New Spin on Bottled Water

I'd much rather give some money directly to rainforest protection, let Brazilians keep their water in Brazil where it belongs, drink local water, and save the environmental cost of shipping water. Studies have shown that bottled water costs 1,000 to 10,000 times more than local tap water. Therefore, we should all have plenty of disposable income simply by swearing off bottled water. Some of that income can go to supporting environmental protection, and some of it can stay in our pockets. Let our eager eco-entrepreneurs work on local issues rather than continuing the folly of shipping something as universal as water from one place to another in troublesome plastic containers.

Except that the local tap water is horrible to drink. It is an embarassment to the community how bad tasting our water is. I can't believe that anything that tastes that bad is good for you. I've been able to install a reverse osmosis system but not everyone can afford to do that. Until the local water system is made to be drinkable I can't take seriously anything that the anti bottled water people say.

Spock did a little investigation into this story and found some things that should be pointed out:

1) Brazilian Springs Water owns or manages the Brazilian Rainforest Foundation. So they are giving 10% to themselves. In fact the foundation's domain name brazilianrainforest.org is owned by Brazilian Springs Water with a Colorado USA address. Not that there is anything wrong with that but you should be aware of it.

2) Search on Google for "Brazilian Rainforest Foundation" (with quotes) and you will see almost zero results. Even the organization's own web site does not appear in the search results. Conclusion: Brazilian Rainforest Foundation is not the "big" organization you are assuming they are. Not that there is anything wrong with that but you should be aware of it.

3) That 10% of gross sales is for sales to the distributer, *not* 10% of your purchase price. If the distributer pays (for example) $1 per bottle and sells it to you for $2. Than only 5% of your purchase price goes to this Foundation. Conclusion, the disributer's markup is not factored in to the 10% figure. Not that there is anything wrong with that but you should be aware of it.

This is really a paid advertisement, right?

Gordo, you confuse taste and purity. As I understand it, our water, although it does taste pretty skunky, is quite healthful and safe. (If you doubt this, instead of the unscientific supposition you engage in, try looking at the water report that's available from your local water purveyor.) As for the taste, there are very effective carbon filters readily available for under $40 to make our water entirely pleasing to drink.

None of that has anything to do with the bottled water issue, nor does the quality of local water in any way justify hauling water from one place to another at a very high environmental price.

This is one of those situations where claims of "greenness" need to be looked at with a skeptical eye. I invite the promoter of this product to answer some of the remarks made in these comments.

OwenDell wrote:

"... let Brazilians keep their water in Brazil where it belongs, drink local water, and save the environmental cost of shipping water."

I checked their website and their water source is located in Arkansas. Still not local but a little closer than Brazil. "Arkansas Springs" isn't very catchy, is it?

Disposable plastic water bottles ( yeah yeah I know they are recycleable but most wind up in the waste stream or worse in the ocean) and disposable plastic bags got to go! This Brazilian Rain forest water is such a scam. Save your money and donate directly to any number of legitimate organizations working to save or restore rain forest. Google "Rise Above Plastics" to see what Surfrider and others are doing about this issue.

I solved my yucky water problem by buying a nonplastic, good coffeemaker.

This guy is nothing more than a distributor for this product.

While I like the projected idea, it really seems to be more of an angle to get free publicity and marketing than anything else.

Shame in you Indy.

What a CROC! Is Jason Clelland a friend of the writer? Shannon Switzer should be ashamed of writing such a foolish article. Even Baron Von Arthur isn't this unabashed in his rationalizing of the wonders of bottled water. With all that is falling around us, doesn't the editor at the Indy get it?

While I appreciate Jason's desire and intent to save the Brazilian rainforest, I don't agree with his idea that "bottled water could even help save the planet." Storing water in plastic bottles and shipping it in trucks burning fossil fuels are not "eco-conscious" acts. Bottled water is not a health conscious choice. Toxic chemicals used to make the plastic bottles leach into the water and contaminate its purity.

I think that we could put a lot of people to work installing reverse osmosis systems in every household. Change I can believe in....

I recommend that anyone interested in this issue read Elizabeth Royte's recent book, "Bottlemania."

I believe Mr Clelland may have good intentions, but I do not believe that any bottled water product is ultimately a sustainable or ethical practice. I can't help but view this product as one that slyly targets consumers who may feel guilty about their bottle habits in the face of mounting social pressure to reduce bottled water consumption. Some may view Brazilian Springs as the lesser of several branded evils, but that attitude ignores the fact that there actually IS an alternative.

Buy a Brita. And a Thermos.

Wow, if I put some pathetic green spin on my business will the Indy give me a bunch of free publicity, too? This marketing tactic is as transparent as the product.

Has anyone done any legitimate 'investigation'?? Anyone can be a 'Google Master'. Can you see farther than a limited internet search engine? Businesses pay big money to be the first ones pulled up in a search. Call the Attorney General and find that they did a legtimate investigation on the profits and that 10%, overseen by a third party, in fact go to the Brazilian Rain Forest Foundation. You're half-assed investigations are rediculous.

I have reverse osmosis in my house, but in all practicality sometimes I just dont have my handy bottle of water with me from home completely full and ready to go! So when you are at the store and you need something like water to drink at the time, are you going to go for a product that is filtered city water that is taking from the city's aquifers? Or products such as Dasani or Aquafina who will do absolutely nothing for the Rain Forest or our environment? I know I will go for the product that will give back. Most of us are consciuos adults and can put a bottle into the recycle container when we are done.

Thank you all for your skepticism because now that it peaked my interest, I have conducted my own investigation- even searched out and tried the product- I know what this is about. In addition, every bottle purchased, saves 90 square feet of the Amazon Rain Forest. I know when I want bottled water, what water I will look for.

Down2earth, you say "...sometimes I just dont have my handy bottle of water with me from home completely full and ready to go! "

Care to explain why not? If you're really "down to earth", you'd make the effort to have that bottle with you.

Let's just say no to bottled water, and reject these craven attempts at greenwashing totally un-eco products.

"Shame in you Indy?" Really?

This is a well reported story. It is not an opinion piece, and does not advocate bottled water consumption.

Reporting on stories that address human waste and pollution should be more commonplace. We should promote people at least thinking about ways to solve problems, rather than dismiss them.

Subjugating the small steps people take to address problems like bottled water is foolish, and counterproductive to environmental protection.

Props to those of you educating yourselves and others with your further research, and addressing the real issues.

RUN AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN. I have been a distributor for Brazzilian Springs and know of at least 10 other folks that are distributors who have all been scammed by these folks based out of Denver Area in Colorado. They promise you of you supplying to walgreens and that they are currently talking to Walmart, Al Gore is becoming their spokes person, yadda, yadda. The Owner "Darrell Cresswell" (Claims to be an ex Pastor)" also told me that " I am Republican and that I does not give a shi* about the environment but it is good business, fooling the Tree Huggers". I checked with my Brazillian friends and no one has heard of Brazillian Springs in Brazil or has heard any thing about the product nor the Non- Profit Organization, Believe me when I tell you they dont give a damn about the environment, go meet with them and you will know what I am talking about, THEY ARE THUGS. I was Scammed for over $ 100,000, I worked all my life for this, pulled money from my retirement account, refinanced my home, I lost every dime. Dont BE a FOOL Like ME, Please, I BEG of you dont go through what I have been through. If you do not believe me check with the DA office in CO, they have endless complaints.