08-01-2007, 10:05 AM
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#51 (permalink)
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Kick Ass Kunoichi
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Our student newspaper published an editorial today dealing with this topic:
Quote:
OSU made the switch from a Coca-Cola to Pepsi campus nearly a year ago. And with that change came a new bottled water - Aquafina.
According the Associated Press, Pepsi is currently the number two beverage company - but on Friday the company made a surprising announcement.
The label of Aquafina bottles will now include the phrase "The Aquafina in this bottle is purified water that originates from a public water source." In otherwords, tap water that has gone through a big Brita filter.
The plus side: tap water has fluoride in it - which helps with tooth decay. According to the Web site kidshealth.com, 66 percent of the United States gets flouride from their tap - unless it is well water. There is only 0.7 to 0.12 parts fluoride per million parts water. So maybe Pepsi is just trying to help the quality of teeth in the United States - Go Pepsi.
The Corporation Accountability International, a watchdog group, found that the product was "made with tap water."
So ... why are we paying for tap water? Is it the aesthetic bottle? Even then, a plastic bottle does not cost a dollar to manufacture, plus the extra five cents for bottle tax.
Walking from one class to another, you can tell that most students have two things with them: their cell phone and a bottle of water.
It is great that the public is drinking water, you are supposed to drink half your body weight in ounces per day according to ghcwealth.com.
Therefore a 120 pounds person should be drinking 60 ounces of water, or three bottles a day. That would be $21 a week, $84 a month, $1,008 a year (that is if you buy a bottle each day), which is really disappointing because it's just water you can get straight from your own sink. And even more disappointing is the $15 billion worth of bottled water sold each year, according to the AP.
So you might be thinking it would be smart to reuse your bottle - wrong. Ghcwealth.com says that it is a common misconception. People believe they are doing a good deed by not using more bottles.
However, bacteria builds up in the bottles, which leads to several common illnesses in young children. Plastic bottles also break down in time, leaking toxins into your water, and your body, which studies have found lead to types of cancer.
Lesson to be learned? Buy a Nalgene, fill it with tap water, and replace it every six months. It will save you quite a bit of money. Even if you are a loyal Aquafina drinker, you're getting the same water. Nalgene's are safer anyway, they are the safest plastic (number seven as shown on the bottom of the bottle), and releases the least toxins. However, not drinking Aquafina does not mean that you no longer like Pepsi, it's just saying you want safer, cheaper water.
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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