Why is that we as Americans allow a hand full of men to bottle, and sell, our nations most valued resource,...

Question

I am speaking of bottled water. Todays corporations go right to the source, to the pristine mountian springs, and divert literally billions of gallons through their pumping stations on a daily basis, the enviromental impact of breaking this chain of nature can not be measured,and although a percentage of these bottles end up on American stores shelves, the majority are shipped overseas, and handed out at a cost to the American tax payer, while a handfull of men profit from the proceeds. It's the same with the oil industry, Water is our most precious resource, and we are allowing it to be sold to foreign nations. I feel that water, and oil, should be government controlled, and regulated, as it belongs to us, the masses. What has happened to our government? How can they allow this to go on? Especially taking into account the water shortages that we as a nation are facing today, It does not take a scientist to see the implacations of breaking this natural chain of nature ~ polution ~

Dick200 yes really! 1st of all, ther is a limtd amt of room here to write, i am well aware that these corps that u dfnd,misld us by sllng filtrd tap wtr, thats not the point, my point is this,The water belongs to each, and every one of us, and through the process of deregulation, our nations water system has gone from being a public utility, to that of corporate controlled, and frthrmr, they have been granted no bid contracts to suppy gov institutions such as F.E.M.A to supply the rest of the world. You are the 1 that is naive, to think that we, the american taxpayer are not being sbsdzd. And yes, i do call for a government controlled water system, not todays crrpt gvrnmt, but the gvrmnt of 20 yrs ago.And lastly, yes you are right, we have plenty of water on this planet, but as u pointed out it needs to be cleaned, and purified, if we had left the water 2 run its ntrl crs,there would be no need to purify it. http://www.countercurrents.org/glo-leavitt090703.htm

Answer 1

I too have given this topic a lot of thought. It troubles me to think that these corporations that control the bottled water industry today, contrary to what one would think, are actually controlled by foriegn investors.Hence, they are in effect in control of our nations water supply, a supply that is being as one writer suggested being distributed by man, and not that of by nature. It will, and has already been effecting our nations suppply, in Atlanta, for the first time in U.S history, their reserviors are virtually dry.
These foriegn investors, are not only in control of our nations water supply, but are also profiting from it. I seem to recall Haliburton trying to take control of Peurto Ricos water system, charging outragous sums, but evidently they went to far, and had the audacity to make a law that dictated that it was illegal for the locals to collect rain water, which thankfully for them, led to a revolt, and Halibuton was forced from the country, and control of the water supply, it seems like they are slowly trying to do the same here in America. They are selling our ports, our toll roads, and now the very water that our lives depend upon. " OUR government that is ~ and both parties, as one writer suggested are responsible ~

And Dickn200, your name fits ~ lol~, the writer was rightfully pointing out that the oil,like the water, should be a national resource, reserved, and preserved, for the generations to come. ~ the Movie: American President ~ " These are serious times, and we need serious people DICKKKK, My name is Allen Sheppard, and I AM the president of the United States" :P:P:P

Answer 2

Really??!!! It has been proven that most bottled water is nothing more than filtered TAP water. There are but a few exceptions to this fact. So for your first point you are misinformed or just ignorant of the facts. Second, what facts can you provide to support your claim that bottled water shipped overseas costs the American taxpayer? The facts are that the bottled water industry is a private enterprise endeavor, without government subsidies. And, less than 20% of all water bottled in this country is sold overseas. That sort of shoots down your second misassumption. And...your statement that "It's the same for the oil industry." The U.S. oil industry does NOT export petroleum products overseas... PERIOD!!

Next you call for government control of oil and water. Since when has the government ever been able to operate more efficiently than private enterprise? PLEASE!!! And where did you ever get the mistaken impression that all the water and oil belongs to the masses? How naive... how juvenile... how ignorant.

But, for the sake of argument, let's say the "masses" did. How would the "masses" refine the oil? How would the "masses" purify the water? How would the "masses" distribute the finished products? Who would pay for the vast infrastructure required for such an endeavor? The masses? Our cars would sit there rusting while we all died of thirst waiting for the "masses" to accomplish this utopian idea of yours.

Let's get one last thing straight. There is no shortage of water on this planet. The earth's surface is 75% water. We have vast amounts of water. It only needs to be purified and distributed to supply endless amounts of drinking water. And my guess is that technology and private enterprise will solve those problems... NOT THE MASSES!!!

Answer 3

Oh, it's mostly just purified tap water. And I buy it because it tastes better than MY tap water. Also, the bottle make it more portable. I refill the bottle from water fountains and sometimes pour juice into the empty bottle.

I think selling bottled water was a good invention. At my job, it's a lot easier to carry a bottle of water in my pocket than it is to hunt down a water fountain every time I'm thirsty.

I seriously doubt that the stuff labeled "spring water" is REALLY from a natural spring.

**EDIT**
Ridiculously high price?
I pay a dollar and 35 cents for a 6-pack of generic water from my local grocer. That's about 25 cents a bottle... and it tastes a lot better than my tap water.

Answer 4

Most bottled water doesn't come from a spring to start with. I could take tap water and process it into bottled water. In fact tap water is better than some bottled waters. It's all marketing.

