, the problem is that in most cases this water still has an enormous impact on the environment as it is, more often than not, bottled water, drunk in the belief that it is healthier than tap water, this is but a myth. This myth is, however, being perpetuated by the bottled water suppliers, including soda companies such as Coca Cola and Pepsi.

For more than two decades, soda was the No. 1 drink in the U.S. with per capita consumption peaking in 1998 at 54 gallons a year, according industry tracker Beverage Digest. Americans drank just 42 gallons a year of water at the time.

But over the years, as soda increasingly came under fire for fueling the nation's rising obesity rates, water quietly rose to knock it off the top spot.

Americans now drink an average of 44 gallons of soda a year, a 17 percent drop from the peak in 1998. Over the same time, the average amount of water people drink has increased 38 percent to about 58 gallons a year. Bottled water has led that growth, with consumption nearly doubling to 21 gallons a year.

It was not too far back in history that tap water was the top drink but then in the 1980s, carbonated soft drinks overtook tap as the most popular drink, with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo Inc. putting their marketing muscle behind their colas with celebrity endorsements from the likes of pop star Michael Jackson and comedian Bill Cosby and, I guess, that everybody thought that if those people endorse it then it must be good. Not considering that the main ingredient in both of those colas is phosphoric acid, an industrial cleaning agent and one which, when mixed with chlorine bleach, turns into phosgene gas. Lovely stuff, eh?

The problem with the new found love affair of the American nation is that the water that they are consuming predominately is not tap water but bottled water that the advertising agencies suggest to them to be purer and cleaner than tap. And who are the greatest water bottlers? Coca-Cola and PepsiCo Inc., and their best-selling waters are, wait for it, from municipal sources; in other words nothing more than tarted up tap water. And the consumer pays a hundred times more for it per liter than for tap. Nice marketing ploy.

There is no “smartwater” or “vitaminwater”... it is water, period and if you do not like the taste of your tap water – and the chlorine can be tasted at times – then use a Brita filter or similar and if you want to really go the whole hog as to safety then use a water distiller such as the Megahome Water Distiller. But go for tap and use a reusable water bottle. Your wallet and the Planet will thank you.

© 2013

Aquatina – The Collapsible Reusable Water Bottle

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Despite the fact that the Dragons of the BBC's “Dragon's Den” program rejected the Aquatina idea and refused to back Guy Jeremiah I believe this to be an interesting product with capabilities. Black Leisure and Millets, both Britain's leading outdoors equipment retailers also do.

What the Dragons, though the board, failed to appreciate is that reusing the single use PET bottle is not a good idea as far as health is concerned and not just for children (and we will come to that, however, in a separate article). This is primarily with regards to leaching Bisphenol A and (other) phthalates but also, and this must also be a concern, as to hygiene. The single use PET bottle is not easy to clean and to keep clean.

The Aquatina bottle – and that is the selling point for me – is designed and manufactured in the UK. It is not, and hopefully never will be, “Made in China”. Its carbon footprint is thus reduced in comparison to other bottles, whether single use or reusable as the Aquatina bottle is, which are predominately made in the Middle Kingdom.

The two British outdoor retailers, Blacks and Milliets, had the right nose, methinks, to get involved with Aquatina and I, personally, think that Aquatina would also be good an addition to larger “survival” kits as a collapsible water carrier. I mean, honest, who wants to carry water – for drinking – in a rubber birth control device? I know that I would not.

Coming back to the question or story of the Dragon's Den dragons and Aquatina I must say that the presentation could have been done better, perhaps, without the mention of the monetary volume of the bottled water market and even that of the reusable bottle market. Neither of that really mattered. It should have been the fact of Aquatina being a reusable water bottle than can be collapsed to a more-or-less convenient pocket size. Some pockets, I know, are smaller than others but it is the principle that counts.

The selling point, in my opinion, is the fact that Aquatina is a reusable water bottle that can collapsed and in that way can be carried, without getting into the way, unfilled, to a fountain or filling station and after the water has been drunk it can be collapsed again and stowed away in the pocket.

In fact, creating a pocket for it with a carabiner that would enable the Aquatina bottle to be carried, empty, clipped to a belt might be an accessory to be considered.

The Aquatina collapsible reusable water bottle may be the one tool that might just convert some bottled water users to switch to reusable bottle and tap water. It just might do it.

