Bottled water is unnecessary, expensive and damaging to the environment - Discuss

[mockney piers]

Well that just show's you lack of imagination. When I'm parched on the hop I'll usually hook up can of compressed oxygen to a small jet engine and fire her up.

The speed with which the liquid oxygen is turned into a gas causes the can to get incredibly cold, condensing the moisture in the air around it to pure water, which I collect in a discarded plastic bottle (I try to shake it free of tramps piss if I can).

Usually does the trick.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Judging by the "behaviour" of the little un's running rampant in pubs when I go back I would suggest it's not just the colour's appearance which is a problem. But even tho' you are correct, Irish Fanta is still nothing to that powdered stuff

(did we put the recommended levels of water in to drink it? hell no - JUST enough to make it gloopy and drinkable - God, I'm getting palpatations thinking about it!)

[*Bob*]

There are certain plants which hold a few gulps of water in their stems too.

Only I don't know what they look like.

[Domitianus]

Over the years I have seen quite a number of documentaries and read quite a bit of info about this bottled water debate. EVERY one without exception has shown that blind taste testing brings tap-water out on top. Also, a number of the top brand mineral waters were shown to have mineral and toxin concentrations well above recommended levels. I remember seeing the scientific adviser for one of the major mineral water companies utterly squirming in his seat when the facts were fairly and simply put to him - he didn't have a leg to stand on and ended up saying nothing!

Marvellous piece of product placement by some advertising company. On the commercial breaks for that documentary which had utterly decimated the entire bottled water industry, some muppet in some advertising agency had arranged for the broadcaster to run adverts for Volvic!!!! I am sure someone's head rolled!

My personal view is that anyone who buys bottled water thinking it is better than tap water (rather than out of necessity) is being taken for a ride.

[Domitianus]

BJL Wrote:

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> I buy bottled water because I like the taste.

> It's my personal choice and I drink it in

> preference to any other drink.

>

> Why is it worse than buying cola or other soft

> drinks, wine or beer?

You can't get cola, wine, soft drinks or beer out of the tap in your kitchen for next to nothing! Water doesn't get you pissed!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Mockney, I find setting up a plastic sheet and waiting for the condesation far more rewarding.

I actually had my drinking water randomly tested by Thames Water a few months ago and asked the chap if he buys bottled water - he was completely scathing about it and resoundingly came down for tap water.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Dom - I think you have expressed the anti argument perfectly. But, again, if people want to buy it I'm not going to be bothered... until the hat gets passed around

[karter]

>

> Domitianus Wrote:

> If bottled water does not contain chemicals to

> destroy infestation then how come it is safe to

> drink?

Its filtered through the rocks over thousands of years just like a water filter jug filters *TAP* water Domi plus it doesnt get the privilege to go through your toilet matey.B)

[SeanMacGabhann]

true karter, but according to the label it is "best before" April 2008, thousands of years in nature's wilderness or not

[BJL]

Domitianus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> BJL Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I buy bottled water because I like the taste.

> > It's my personal choice and I drink it in

> > preference to any other drink.

> >

> > Why is it worse than buying cola or other soft

> > drinks, wine or beer?

>

> You can't get cola, wine, soft drinks or beer out

> of the tap in your kitchen for next to nothing!

And you can't get a water like Badoit out of the tap.

Domitianus Wrote:

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> Water doesn't get you pissed!

So for those of us who don't really enjoy alcohol - or find it expensive - it's perfect!

[Cassius]

BJL - do you dispose of your plastic bottles in an environmentally friendly manner?

On another tangent - if you asked for tap water in a restaurant and they refused - how would you react?

[karter]

Those bloody labelling laws again Sean.

[Alan Dale]

removed

[atila the gooner]

I certainly don't profess to be an expert in this particular field, but the argument put forward by those against bottled water, is the carbon footprint made on the planet in transporting, bottling, and distributing the stuff, which sounds very credible to me anyway. Of course others may produce evidence to the contrary which is equally compelling but I've yet to hear it.

[Cassius]

Bottled water 50cl bottle in The Brixton Academy - ?2.40!

[karter]

bottled water 1.5 ltr in the turkish deli-49p, bargain

[*Bob*]

Who's playing at the Turkish Deli this weekend?

[karter]

which turkish deli are you talking about *bob*?

[BJL]

Cassius Wrote:

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> BJL - do you dispose of your plastic bottles in an

> environmentally friendly manner?

I try and buy water in glass bottles. If the bottles are plastic then I do what most other people probably do with their unwanted plastic containers - I try to re-use them and the others are collected for recycling by Southwark Council.

> On another tangent - if you asked for tap water in

> a restaurant and they refused - how would you

> react?

I'd be annoyed. (I usually don't bother asking for bottled mineral water in restaurants.)

[*Bob*]

karter Wrote:

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> which turkish deli are you talking about *bob*?

The one you mentioned that sells bottled water at 49p for one and a half litres. You're right - it does sound a lot better value than the water they sell at the Carling Academy. But I just wondered if the acts they have there are just as good?

[BJL]

atila the gooner Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I certainly don't profess to be an expert in this

> particular field, but the argument put forward by

> those against bottled water, is the carbon

> footprint made on the planet in transporting,

> bottling, and distributing the stuff, which sounds

> very credible to me anyway. Of course others may

> produce evidence to the contrary which is equally

> compelling but I've yet to hear it.

Perhaps someone could explain why transporting natural spring water from France is somehow worse than transporting wine from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile or the USA?

[spadetownboy]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> If there's one product which certainly is named

> beyond lampooning (to coin Sean's phrase), it's

> got to be Um Bongo, which I'm fairly certain they

> don't drink 'in the Congo'.

i,ll have you know they do drink it in the congo, if you listen to the advertising jingle, it says so.

[*Bob*]

BJL Wrote:

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> Perhaps someone could explain why transporting

> natural spring water from France is somehow worse

> than transporting wine from Australia, New

> Zealand, South Africa, Chile or the USA?

Have you tasted English wine?

[mockney piers]

I have noticed wine coming out of the taps in more pubs these days.

[lozzyloz]

Perhaps the most environmentally sound solution would be Coke On Tap At Home