You are a nut you want government control move to Russia, Cuba or China. We have plenty of regulation and control here. I have no shortage of water here. Plenty coming out of my faucet and a full 15,000 gallon pool!! :)

Answer 5

I agree with a lot of what you are saying, but we as americans should be held at least somewhat accountable for it, right? We're like the number 1 bottled water market! If you don't like all of this water being diverted, DON'T BUY IT. and convince your friends not to. That's what I'm doing.

Listen, if you don't think tap is clean, just filter your water yourself! no more corporate glut and no more plastic litter!

Answer 6

Well, for one, no one's ever heard of him, myself included and I'm pretty up on my politics and politicians. Secondly, a "fair tax" or flat tax is anything BUT "fair." Please review some of the articles on the link below from the non-partisan Citizens for Tax Justice and you'll see just how much a "fair" or "flat" tax would shift the burden onto the poor and middle class. If any politician really wants to help the American tax payers, close tax loop holes that big corporations like WalMart exploit, stop letting the Walmarts of the US tell their employees to go get Medicaid and Medicare instead of providing them with healthcare and shifting the tax burden onto US taxpayers. And END Corporate Welfare! NOW! The US is currently the third LEAST taxed industrialized nation in the WORLD. Only Korea and Mexico are below us and that's some pretty sad company. And finally, allow for taxation on earnings from stocks and dividends as investors are barely taxed if at all.

Answer 7

IT'S SAD THAT YOUR FOOLED BY GREEDY CORPORATE AMERICA. BOTTLED WATER IS ONE OF THE GREATEST SCAMS OF THE NEW MELLENIUM. IF YOU REALLY RESEARCH WHERE IT COMES FROM, YOU'LL GO BACK TO DRINKING WHAT YOU ALREADY PAY FOR. BOTTLED WATER DRINKERS ARE BEING TOTALLY TAKEN. EXAMPLE; DETROIT HAS ONE OF IF NOT THE BEST WATER SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THE CITY WORKERS WHINED ABOUT "MAYBE" THERE WATER IN THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. SO GUESS WHAT THE CITY DID WITH THE TAXPAYERS MONEY? THEY BOUGHT ABSOPURE BOTTLED WATER FOR ALL THE CITY GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS. GUESS WHERE ABSOPURE WATER COMES FROM?.......... YOU'LL LOVE THIS.... IT COMES FROM A WELL 40 MILES WEST OF DETROIT IN PLYMOUTH MICHIGAN. THEY RUN IT THROUGH A COUPLE OF EXTRA FILTERS MORE THAN A NORMAL SOFTENER HAS AND LIKE ALL BOTTLED WATER...... NOW DO THE MATH IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME..... SELL IT FOR 8 TO 16 DOLLARS A GALLON!!! PERIERRE (OR HOWEVER YOU SPELL IT) COMES FROM A WELL IN MECOSTA COUNTY, MICHIGAN. AQUAFINA (A COKE PRODUCT) COMES FROM WELLS IN GEORGIA. EVER ASK YOURSELF HOW MUCH ACID RAIN IS IN MOUNTAIN WATER. COLORADO IS A LEADING PRODUCER OF COAL WITH ALL THERE ELECTRICITY PRODUCED IN PLANTS ON THE WESTERN SLOPE OF THE ROCKIES. GUESS WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS?
IF YOU THINK THE WATER ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD IS ANY CLEANER, CONSIDER THIS.... THE UNITED STATES IS THE NEWEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. (SO TO SPEAK) EVERY OTHER NATION HAS AT LEAST 7 OR 8 HUNDRED YEARS ON US . DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THERE IS ANY CLEANER WATER ON THE PLANET THAN THE U.S. MAYBE THE POLES, BUT SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND POLLUTION THERE TOO!
SO I HOPE I'VE TAUGHT YOU ALL A VALUEABLE LESSON TODAY ABOUT CORPORATE AMERICA AND WHAT THEY THINK OF ALL OF YOU. AND GUESS WHO YOUR GOVERNMENT SLEEPS WITH? WANT TO CHANGE THINGS? VOTE OUT THE STATUS QUO! THE TWO PARTIES IN CHARGE ARE YOUR ENEMIES!!

Answer 8

Somebody has sold you a bill of goods, I'm afraid!

"Bottled water" comes from the same place all the water we drink does, out of a tap! If we can convince foreign nations to PAY US for it, I fail to see that as a "bad" thing!

There is no "water shortage", there is the same amount of water (more or less) than there has been for thousands of years....what there may be is a "distribution problem" caused by ignorant people insisting on living in areas not naturally capable of sustaining them. People who live in the middle of natural desert areas DESERVE to be thirsty!

Answer 9

It is really stupid to buy bottled water and contribute to this insanity! It was not mentioned that all those plastic bottles enter the ecological chain of events. I have tasted bottled water and I like the stuff that comes out of my kitchen sink better than bottled water. I think there is something hip about a slim young woman or athletic male clutching a bottle of water and the implication of course is that you will turn thin and good looking like them! It is pure advertising that sells bottled water, it is no better or no worse than what you get right at home!

Answer 10

All fresh water eventually finds it's way to the ocean. If it wasn't bottled it would just flow to the ocean ( wasted).
All water evaporates, whether from the oceans, lakes, rivers or our bodies after we drink bottled water and results in rain/snowfall which replenishes our "pristine maountain springs".
Don't let some tree huggers misinform you. Water is intended to be consumed by humans and other life. Next thing you know treehuggers will try to tell us that by breathing we are depleting the world of oxygen.