The documentary Tapped uncovers the truths about the bottled water industry giants and the negative effect of water mining and the bottles themselves is causing to people and the environment. Currently the world is made up of 75% of water but only one percent of it is drinkable. This film tries to shed light on the fact that many well-known companies like Nestlé and Pepsi are just stealing tap water and turning around to make a profit. Even the item that is being used to hold water is also having negative affects too. The chemicals like PET and BPA are in the bottles that water comes in and both of these chemicals are known to cause serious health risk to humans. Even with all the truth and evidence that is in this film the FDA still doesn’t want to accept it. According to some scientists in this film they predict that by 2030 we will see a significantly lack of the water supply globally. Water is a basic need and without it survival is at the minimum. Currently this basic need has been capitalized on and big companies are making a substernal amount of money while the rest of the population and the ecosystem are have to pay for the long term negative effects. One of …show more content…
the most recent devastations is to the ocean and the water-ways which are being suffocated by billions of plastic water bottles. There is more plastic in the Pacific Ocean then there is food for the marine life. These big companies are taking no responsibility in the effect that they are having on the small towns in which they get the water from. Everything about bottled water is harmful even how they make the bottles is harmful to humans and the environment. Bottled water companies are harming the small towns in America by taking their fresh spring fed tap water and bottling it to make a profit. Towns that are in a water droughts and have to conserve water are greatly negatively impacted by these companies, because they never stop taking water. Wetlands and habitat for aquatic species are disappearing while these companies continue to suck water sources dry. This affects the entire world not just the towns that are affected by water mining, because the world’s water supply is not endless. At some point there will be no more, clean, drinkable, water, and what then. This wasn’t always been an issue. Toward the end of the 70’s America was introduced to the niche bottled water called Pieria and this is what started the demand of bottled water in the current market. The lack of control and regulations made it hard for small towns to defend themselves from big companies like Pepsi, Coke and Nestle. This was also what helped the success of these companies. It wasn’t until 1989 that the indentation of plastic bottles made it more convenient to carry personalized water with you at all time. The media was brain washed everyone in thinking that they need to drink more bottled water and that it is health than tap water. That is the very reason that the ocean and the health of all mankind is deteriorating. A change in our culture and the way of think is the only thing that will stop this from continually hurting everything.
First of all Americans need to stop buying bottled water and just get it from your tap. It is going to be cleaner and healthier than the water these large companies are selling. When it comes to our health and the environment it should be separate from the government and not regulated by the same organizations who are benefiting from the profits of selling tapped water. Bottled water is not the only thing that needs to be closely watched, the containers the water comes in has just as much negative effects on the environment. If the government put a ban on plastic bottles contains chemical that are known to cause cancer could seriously improve the health of all species on the
earth. After watching this film I have learned the ultimate price that we are paying to have water conveniently at our hands. Our oceans will not last if we continually keep drinking bottled water. I have stopped drinking bottled water and just stick to my tap water. At least my water company provides quarterly reports about the quality of my water, unlike Pepsi and Nestle. This documentary has opened by eyes about this issue and how beverage companies need to take more responsibility in their products, but consumers are the ones that really need to take responsibility in their actions for the environment sake.