I must say that, while initially intrigued I did remain sceptical, prior to having used it a few times, as to whether the Aquatina bottle would work OK and such, but must say that I am, so far, pleasantly surprised.

The one main worry that I had, and maybe still have, to a very small degree, is the constant folding, the constant opening and collapsing, of this plastic concertina bottle and how the plastic will cope with that. Having read the test results from the university, however, I must say that they are rather impressive and the estimated nine years plus of serviceable life to me appears to be a good one.

As far as I am concerned, and, it would appear, also many other people, the Dragons, as more than once before, have not seen the potential of this product.

Was it not a similar panel that rejected Trevor Baylis' windup radio, now called Freeplay? All those that refused to back him then are now really kicking themselves.

Whether the bottled water market is US$ 85 Million or or not is not relevant in this equation and neither, really, is the size of the market in reusable water bottles.

The latter will get bigger as the former will shrink and shrink it will as people ditch the single use bottle but it also does not have unlimited expansion capacity either.

Neither here nor there that is anyway. What counts, however, that that Aquatina is, in my opinion, a convenient receptacle and carrying device to tap water, and at £5 retail (maybe the price could be rethought) for “Made in England” it is brilliant.

The Aquatina reusable collapsible bottle is made from LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) and is a plastic that does not have any association with the dreaded BPA and other similar substances.

© 2011

Full Disclosure Statement: The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article with the exception of a sample of the product to keep.

Tapwater iPhone App Has Arrived - Get Tapwater on the go for FREE

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The Tapwater revolution is gathering momentum. With more than 440 ‘refilling’ stations in the UK, tapwater.org has come a long way since it launched in November 2010 with only a handful.

But let's look at the past. For years, nay decades and more, we used to have public tap water fountains in public parks, at schools and elsewhere. And then? Then they were taken away. Why? Beats me. And suddenly it also had to be bottled water. Bottled “spring” – what spring – water was supposed to be so much healthier than municipal water.

Now the recently launched tapwater.org iPhone app lets you locate free tap water refilling stations where you are. It will show you the closest pubs, shops, cafes and public fountains in your area. All part of tapwater.org’s global network, offering drinking water on the go, it's free to download and available now on the App Store. All you need is a reusable bottle and you can get one from them soon as well.

A not-for-profit organisation, Tapwater.org’s aim is to develop a global tap water map by partnering up with similar schemes in Canada, America and Holland where networks are already in place.

To support the scheme Tapwater. Org will be selling wholesale/retail a high quality stainless steel "lifebottle” designed by Neil Barron who won 2009’s Carafe for London competition sponsored by Thames Water as part of its London on Tap campaign. The bottle will be available to buy from Tapwater.org’s website or through it’s participating partners in June.

Tapwater.org intend to feed back 100% of profits from the organisation into providing funding for water related schemes in educational establishments and participating businesses.

As far as i am concerned this is a great idea but then again regular readers will know my take on bottled water vs. tap. Make mine tap every time, as long as we are talking safe municipal water supplies.

For further information about joining the scheme please go to www.tapwater.org or contact Cristina@tapwater.org

© 2011

World Tap Water Week

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

You didn't know that it existed, did you? Well, it didn't until The Green Thing invented it in 2010 and, as far as I am concerned, this is a good idea.

The Green Thing invented this new tradition called World Tap Water Week because, as they said, it's high time the world celebrated humble, tasty tap for the everyday hero that it is.

Of course every hero needs a villain to battle, and in the case of Tap it’s the arch criminal Mineral. Mineral water is somewhat like the emperor’s new clothe, being made out to be so tremendously good for us and all that jazz. The truth is that it is not and that mineral water does untold environmental damage, tastes exactly like tap water and costs 1000 times as much. Yet people across the world fall for the mineral water and bottled water myth and think they’re buying something crucial to their health or self-esteem when they’re not. Someone’s gotta tell ‘em the emperor’s got nothing on! And someone also tell them that mineral has got nothing on tap either. In many cases bottled water actually is nothing but tap, filtered if we are lucky, and put into a plastic bottle. You must be joking...

There is nothing special about mineral water or bottled water. It is made in the same way by using two hydrogen atoms, mixed with one of oxygen, and that's it. Same as tap water. Thus they taste the same and do the same stuff, after all it is... well, pardon the pun, water. So why would you pay for water in plastic bottles that, in some cases, has been transported more than half-way around the world, and often lots of money, when you can, basically, get tap water for free.

