Tapped

In 2007 the bottled water business was estimated to be an $11.5 billion business. Major corporations like Pepsi and Nestle have targeted small rural towns and are taking there water then selling it back at 1,900 times the cost of tap water. Nestle is the largest food processing company in the world, the scary thing is that they are now selling our water because it is more profitable then other beverage choices. Water is not only a vital resource, but a scarce resource and since the only goal is profit these large companies will inevitably deplete the remaining fresh water sources.

Another scary fact about bottled water is the health effects plastic bottles have, and the risks of being exposed to plastic bottle plants. Plastic is made in a similar way to producing oil and contains PET which is in the Benzine family and is known to cause cancer. There are several cases of death and illness from bottled water and the production of plastic bottles.

People need to become educated about bottled water. Many people think they are making the right decision by buying bottled water because it is healthier than soft drinks but the effects are still detrimental. The people supplying high priced tap water to us are the ones that also sell the soft drinks, all they see are dollar signs because it costs virtually nothing to get it and they make 1,900 times the return.40% of bottled water is tap water, and unlike municipal tap water the FDA is not required to test the water for quality. Municipal drinking water is checked by the EPA who is required to test it daily up to 300 times a month.

This documentary really made me think about cutting down on plastic containers when ever possible. Fortunately, I was raised in Lake Tahoe and I have always been able to drink pristine tap water, but that is not the case in many parts of the US and the world. Finding an alternative to bottle water such as filters and higher monitoring of the tap water we already have access to are imperative to taking a stand against Pepsi and Nestle. I really enjoyed this film and I believe more people need to see it.