NSW State Govt Bans Bottled Water

THE sleepy Southern Highlands hamlet of Bundanoon has voted to ban bottled water, just hours after the New South Wales Government announced its own H2O boycott.

At a community meeting tonight, Bundanoon locals overwhelmingly supported the Australia-first ban on commercially bottled water, already agreed to by businesses in the town.

Local businessman and Bundy on Tap organiser Huw Kingston said almost 400 people turned up to the Bundanoon Memorial Hall, with only two casting dissenting votes.

The voluntary ban has been triggered by concerns about the carbon footprint associated with bottling and transporting the water.

Free water fountains will be installed in the NSW village, southwest of Sydney, to replace the bottled H2O.

www.news.com.au...

[edit on 8/7/09 by dallas18]

The scariest and most unusual part of that recent article is why the hell would townspeople gather to vote on bottled water???????

Think of all the possible pressing issues that are affecting their lives and yet they gather to vote on bottled water? Don't they care that their politicians are corrupt? That their troops are overseas participating in war-for-profit? Arrggghhh!!! Of all things to vote and protest against - bottled F water???

"It was the biggest ever turnout in the community here at Bundanoon - it's overwhelming support,'' Mr Kingston said.

What is wrong with these people? Why is this bottled water issue so prominent?

Wow... I can't believe that a BS smokescreen like this bottled water issue is getting the attention that it is. As I type this, the late TV news is on behind me and there's a short segment on it.

reply to post by helen670


Personally I think the biodegradeable "plastic" bags made from cornflour are the best option.

The material bags will take even longer to breakdown than plastic bags as they too are a byproduct of the petroleum industry. Granted they do get re-used many times, but that means people are bringing potentially filthy bags into shops where food is sold. Think about it... not so nice is it.

Most people currently re-use plastic bags from shops to put their rubbish into before putting into their wheelie bins. When these are no longer provided by shops they will either buy plastic garbage bags or just throw rubbish into the bins directly which is how it used to be if you are old enough to remember these practices. The stink from the garbages was gross.

The reason the people of the town voted against bottled water is because a bottled water company wants to come and drain water from Bundanoon's water-table and the locals don't want a bar of it and nether would anyone in their own backyard. This is the sort of activity that brings salt degradation and the government shouldn't allow it anyway. So much for calling bottled water "spring" water...

As for the State government response it may just be a matter of setting an example to people that tap water is fit to drink. People should think about purifying their water at home and then taking that with them rather than wasting money on bottled water of questionable quality.

It's not just happening there. This is a fairly old story from here in the states. In this case, it seems to be the greenies.

Washington University in St. Louis’ ban of bottled water, beginning this semester, has spurred discussion about bottled water on Cornell’s campus — should Cornell jump on the ban-wagon?

“Cornell banning bottled water would be a great step in the direction of sustainability. Given the right incentives and proper distribution of information, I think that the student body could really support the decision [for a universal ban],” Sarah Sy ‘11 said.

The article talks about Cornell wanting to follow suit behind Washington University.

Link

Originally posted by Turd Fergusson
reply to post by helen670

 

Hi Helen,

I've read in the past (no source at hand, though) that most companies use untreated tap water. Aquafina is made from tap water, albeit (barely) "treated."

www.cbc.ca...

(I'm particularly cynical about marketing/labeling and wouldn't trust companies any more than I do politicians, so I may be biased

)

Aquafina uses reverse osmosis (which removes fluoride). Sams choice (Wal-mart brand) uses reverse osmosis as well and is similar to Aquafina.

Or maybe its because they want more people getting hooked on the flouride!

The bottled water probably already has fluoride in it. Most of the American bottled water isn't spring water at all, just expensive tap water. I would not be suprised if Australian water is the same.

Originally posted by Nineteen
The reason the people of the town voted against bottled water is because a bottled water company wants to come and drain water from Bundanoon's water-table and the locals don't want a bar of it and nether would anyone in their own backyard. This is the sort of activity that brings salt degradation and the government shouldn't allow it anyway. So much for calling bottled water "spring" water...

As for the State government response it may just be a matter of setting an example to people that tap water is fit to drink. People should think about purifying their water at home and then taking that with them rather than wasting money on bottled water of questionable quality.

Thanks for this additional information to help explain what is going on with the ban. I could understand part of the ban but not the water cooler ban, those bottles seem to get reused AFAIK.

It wasn't that long ago that there was almost no bottled water, it's a recent craze, so lots of people survived a time with no bottled water, I think they can again.

I also am not concerned about Flourine but all the other toxic junk that can end up in tap water so it's not a bad idea to filter it yourself.

Most bottled water is a rip-off scam where you're buying tap water anyway, barely filtered, as others have pointed out.

Nowhere else in the world is the Matrix so complete and absolute...
the Australian MSN is the single most controled media in the world, how do i know this? well first I live in Australia and second my brother the 'computer nerd' was the contractor that did the programing on the news filters for the big stations...

General people on the street think fluride is 'da bomb' so gewd for j00 teeth... they will look at you weird if you try and tell them fluoride = bad.. even my dentist pulled me aside and quitely told me to NOT give my kids fluoride..

The war on water has begun...

Sigh...I don't buy bottled water anyway and filter my own at home. I couldn't care less if they ban bottled water. Easy enough to filter all the crap out yourself.

They should be more worried about soft drinks! When I was a kid (in the 70s) NOTHING was sold in plastic bottles and everything was reused. We used to make money as kids collecting glass bottles. There is no incentive for kids to do anything like that today.

I agree that fluoride is bad. I have no idea why people can't see that. When friends of mine crap on about it being 'good for teeth' I just remind them that fluoride is a POISON in large doses. It occurs naturally in tea and seaweed...so consume that instead!!!

reply to post by Turd Fergusson


Hi Ferg/

Yes, I agree with the labels on the bottles....probably like everything else.
It is so sad that we have to walk around wondering as to what is fact or fiction, maybe they want us to be like this, paranoid and afraid of them.
I guess the whole world is polluted from GREED and nature is deformed from Genetic mutated food crops...Is there any more that they can do to alter what was created all good?
I guess that leaves mankind to become some type of robotic with a CHIP...that way man becomes a slave to some type of BEAST.
(sorry, I seem to have gone passed the watered bottles!)


ICXC NIKA
helen

reply to post by Nineteen


Hi Nineteen/

Agreed!
What is wrong with using organic materials for storage?
There are many types available other then plastic.
There are cardboard like containers strong enough, so why all the fuss over plastic being bad?
If plastic is the problem, then why not BAN the plastic?

I was reading the paper yesterday...it seems banning more water bottles has reached schools in Melbourne.
Children are told to drink from the supplied water fountains,and they are allowed to bring their OWN PLASTIC bottles from home!
Kind of wierd that plastic is the main issue here and supposedly concern for our health and the environment!
Maybe they should look at the BIG owned companies and STOP the use of PLASTICS,period!
I mean what have the big companies to lose, but money!

ICXC NIKA
helen

Sound like a major soft-drink company has gotten to these politicians.

Drinks all the canned and bottled coca-cola you want - but don't you dare touch that bottled water....

The packaging and transportation of the bottles also adds into the equation. If it's not substantially different from tap (such as being filtered through reverse osmosis or is true spring water) then it's probably a sound idea and sets a good example.

Originally posted by elfie
then it's probably a sound idea and sets a good example.

You are rationalizing this to yourself.

That is apparent, but you are not alone. Many rationalize such things. (It is how we got to the point where bottled-water can be banned)





“No man escapes when freedom fails, The best men rot in filthy jails. And those who cried ‘Appease, Appease!’ Are hung by those they tried to please."


And here you cry Appease Appease...



[edit on 27-8-2009 by Exuberant1]

I just recently read an article discussing the evils of Fiji Water which was an influence, as well. If you think that a municipal ban would eventually lead to an overall ban in the future, you may well be correct. It's very handy for traveling and necessary for areas where the tap water is deemed not to be potable. I hope it wouldn't lead to an all out ban.

Originally posted by elfie
I hope it wouldn't lead to an all out ban.

Don't worry, you will still be able to use glass bottles for your water.


*Who here remembers what things were like before plastic bottles became commonplace?

Looks like were are going back to the days of smashed glass everywhere. Flat tires were more frequent in those days.

At least plastic bottles stay intact when they are discarded.


[edit on 27-8-2009 by Exuberant1]

Originally posted by swinggal
Sigh...I don't buy bottled water anyway and filter my own at home. I couldn't care less if they ban bottled water. Easy enough to filter all the crap out yourself.

Unless you have a reverse osmosis filter your still drinking fluoride.

At the moment i only drink bottled water, i buy a brand called Nobles Pureau because its the only one i could find in Coles that says it has absolutely nothing in it, such as Sodium, Chlorides, calcium etc, here is their site to see what it looks like if anyone else is interested www.noblebeverages.com...
Soon ill be getting a water tank, so ill be drinking rain water, i think its safer and you know what your getting. Also soon isn't the desalinization plant coming online ? i wonder how that will effect the water quality, im sure there is going to be a price increase like in Melbourne 64% by 2012!! so the quicker i get off town water the better.


[edit on 27/8/2009 by wycky]

They also have info on their site about pestisides and fluoride in the water.

There is a strong lobby in Australia to fluoridate water, despite the fact that 98% of western European countries have discontinued it, including Germany, Belgium, France and most of England. Furthermore, the practise of fluoridation has been firmly denounced by many prominent scientists, including Dr J. William Hirzy, a senior member of the US Environmental Protection Agency, and Nobel prize-winner Dr Arvid Carlsson.

[edit on 27/8/2009 by wycky]

reply to post by Exuberant1


Hi Exuberant/

But you are mistaken!
Glass bottles will also become obsolete because of all the 'gang' related incidents that seem to have risen in all clubs and the streets!
So,


EDIT...Forgot to add...and in many places this has already taken effect!
It's not the Glass that is the worry,it's the Alcohol, but I don't see them banning stupid young people who get drunk and act stupidly and use the glass bottles as weapons!
Where they should be doing the 'right and proper' thing, they dont!
It must be what suits THEM!


ICXC NIKA
helen

[edit on 8/27/2009 by helen670]

reply to post by Exuberant1


hi Exu/

You could be right!
But, alot of these companies also own bottled water!
Maybe if all drank enough of their soda's, then all that was needed to do, was drink 'Fluoride water'(Fluoride good for teeth)
It's not about the plastics but about something more they are not prepared to tell...maybe they too, are ignorant of what really is going on, or maybe, money talks and so, crime walks!
Who knows!

ICXC NIKA
helen