From now on, according to Green Thing, World Tap Water Week happens every year in the third week of August. Ladies and gentlemen. It’s time. Time for tap!

We should simply create this as a tradition from now on and designate, as indicated, the third week of August as World Tap Water Week and why not?

Personally, I do not do bottled water unless there is absolutely no other option, and whenever I can it is tap water, at times filtered, at other times not, carried in a reusable bottle, including repurposed glass Snapple lemonade ones. I also refuse to pay for bottles if I can upcycle my own.

So, let's remember for next year: The 3^rd ween in August is what? It's World Tap Water Week...

© 2010

Think Outside the Bottle success

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

On the morning of May 5, 2009, New York Governor David Paterson issued an executive order phasing out state spending on bottled water in response to our grassroots efforts. It is the most comprehensive action taken by a governor to date, and it sets the standard for the 49 other governors we are urging to follow suit.

Even as water scarcity becomes an increasingly critical problem around the world, bottled water corporations would have us believe that the only place to get clean, safe water is from a bottle. But the fact is, our tap water is more highly regulated than bottled water -- and, as New York and countless other cities have demonstrated, going back to the tap is good for our communities and good for our pocketbooks.

There are even many that are as scrupulous as to talk of ethical bottled water because some of their profits help to bring clean water to the Third World. Talk of greenwashing or what.

I get sometimes completely misunderstood, on purpose, I believe, and those companies attacked will counter with the “fact” that they are using compostable water bottles. It is, however, not the bottles so much that I am complaining about – though they are included in the equation – but the fact that spring water (and municipal sourced water) is needlessly put into plastic bottles, the material of which also might not be good for health, and then sold at a horrendous price over the price of tap.

In most places in the Developed World there is nothing wrong with tap or even well water. If you do not like the taste, be this due to chlorine or lime scale, or whatever, get a jug filter or even better. That eliminates that problem and then get a nice reusable bottle of non BPA containing plastic, such as the “We Want Tap” one, or stainless steel one. There are enough choices about. Get away though from the bottled water, whether or not there is a percentage of the price that goes to this or that charity.

My concern, as said, is not so much the plastic bottles, though that is bad enough; it is the needless use of water.

© 2009
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Tap water saves money

Save about £800 a year by drinking tap water

by Michael Smith

Even if you do not buy the environmental argument as regards to bottled water – and I think you should take that message on board as well – then at least buy the financial one.

From the financial point: if you happen to drink the recommended eight glasses of water a day by buying bottled water you will spend about £800 or so. If, on the other hand, you would drink the same eight glasses of water a day using tap water you will spend less than £1 a year or thereabouts.

Now in this current economic climate I am sure saving say £799 a year by switching from bottled water to tap really makes sense, alone from the financial viewpoint. Add to that the environmental point and it is really a great win for both you and the planet.

Buying bottled water in our countries where we have clean and safe drinking water on tap makes no sense and does not just hurt the environment; it also hurts your pocketbook rather badly. Do something about it: Drink Tap instead.

When we look at India or any other Third World country that you might like to name, and at what they have to do there to get drinking water, let alone clean drinking water, and at the fact that we get it for basically free in our homes; and we still buy water in bottles, which in many cases is nothing else but tap water, filtered maybe. That is absolutely and utterly crazy. We must be made, literally. The entire bottled water industry thing is loony.

Apparently Americans buy 28 billion water bottles every year, with a trend that is, the gods help us, rising. This, if we have the figures right, uses the equivalent of 17 million barrels of oil. This amount would be sufficient to fuel one million cars for 12 months worth of driving, as far as American gas guzzlers are concerned. Imagine what could be done with this isn fuel efficient cars. With less than a quarter of all discarded PET bottles being recycled it costs American cities about $70 million to clean up the discarded bottles annually. I hate to think how much the cost would be if we would combine this with say the UK and the rest of the EU.

The cleanliness rules for tap are far more stringent than for bottled. Most municipal tap water has to be tested for E.coli, fecal coliform bacteria, Cryptosporidium and/or Giardia, whereas the much vaunted bottled water does not. Yet bottled water can “cost as much as $10 per gallon compared to less than a penny per gallon for tap waters.” And people still believe the myth that bottled “spring” water is safer than tap? Yes, they do.

