This eight-minute video describes the manufactured demand behind bottled water and some of the environmental and social consequences. It ends by giving you some ideas on how to help whether as a host or as a traveller. The video was produced by “The Story of Stuff Project” and it was recently featured in CNN and NPR, among others. Click here to learn more.
Thumbnail Photo by Muffet
Alexander is LetMeGo's co-founder and jefe. Here is his LetMeGo 
Amazing! I had no idea… I must confess I consume bottled water at my home. I buy it in plastic carboys I then recycle, but this video show us how these bottles and carboys are made and are (not really) recycled.
I will change the way I drink water and I will try to convince my family. I think I will need to make quality tests to my tap water in order to convince them.
Thank you Alex for this great post!
Very good video. She is great, I've seen a video of her about sustainability and I was impressed about how much trash we, specially the US, produces every year. Interesting story about the impact of bottled water.
It´s been a couple of years since I don´t drink bottled water. An acquaintance used to work as a product manager for Bavaria´s Brisa and reluctantly accepted and confirmed these issues.
What really pisses me off is that personnel at bars and restaurants deny you a glass of tap water and instead push for bottled water. It´s a pity to see merciless and greedy people trash our planet… hope they never fall thirsty.
Thank you Gabriel! It is always good to know that insiders of the industry agree with the message of the video.
Unfortunately, while in some countries it is common to get tap water in a restaurant, here (in Argentina) you're almost forced to buy a bottled water. Many people that drink tap water would never ask for it in a restaurant, and a restaurant would never ever offer you it. Probably because bars and restaurants owners are 'partners' in that business.
Thank you Alex … , it´s true. I was one of those people who thought it was a completely unnecessary product … and then, years afterward, specially when my baby was born, I found myself using bottled water because I was afraid that tap water would be unhealthy for him. I am sharing this too with as many people as I can, the good news are that we can do something about it.. The greatest lodging, our planet, has had to host the worst guests
no wonder why It has its way to make us pay for the bad behavior.
It is interesting you say that because we started to drink bottled water when my daughter was born, and now, on the second pregnancy of my wife, the doctors told her to drink bottled water.
Great video! I don't drink bottled water, but I do drink a lot of Coca Cola, and unfortunately, it doesn't come in the tap
And this draws my attention to another issue: Carbonated beverages used to be distributed in returnable bottles, but not anymore (at least in Colombia). Every time I buy a Coke, I'm forced to buy a disposable plastic bottle as well, and this is a matter of concern too.
There is something really important that the video seems to miss. What about third world countries that do not have safe tap water? There is probably an interest from companies in keeping that situation (probably also taking advantage from corruption), while forcing people to need bottled water.
I'm a proud drinker of tap water, just in a glass. But I pass it through a filter. I always ask me about the environmental impact of the filter, even if it lasts for 2 or 3 years and the company takes care of the disposal. I've not figured out that yet.
I was not able to view the video (I get an error message), but I leave bottled water in my guest rooms because I don’t like the taste of our tap water. Sometimes it tastes “moldy” or I can taste the chlorine. We have reverse osmosis water in our kitchen that we drink and I serve it to guests because it tastes good. I just don’t have time to go fetch water for folks whenever they get thirsty from our kitchen. Perhaps I can get some coolers or thermos type bottles to put in guest rooms with our reverse osmosis water in them. I will have to look for something like that. I do my best to reduce, reuse, and recycle but am open to changing my ways to do an even better job.
Thanks a lot for your ideas Sharon! May I ask what error message you saw?
Thanks for the video. Great to have subtitles too. We use filtered tap water and have a dispenser available for guests to pour themselves into a glass (yes a glass glass). It is not chilled – as that is unnecessary, but we do have chilled filtered water available in the guest fridge. We are also happy for guests to fill up their own bottle when leaving for further travel – rather than have them buy another bottle.
Good point that finding a single reuse for a product does not equate to genuine recycling.
Thank you for your comments Kaye!
I never realised how much I would depend
on my dishwasher. Having good back up and
service is so vital so that i do not need to worry
if anything goes wrong.