Lecture Notes: The Story of Manufactured Demand for Bottled Water

Introduction

• The world is overly obsessed with consumerism, leading to environmental and social issues.
• Understanding the problematic system helps identify potential solutions.

The Case of Bottled Water

• Cleveland vs. Fiji Water:
  • Fiji Water's ad campaign mocked Cleveland tap water.
  • Tests showed Cleveland's tap water was superior in quality and taste to Fiji water.
• Comparative Analysis:
  • Bottled water is sometimes less regulated than tap water.
  • Bottled water is much more expensive (2,000 times) than tap water.
  • Half a billion bottles are bought weekly in the U.S.

Manufactured Demand

• Companies create demand for bottled water through fear and misinformation.
• Tactics Used by Industry:
  • Scare tactics about tap water safety.
  • Presentation of bottled water with images of pristine nature.
• A significant portion of bottled water is essentially filtered tap water.
  • Example brands: Pepsi’s Aquafina, Coke’s Dasani.

Environmental Impact

• Production:
  • Enormous energy consumption during production.
  • Oil used in making plastic bottles contributes to pollution.
• Disposal:
  • 80% of bottles end up in landfills or incinerators.
  • Recycling is often down-cycling, resulting in lower quality products.
  • Exported waste contributes to pollution in other countries, e.g. India.

Social and Economic Implications

• Bottled water companies compete against the fundamental right to clean tap water.
• Public water underfunding due to misconceptions about bottled water.

Solutions and Actions

• Personal Commitment:
  • Avoid buying bottled water.
  • Use reusable water bottles.
• Community and Policy Actions:
  • Advocate for investment in tap water infrastructure.
  • Campaigns to ban bottled water in schools and organizations.
  • Promote and install public drinking fountains.

Positive Trends

• Decline in bottled water sales.
• Rise in usage of refillable water bottles.
• Restaurants are increasingly serving tap water.

Conclusion

• Public awareness is growing against manufactured demand.
• The focus is shifting towards sustainable and equitable water solutions for all.