Stop buying bottle water, it’s messing with the environment through unwarranted materials extraction and wastage, as well as contributing to climate change. Not only are glaciers shrinking, but so are the volume of readies in your wallet or purse. Go buy and use a reusable water bottle, as long as it is BPA free – and there are a number on the market by now, and use tap water.

Also, we do not have enough fresh spring water about as it goes and we are wasting water by the gallon and flushing much of it down the drains, literally. We can, therefore, not afford this stupid notion of drinking water from bottles in countries where our tap water is perfectly safe to drink.

Let's stop this madness.

© M Smith (Veshengro), November 2008
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TAP LAUNCHES A REFRESHING ALTERNATIVE TO BOTTLED WATER

- Tap into the growing trend of re-usable bottles to save money and the environment -

A new ethical enterprise called Tap has entered the world of bottled water, with a sole mission of getting Brits to re-think bottled water and turn to tap.

Despite having some of the highest quality tap water in the world, Britain spends £1.5billion per year on designer label water, discarding over 3 million empties. Not only is this impacting on the environment, but it’s costing the nation too, with bottled water up to 10,000 times more expensive than tap.

We Want Tap has really launched the real alternative to bottled water, namely what we already have and that is mains water, that is to say, TAP.

In a bid to break the habit, Tap has launched its very own re-usable water bottles. Think of them as flasks for water. Set to become the ‘must-have’ item of the summer, the bottles are stylish and sustainable, and available in two sizes, making them the perfect fit for your handbag, gym bag or fridge.

More importantly, they are made from a new generation of Tritan plastic which is 100% recyclable and free from the polycarbonate chemicals, such as being absolutely 100% free of Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, found in most other re-usable plastic bottles. What’s more 70% of profits from each Tap bottle sold will go to water and sanitation projects in the developing world.

Bisphenol A (BPA), as most of us know by now, I am sure, has had some rather bad press as it is related to hormonal changes in humans and can affect children's hormonal development badly. Hence Canada has banned all BPA products, which meant 1,000s of baby feeding bottles had to be withdrawn and also Nalgene had to remove its old version bottled from the shelves.

Guaranteed to last a lifetime, Tap’s new re-usable bottles offer a practical alternative to unsustainable bottle water. Priced at just £6 for a 400ml bottle and £8.50 for a litre version, it’s a small price to pay to help save the environment, and people’s wallets in the long run. They can be purchased online at www.wewanttap.com.

Tap's founder, Joshua Blackburn, said: "Bottled water is simply a marketing invention, a brand – and one that is costing our nation both financially and environmentally. In a country where high quality water is literally on tap, we should be re-thinking the amount we spend as a nation on designer water.

"Tap water challenges undertaken across the country have repeatedly shown that tap is top. To encourage people to love their tap, we’ve engineered the ultimate re-usable bottle which can be used over and over again – designer water is set to become a thing of the past."

As Tap is also a consumer campaign, a range of stickers can also be purchased on the website to stick over existing empty bottles of bottled water – refilled with tap water - and raise awareness of Tap. Stickers cost £4 for a pack of 30 stickers – five large bottle labels, five small bottle labels and 20 fun size bonus stickers. It is advisable that ordinary water bottles are refilled only 10 times as most contain polycarbonate chemicals, such as BPA, to some extent. A Tap bottle, on the other hand, can be used for life.

The Tap enterprise has been launched by Provokateur, the ethical communications agency, in association with Belu, the carbon neutral water company.

The Centre for Innovation in Voluntary Action is responsible for the distribution of Tap profits to charity.

Log onto www.wewanttap.com for more information

by Michael Smith, August 2008
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NYC Tap Water to be Served at Olympus Fashion Week

Well up to 25,000 plastic water bottles are, traditionally, given out during Olympus Fashion Week at Bryant Park. But this year, in an effort to "green" the show, participants will be given reusable liter-sized non-toxic aluminum water bottles which have been specially prepared backstage and hold nothing but New York City tap water.

Aveda, along with NY's most talented and influential designers, is trying to raise the fashion industry's collective environmental conscience (as if boycotting food wasn't a grand enough contribution). They also plan to eliminate the use of fur in shows, serve organic and locally-sourced food, and print programs and invitations on post-consumer recycled paper.

Michael Smith (Veshengro), Feb 2008