Community & Labour Action
Of all the natural resources on Earth, drinking water is arguably the most precious. It is essential to life. As recently as 10 years ago, most people living in the United States and Canada took their drinking water directly from the tap or the water cooler in their workplace. Today, close to one-fifth of the population relies exclusively on bottled water for their daily hydration. Over the past decade, sales in bottled water have exploded in North America. It is now the fastest-growing segment of the entire beverage industry.
Between 1993 and 2004, the consumption of bottled water more than doubled in the U.S. alone—from 10.5 gallons (40 litres) per capita to 23.8 gallons (90 litres). (Source: Beverage Marketing Corp). The following chart shows the rate of market growth in single-serve bottles of water during this period.
Articles
Talking Back to Coke!
Posted: July 18, 2008 Dear water activists, In a recent interview with the BBC, Coca-Cola Chairman Neville Isdell defended the role the corporation is playing in the...Read More
Inside the Bottle community forums on bottled water 2007-2008
Posted: June 16, 2008 The Polaris Institute held community forums on bottled water in collaboration with local groups and organizations In Ottawa, Toronto, Sudbury, Peel...Read More
Cities ponder restrictions in wake of London [Ontario] bottle ban
Posted: August 19, 2008 Carly Weeks, August 19, 2008, The Globe and Mail - The water fountain is about to make a comeback. Plastic water bottles are the focus of a growing...Read More
Committee supports ban after harsh debate (London, Ontario)
Posted: August 14, 2008Jenni Dunning, London Free Press, August 12, 2008 - London is one step closer to banning the sale of bottled water on city-owned property. The...
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City braces for bottle battle: London (Ontario) weighs whether to ban bottled water sales on city property
Posted: August 11, 2008JONATHAN SHER, London Free Press, August 11, 2008 - Londoners and big beverage companies will sound off today as city hall considers whether to...
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Nestlé cancels contract with Northern California community of McCloud
Posted: August 7, 2008Protect our Water Coalition press release, McCloud, CA – The Protect Our Waters Coalition (composed of the McCloud Watershed Council,...
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US: Local environmental groups urge more people to skip bottled water and drink from the tap
Posted: July 29, 2008 The Birmingham News. By Katherine Bouma -If you are reading this newspaper, you almost certainly have good drinking water. Public records...
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Canada: Vancouver mulls proposed bottled water ban
Posted: July 23, 2008 CTV British Columbia.The days of being able to purchase bottled water at city-run facilities in Vancouver could be numbered. City...
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Canada: Councillor seeks bottled-water ban
Posted: July 22, 2008 The Province. By Frank Luba -Putting water in plastic bottles wastes fossil fuels and generates 100 times the toxic emissions of glass...
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Canada: Vancouver councillor wants bottled-water ban
Posted: July 21, 2008 The Province.VANCOUVER -- A Vancouver city councillor wants to put a stop to bottled water being available in city facilities. Coun. Tim...
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US: Pittsburgh conservatory eliminates bottled water
Posted: July 15, 2008 The Philadelphia Inquirer.PITTSBURGH - Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens says it wants to reduce pollution from plastic bottles and...
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Canada: New campaign urges people to 'hit the taps'
Posted: July 14, 2008 CTV British Columbia ctvbc.ca -At the Burnaby Costco store, one of the biggest sellers is bottled water. "People trust bottles rather than...
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US: Nestlé water plant? Not in our town, Enumclaw says
Posted: July 11, 2008 The Seattle Times. By Cara Solomon -Faced with the prospect of a new water-bottling plant and the tapping of a mountain spring, the citizens...
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Canada: Do we need to bottle drinking water?
Posted: July 4, 2008 North Shore News. By Kian Khoshnevis -Bottled water may vanish from West Vancouver schools in the near future if administrators choose to...
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Canada: Bottled water may come at a hefty price
Posted: July 2, 2008 Winnipeg Sun. By Vivian Song -Residents worry about wells running dry as companies pump millions of litres
GUELPH, Ont. — Don...