Zhang, J. (2009, July 13). More Scrutiny Urged for Bottled Water . Retrieved April 19, 2014, from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970203577304574276473594279310?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052970203577304574276473594279310.html
Together, the passages “Business in a Bottle”, by Cynthia Barnett and “Selling Bottled Water: The Modern Medicine Show”, by Peter Gleick, portray how bottled water has taken a superficial and deceptive image due to false advertising and pseudoscientific claims by greedy bottling companies, whose purpose is to take advantage of a free resource in order to make millions in profit; destroying the environment as they go. Both passages expose the bottling companies’ manipulative tricks, in order to bring awareness and open the populations’ eyes to the lies they have been fed for many years, however the authors utilize distinct styles to achieve their goal. Barnett focuses on specific bottling companies’ data and incorporates analysts for support,
Both Barnett’s claim that bottled water is not better than tap water (139-141) and Gleick’s claim that specialized water is not better than tap water (118-120) demonstrate that companies’ claims are unreasonable. Furthermore, consumers assume bottled water is better than tap water because they have the impression that tap water is dangerous because of the tap water incident in “2003 [where] 400,000 people [got] sick” from drinking tap water. One may wonder whether companies use this incident to remind consumers how dangerous tap water is with the way Gleick presents bottled water companies even after the tap water is taken care of. Because Gleick portrays the deception of advertisement from bottled water businesses, he makes it clear that Barnett hints that they are taking advantage of the case by informing consumers that their water is safer than tap water in an indirect, subtle way. However, Barnett ensures readers that tap water are safe to drink again after the incident by proving that both bottled water and tap water are equally safe to drink with a study she provides: The testing from Florida Trend (magazine brand) concludes that Publix brand bottled water and tap water both contains “0.020milligrams per liter [of] THMs (trihalomethanes)”, a “common byproduct…linked to increased risk of cancer” (139-140). Although other bottled water brands may not have
...t be as prevalent in the United States as in other developing counties such as Bolivia, Lesotho, China and India. The film expert explains “water is a transient element, recycles itself around the globe through natural redistribution system of precipitation, accumulation and evaporation”. Even if we are half way around the world pollution and water affects us. The film relates to human growth and development in a sense that water is essential to us so therefore we cannot live without it. It provides us with energy and most important function is to help remove toxins from the body. The film was very informative it helps to gain a new perspective as to what is happening in other counties with their day to day challenges. A very sad story was being told about what these people are going through in Iran Salinas’ words “Many have live without love but not without water”
In the documentary, Blue Gold: World Water Wars, it follows several people and countries world-wide in their fight for fresh water. The film exposes giant corporations as they bully poorer developing countries to privatize their own supply of fresh water. As a result of the privatization, corporations make a hefty profit while the developing countries remain poor. Blue Gold: World Water Wars also highlights the fact that Wall Street investors are going after the desalination process and mass water export schemes. This documentary also shows how people in more developed nations are treating the water with much disregard, and not taking care of our finite supply. We are polluting, damming, and simply wasting our restricted supply of fresh water at an alarming speed. The movie also recognizes that our quick overdevelopment of housing and agriculture puts a large strain on our water supply and it results in desertification throughout the entire earth. The film shows how people in more industrialized nations typically take water for granted, while others in less industrialized nations have to fight for every drop.
Many argue the fact that commercialized labeled brands of bottled water have offered choices to people that tap water does not. Although most people often rely on these particular brands of bottled water, most are unaware that some companies are simply using unfiltered-tap water at a much higher charge. Bottled water is averagely sold either individually or in packs of 24 or more at your local grocery store ranging from three to five dollars. This is a high cost not just to one’s pocket but to our waste and
"Bottled Water is Cause for Concern, Environmental Advocates Claim" by Penny Stern, MD, for Reuters, reprinted at http://www.gue.com/news/1999-04A.html
In today’s society it is uncommon to see people walking around without water. Those who carry water with them either have their water in a reusable bottle or have bought bottled water. Bottled water is the more commonly found type of water carried around, reason being that it is easy to just buy a huge pack so that a person can just grab a bottle a go. The problem with bottled water is that more often than not, the bottle does not get recycled, but instead gets thrown into the garbage. The problem with this is that the bottles end up in a landfill. However, in this past year alone American’s used “about 50 billion plastic water bottles” (Ban The Bottle, n.d., Para. 4). Most people do not see the big difference between bottled water and tap
