Responces+to+the+Issues

=Responses to the Issues= toc

__//**''Bottled water is not guaranteed to be any healthier than tap water. In fact, roughly 40 percent of bottled water begins as tap water; often the only difference is added minerals that have no marked health benefit,'' EPI said.**//__

In Washington, collectively, people spent $100 billion every year on bottled water. So much bottled water is bought because consumers mistake that bottled water is better for us than tap water. Everyone in the world could have safe drinking water for only a fraction of that.By the year 2015, members of the United Nations agreed to slice that number in half for people who lack reliable and lasting acess to safe drinking water. United Nations would have you double the spending they already spend each year on water supply and sanitation.

__//**While this amount may seem large, it pales in comparison to the estimated $100 billion spent each year on bottled water, said EPI researcher Emily Arnold.**//__

__//**There is no question that clean, affordable drinking water is essential to the health of our global community, Arnold said. ''But bottled water is not the answer in the developed world, nor does it solve problems for the 1.1 billion people who lack a secure water supply. Improving and expanding existing water treatment and sanitation systems is more likely to provide safe and sustainable sources of water over the long term.' '**//__

Bottled water consumption world wide has sky rocketed to 154 billion liters in 2004 (41 billion gallons). That about has increased by 57 percent (98 billion liters) in 1999. The consequences for the plant and consumers' wallets is horrifying. With water costing consumers $2.50 per liter, bottled water costs more than gas in the USA. Tap water is something that can be accessed very easily and very efficiently. 

**//__Even in areas where tap water is safe to drink, demand for bottled water is increasing--producing unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy, said Arnold. Although in the industrial world bottled water is often no healthier than tap water, it can cost up to 10,000 times more. -- A close look at the multibillion-dollar bottled ater industry renewed Arnold's affection for the faucet__//**

Fossil fuels are used to package bottled water. Most bottles are made with polyethylene terephthalate. Polyethylene terephthalate is a plastic derived from oil. In 2004, the USA exported about 40% of it's bottles to places like China. This means that even more fossil fuels are being burned. To make matters worse, communities near where the water comes from are at risk of running dry. More than 50 villages in India have had water shortages after bottlers began taking water for sale. Similar problems have been reported in Texas and in the Great Lakes region of North America. These places have farmers, fishers, and other who depend on water for their livelihoods are suffering from water extraction.

__//**''Bottled water is not guaranteed to be any healthier than tap water. In fact, roughly 40 percent of bottled water begins as tap water; often the only difference is added minerals that have no marked health benefit,'' EPI said.**//__

@http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/Bottled020606.cfm

**Take Action!**
See what you can do to use water wisely and improve water quality. Even the tiniest things can help and make a huge difference.
 * Don't buy bottled water
 * Think about what had to happen for you to get that water
 * Buy reusable water bottles
 * Etc.