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US: Bottled water debate hits a boiling point
Posted: July 2, 2008 Associated Press.WASHINGTON (AFP) — A debate over water is boiling over in the United States and elsewhere amid growing environmental...
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US: Des Moines mayor: tap water as good as bottled
Posted: July 2, 2008 Associated Press.DES MOINES, Iowa - The city's mayor wants to drain the city's bottled water supply. Mayor Frank Cownie says he will...
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Canada: Bottled water verboten at St. John's city hall
Posted: June 25, 2008 CBC News.A motion to ban bottled water at St. John's city hall flowed easily through a council meeting Tuesday evening. Councillors...
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Canada: SD42 considers banning plastic bottles of water
Posted: June 25, 2008 The Times; with files from Canwest News.The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows school district is considering banning the sale of water in plastic...
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Canada: Beaconsfield looks to cap water bottles
Posted: June 20, 2008 The Gazette. By Karen Seidman -Wants residents to take pledge.. Citizens asked to stop buying single-use plastic bottles
Having...
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US: Botanic Garden does away with bottled water
Posted: June 20, 2008 Wilmette Life. By Eric Johnson -The Botanic Garden is now tacking on another initiative to its green efforts, stopping the sale of bottled...
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US: Anti-bottled water campaign enlists mayors to cause
Posted: June 20, 2008 The Miami Herald. By Taylor Barnes -A campaign to wean consumers from bottled water enlists South Florida restaurants and city governments...
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US: Deposits on bottled water?
Posted: June 18, 2008 Detroit Free Press. By Tina Lam -Group pushes to spread law to other nonrefundable containers littering state
The Michigan United...
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US: Tap in to big savings by switching from bottled water
Posted: June 18, 2008 New York Daily News. by Joshua Cinelli -Gasoline isn't the only liquid draining New Yorkers' budgets - water can cost plenty for those who...
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US: City Council Shuns Bottles in Favor of Water From Tap
Posted: June 17, 2008 The New York Times. Jennifer 8. Lee -The City Council has become the latest government agency to take a stand against bottled water. Last...
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Stay Connected
JOIN THE BOTTLED WATER FREE ZONES CAMPAIGN
Create a bottled water free zone in your classroom, student union, workplace, union local, community centre, City Hall buildings, environmental social justice or faith based group, and more! click here to find out how you can participate in the campaign - Read more
LAUNCH OF THE CAMPUS BOTTLED WATER FREE ZONES CAMPAIGN FOR WORLD WATER DAY
Click here to download the campaign leaflet and poster - Read more
November 21st campus day of action update and results
Read student organizer's comments and see pictures, click here - Read more
Ottawa Water Study Action Group - next meeting May 27
OWSAG is working on a campaign to encourage Ottawa City Council to stop supporting the bottled water industry and rather, encourage the consumption of tap water. Sign a support letter at here.
Next OWSAG meeting is Tuesday May 27, 12:00, 180 Metcalfe St. Suite 500, Ottawa.
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Campaign tools available for order Click hereto find out how to order campaign stickers and pamplets.
Community Organizing Package This package outlines some useful ideas and tools for building a campaign challenging the bottled water industry in Canada. Click here
Letter to Canadian Mayors Click here to download a copy of the letter Polaris Institute sent to 28 Canadian Mayors encouraging them to reconsider municipal expenditures on bottled water
San Francisco Executive Directive Use this example in a campaign to encourage your local government to ban bottled water. Click here for a copy
Student awareness to action kit PART 1
A tool kit to challenge the bottled water industry and beverage exclusivtity contracts at school and on campus
Find part 1 of the kit here
A tool kit to challenge the bottled water industry and beverage exclusivtity contracts at school and on campus
Find part 1 of the kit here
Utility Calculator for Vending Machines Calculate the energy consumption of your institution's vending machines
Find calculators here
Find calculators here