Nestlé was accused of wasting 30% of water they pump; it’s shocking to know that for one liter of water to reach the shelf takes 80 plus liters of oil and 3 liter of water which is incredibly inefficient. In fact Nestlé intended to increase the amount of production of bottled water calling it the next hot commodity, which is not a good feeling when it comes to sustainability. As a corporation, they have the mentality that if they don’t bottle this water, some other company will. I would like to point out that Starbucks stopped bottling water in California during the time of drought. The issue is many other industries would be using the water for their operations but they actually need it and not creating a problem instead of solving one. Most of the water bottling companies make claims that they are only meeting consumer demand, but rationally thinking who would demand a less sustainable, less tasty and way more expensive than tap water. In 1970s the bottling water industry started, at that time people took it as a joke, but the marketing strategies were designed to scare people about the tap water and pictures of pristine springs and mountains were shown on the labels. Nestlé in one of its ads claimed- bottled water to
Researchers have stated that plastic bottles containing water can contain many deadly chemicals. After close examination of the plastic, researchers concluded that some plastics contain chemicals, like phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), endocrine disrupters, and cancer, may percolate into the water, especially after being stagnant for long periods of time. Likewise, bottled water is not exposed to the rigorous testing tap water endures. Thus, bottled water is more inclined to be contaminated or a source of infection. Tap water is subjected to daily safety testing, bottled water, however, is only tested monthly at the source; twenty-two percent of the water tested contained contaminant levels that exceeded strict health limits. Safety of the people could be secured through banning water bottles.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which oversees the bottled-water industry, Americans drink more than eight billiongallons of bottled water each year. Most of that water is packaged in plastic bottles.The EPA estimates that plastics such as those used to make water bottles make up nearly 13 percent of our trash. An industry watchdog group reports that it takes nearly eighteen million barrels of oil to make the amount of plastic needed to meet Americans'thirst for bottled water. That's about the same amount of oil that a million vehicles use in one year. Oil is a nonrenewable resource—once it's gone, it's gone. Worse yet, the vehicles used to move bottled water from place to place release harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Perhaps more alarming is that people recycle fewer than 20 percent of their empty bottles. Most emptybottles are tossed in the trash. From there, they end up in a landfill, where they cause further environmental damage.
While watching “The Story of Bottled Water,” I thought to myself, “Is this all true, or is this really being blown out of proportion?” I simply couldn’t grasp the idea that we as consumers are that wasteful. So, I decided to watch the film again to really grasp the narrator’s message. Then it hit me: in high school AP History, we discussed how bottled water started and how it has become a multi billion-dollar company. From a business point of view, it seems so ignorantly deceptive, yet it was absolutely genius. With a little marketing, bottled water became a huge success. However, it is killing the environment and the water is usually comparable to tap water regardless. The “The Story of Bottled Water” is a very well-made short
Given all the negative effects that come from plastic, why are people still participating in this poisonous cycle? Some claim that bottled water simply tastes better than water from the tap whether they prefer spring, purified, distilled, or mineral water. Most people just appreciate the convenience bottled water offers; it’s easier to carry little bottles that one can throw away instead of larger reusable bottles that need to be brought home at the end of the day. Also, bottled water comes in big “value packs” in most stores, which is beneficial for large group events and big families.
Water is one of the most essential non-renewable natural resources on the Earth. Technically, an un-hydrated human being can live no more than three days. In the United States, people consume water mainly from tap water and bottle water. However, the consumption between these two sources is not even but lean to one side heavily. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, people consume from 240 to over 10000 times more per gallon for bottled water than they usually do for tap water. (NRDC) In addition, according to a survey from US National Library of Medicines, only 17% of the participants prefer to drink tap water exclusively.(US National Library) Compared to the bottled water which is shining like a superstar, tap water is like a diligent worker in the shade, unpopular but useful. The extremely unbalance of bottled water consumption implies that a commonly hold conception exists: bottle water is superior to tap water. In fact, scientific evidence proves that tap water is nothing different than bottle water. More importantly, the excessive consumption of bottled water is an irrational use of resources and creates severe environmental issues.
Freshwater in the world makes up only a small portion of water on the planet. While the percentage of water in the world is nearly 70%, only 2.5% is consumable. Even further, only <1% is easily accessible to basic human needs. According to National Geographic, “by 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas plagued by water scarcity, with two-thirds of the world's population living in water-stressed regions as a result of use, growth, and climate change.” With this current trend, water will become more immersed in environmental, economic, political, and social changes. Many of these in later years shall need to be addressed as tension rises: