Single-serving plastic water bottles will soon be stripped from the shelves of stores, restaurants, and vending machines in Concord as businesses prepare for the town’s ban on the sale of such containers to take effect Tuesday.
With its Town Meeting vote last spring, Concord apparently became the first community in the nation to outlaw the bottles in an effort to improve the environment. But opposition is mounting among some residents, business owners, and the bottled water industry.
Comments
Insanity
It's not insanity ... this is for your own protection. Be grateful that there are people in Concord who know what's best for you. I do agree that an outright ban is a little extreme, and that some people can be trusted to purchase, enjoy and responsibly recycle a container when finished. That is why I am in favor of a background check and 9-day waiting period before authorizing the legal purchase of bottled water.
"Ann Davidson, 82, sent a letter to the Board of Selectmen this month saying she has hemochromatosis, a disease that causes her body to absorb too much iron. She said she cannot eat or drink anything that contains large quantities of iron, such as tap water. She said she also suffers from Parkinson’s disease, which affects her ability to carry around large water bottles." _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This sounds suspicious, and it reminds me of the Seinfeld where he had to pee against the wall in the parking garage because of some medical condition I can't pronounce.
This is a wonderful event. It's provides Concord residents (and the Commonwealth) with a good example of the eventual result of "it takes a village" thinking.
So instead of people and kids buying water, they'll buy soda and other sugar drinks. Enjoy that Concord tap water, the one that turns your dishes yellow.
Why is this the only choice?
Dishes turning yellow? If that's the case, then have your hot water heater checked; hot water is the culprit, not cold tap water. As for making the assumption that a water-drinker will turn to soda, I'll go out on a limb and put my money on the assumption that they'll just go to another town to buy water, the same way that residents of "dry" towns cross the town line to buy booze. In fact, you have to find some amusement in the idea that Concord has not outlawed the sale of liquor, but has outlawed the sale of water. Concord has their priorities straight. :)
OK, so why is bottled water bad for the environment? Can't be because of the water, because it's just water. So, it must be because of the plastic container. OK, if that's the case, ban all products using plastic containers, not just water. Everything. That includes soda, milk, and BOOZE.
The inconsistency of their argument has always baffled me. Apparently, someone has a thing about the bottled water industry and doesn't like water being sold in plastic bottles - er, small plastic bottles.
This comment has been removed.
When I see (in BJs) carts loaded with plastic wrapped skids of plastic single serve water bottles I just shake my head. Often these same people have built in water filters in their refrigerators and will still waste money and harm the envoirnment for convenience sake. We are only two people in my household. We use a water pitcher with a built in filter. There are also ways to take care of larger households without using plastic water bottles. There is also a very strange thing that happens to people carrying a disposible water bottle....they can only be carry it with water in it. As soon as it is empty they are forced to pitch it on the pavement immediately. Apparently there is not even time to make it to a trash barrell 5 feet away.
Perhaps Concord should consider banning toilet paper. Its use requires harvesting trees and it also creates solid waste.
This comment has been removed.
I'm guessing the "problem" is seen as "water bottle litter". There is no deposit on water bottles I believe. So no cash incentive not to toss them. And, since they carry water they are seen as an "unnecessary expense" (because of the availability of tap water) that "hurts the planet" (because most plastics never bio-degrade).
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In either case, banning them is inappropirate. In terms of litter, the appropriate solution would be a 5 cent deposit just like with soda bottles, at a state or federal level. The provides a positive incentive to do the right thing with the trash. If it's plastic that is the issue, a ban will do almost nothing to address the overall problem (too much discarded plastic). Plastic can be made bio-degradable and that works for shopping bags. This could be federally or state mandated and would make a difference. It's doesn't restrict individual freedom as Concord is doing, would cost very little, and would have a measureable impact -- especially over time -- which the Concord ban will not.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
To provide a positive incentive that is consistent with individual rights, freedom, and individual judgement Concord could provide a rebate for town residents on water filtering systems (Brita, for example), they could provide infomation on the web site and emails on litter, plastic, and the quality of the town tap water. Does the town already have free public bathrooms (the kind that are self-cleaning and supported by advertising) where it could also add outside water bubblers for the public?
Banning plastic single water bottles is similar to the President Carter requirement that you turn your house thermostat down to save energy. I don't mean to pick on President Carter, who was underappreciated, but turning down the temp did very little short term, and almost nothing medium to long term, to deal with the rising cost of energy. It's a gesture, sure, it's symbolic, but government has no business mandating symbolism.
The number of comments scratched from appearance today suggests that lots of folks have colorful feelings about the issue. Here's guessing that the colorful comments come mainly from the side that wants to keep the little bottles around. Human nature is such that the easiest option is the one that is most desired. And pay no mind to the implications of the choice. Congratulations to Concord for making a small statement about a cultural choice that has been bad since the start. The forces of laziness and thoughtlessness have kept it in place until now. Maybe this little start will create more opportunities to make a better choice for all of us. Even those folks who are convinced that it is a matter of health have a choice as to how they handle things. They can carry around a container that is small enough to handle, that can be refilled, an doesn't clog landfils for eons.
Interesting, do you put the "number of comments scratched" statement in all your comments, because I don't see a single comment or single reply that indicates there was a scratch?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I must admit to be pleased by the grist you have put out for grinding. Remember, intrepid denizens of Concord, you must be "thoughtful". But what is "thoughtful"? You must not alarm others "sensibilities". You must not annoy anyone. If someone is annoyed it is, ipso facto, YOUR FAULT. And who, pray tell, sets the stanards for annoyance? I have a guess it is a number of residents who have time on their hands and don't have to work. Am I right djm71? I hope to see big sodas, swearing, and not always stopping for other cars to come out of cross streets be outlawed soon. And how about satellite dishes (no, that's not dishing in small groups after the big meeting, that's for TV, you know, like Boston's Meninno has done). Time to clean this town up. Get rid of that building reputation for thoughtless, lazy people.
Quite possibly one of the most ridiculous laws ever enacted.
This comment has been removed.
It appears a majority of the folks in Concord believe that the well being of landfills is more important than the sanitary convenience that bottled water provides for all kinds of people which include among others, the elderly, the infirmed and children. There are far too many of these sounds good and makes me feel good citizen referendums/petitions that are of dubious value and have unintended consequences. Do a little research on the "Wild Life Protection Act of 1997." It was a Massachusetts referrendum that passed in 1996/1997. There have been an array of public health and safety issues that have arisen because of the passge of that referendum, most notably the proliferation of Coyotes everywhere throughout the State. If that referrendum had been named the " Increased Danger to Domestic Pets and Unattended Children Act of 1997" do you think it would have passed. I love all of God's creatures, but public safety, public health and yes, even convenience, are corner stones of all attempts at being a civilized society. Folks, often passively vote for and pass referendums/petitions that sound good and make them feel good but which might not really serve any meaningful purpose and might actually have more negative than positive results, but that's Democracy for better and for worse.
Many thanks Jean Hill and Town of Concord for righting the many wrongs that have been crafted by the bottling industry over the years, in the name of greed. The bottling industry had an opportunity to step up and bring plastic water bottles on line with the tried and true refundable nickel deposit system--a system that was adopted over 30 years ago to stop litter. It is a program that is effective and serves the common good exactly as intended. Legislators, environmental organizations, outdoor enthusiasts, and over half of the 350 +/- communities in the Commonwealth, redemption centers, & over 70% of the population have shown to support proposed legislation to expand the bottle bill to include plastic water and juice bottles for the same purpose. So what's the problem??? The bottling industry chooses time and time again to fight any proposed solutions, turning a blind eye to the problems of a broken system that: a. fails miserably when it comes to recycling as most of the water and juice bottles end up in landfills b. all...100% of these discarded water bottles are a #1 plastic and the petroleum will never be reclaimed but becomes a totally wasted resource in a landfill; c. more hidden carbons with the transportation; d. tax dollars are used for cleaning up the litter of discarded water bottles that, without a deposit are thrown away; e. and the plastic litter that ends up in our waterways that will never biodegrade. Get out on the rivers and lakes in MA and it's now a sad reflection of the problem...you will see faded plastic bottles floating along with the stream, lodged between rocks, and/or pooled under a branch somewhere in our natural settings. The bottling industry has succeeded in creating a culture that is unsustainable. The irony here is that there would be no need for a ban on water bottles if the bottling industry showed integrity by acknowledging the growing problem and collaborating on solutions. But no...tis corporate greed with no consideration to the environmental costs or impacts. Concord is a special place indeed and should be proud.