Legislative Action
Governments play a critical role in managing water resources within their jurisdictions. Their actions either affirm or deny peoples’ fundamental rights to water. They create the regulations that control how water is used, processed, delivered, bought, and sold.
Governments around the world are turning their backs on these responsibilities. The peoples’ right to manage and protect water is slowly eroding, and companies who profit off water are making more and more decisions. In North America, bottled water is defined as a ‘product’, freely traded and largely unregulated in comparison with publicly delivered water.
Water activists around the world are fighting for policies and laws that among other objectives put water back in the public’s hands, stop the exports of bulk water, and reign-in the bottled water industry.
Legislative Action
Articles
Canada: Charlottetown mayor orders halt to bottled water
Posted: June 4, 2007 The Guardian. By Kate Smith - Soon after the province announced a lifting of the can ban, the City of Charlottetown is enacting a ban of its...Read More
Canada: Councillors take stand on bottled water
Posted: June 4, 2007 Niagara This Week. By Mike Zettel - ST. CATHARINES -- Niagara is in the enviable position of having an ample supply of fresh water and there is no...Read More
Canada: Never mind the bottles
Posted: May 30, 2007 The Globe and Mail By Joshua Knelman From his 18th-floor office at Metro Hall, Patrick Newland, director of the City of Toronto's water supply,...Read More
Canada: Ottawa councillors want to pour bottled water out of City Hall
Posted: May 30, 2007 Ottawa Sun By Derek Puddicombe The charge is being led by Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes, who wants to ban plastic water bottles from municipal...Read More
Stay Connected
BC Municipal Bottled Water Campaign
On May 28th, a joint package of materials was distributed to every municipality in British Columbia. Click here to read the letter sent to municipalities. Click here to see Municipal examples. Click here to read the press release. - Read more
Take the Bottle Water Free Orientation Challenge!
Now is the time to promote a bottled water free orientation/event to your Student Union and PIRG for Fall 2009. Here are two ways you can help: 1) Send Elly the contact info of your campus orientation organizers; 2) Call or meet with your orientation leaders to discuss bottled water free events. If you think you can do either of these tasks, please email Elly Adeland, Water and Energy Campaigner at: Elly@polarisinstitute.org
We will get the ball rolling together!
- Read more
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Action on Bottled Water
March 7, 2009 - The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) adopted a policy to encourage their members to "phase out the sale and purchase of bottled water" on city/town property. Click here to access: FCM Resolution, Polaris Institute FCM Briefing Memo, Polaris Institute Press Release, FCM Press Release - Read more
Ontario Municipal Bottled Water Campaign
On February 20th, a joint package of materials was distributed to all 444 municipalities in Ontario. Click here to read the letter sent to Municipalities. Click here to read the Municipal Examples and click here to read the Municipal Options sent to municipalities. - Read more
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Confronts Bottled Water
Click here to read AMO's memo to all its members on bottled water. - Read more
Nova Scotia Campaign to Turn on the Tap and Ditch Bottled Water
On December 12th, a provincial campaign on bottled water was launched in Nova Scotia. Click here to read the press release. Click here for Municipal Examples and click here for Municipal Options on bottled water. - Read more
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
CFS Bottled Water Policy Canadian Federation of Students policy on Bottled Water passed at the May 2008 General Meeting. Click here
FOI Request Template: Accessing Your University's Beverage Exclusivity Contract Click here
Cliquer ici
Alternatives to Bottled Water on Campus Organizing bottled water-free events on campus, such as Orientation Week.
Bottled Water FAQ Take the plunge! Frequently asked questions about policies for phasing out bottled water and re-investing in tap water.
Click here
Cliquer ici
Bottled Water Facts Fact sheets on the environmental, health, social and economic impacts of
the bottled water industry.
L'empreinte ecologique de l'eau embouteillee
Sante
Repercussions sociales
Repercussions economiques
L'empreinte ecologique de l'eau embouteillee
Sante
Repercussions sociales
Repercussions economiques
Municipal Action: Bottled Water Options and Examples Take the Plunge: Materials for Municipal Action on Bottled Water!
For Municipal Options click here
.For Municipal Examples click here
Community Organizing Package This package outlines some useful ideas and tools for building a campaign challenging the bottled water industry in Canada. Click here
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