Coming Soon: Full Disclosure on What’s in Your Bottled Water

I remember squirming when my favorite manager at Shell quiped one day: there are two things you don’t want to see being made:  your car and your hot dog.  I would now add to that, your bottled water.  As it stands, the regulations for bottled water are weaker than for tap water.  This is news to most people who just assume bottled water is better than tap due to a decades long bottled water marketing blitz.  According to the July 8, 2009 Wall Street Journal article by Jane Zhang: “…by December, bottlers must eliminate E.coli in their products.”  Bottoms up! 

Currently, if bottling companies find contamination, they do not have to report it, whereas municipal water suppliers are required by the EPA to report contaminants within 24 hours according to Zhang.   Bottling companies should also be required to put more information on their labels.   It seems, Congress is on it.   Stricter regulations for bottled water are being discussed on Capitol Hill.  It’s about time they do something to better regulate this $11.2 billion industry.

Personally, I’ll be disappointed if bottled water is held to the same high quality standard as tap water.   The poor regulation of bottled water makes a very compelling argument for my business, Back2Tap.   If this new legislation comes to pass, we’ll merely have the staggering waste and unhealthy plastic arguments to convince people to forego bottled water…

How does the fact that 100 million disposable plastic bottles are thrown in landfills every day in the USA sound?  How about the fact that plastic takes more than 700 years to decompose?  How about the 4 ounces of petroleum used and 120 grams of CO2 generated in the manufacturing of each bottle of water?  How about the unknown health effects of plastic components leaching from the bottle into the water when it is stored under warm conditions?  On second thought, I guess we still may still be able to convince some people to kick the bottled water habit, even if there’s not supposed to be any more E.coli in it after December.

Quality vs. Cost of Reusable Metal Water Bottles

Reusable water bottles are popping up all over the place these days.   At the GoGreen Festival in New York City I saw one stainless steel bottle for $27, but at local grocery stores I’ve seen metal bottles for just $10.   So what’s the difference? 

First, what it’s made of.  When you’re buying a metal bottle, make sure it’s made of non-leaching materials.  If the bottle is made of aluminum, it has to be lined because aluminum is reactive and it can leach into your drink.   Then you need to be sure the lining is made of a non-leaching material, like enamel or ceramic – not epoxy.  Easier yet, just stick with a stainless steel bottle because stainless steel doesn’t leach and doesn’t need to be lined.  Make sure it is made of food-grade stainless steel, such as type 304.  Find out if the company selling the bottles has done the proper FDA testing to ensure the safety of the material in the cap as well. 

Second, consider the thickness of the metal.  Most bottles on the market are super thin and lightweight.   Look for a slightly heavier bottle that has thicker walls.  It will still be very light, but it will be more durable because it will dent less easily if dropped on a hard surface.  

Thirdly, consider whether it is leak-proof.  The last thing you want is a bottle that leaks in your backpack, briefcase, or purse.   In general, you can tell if a cap is cheap and flimsy by looking at it and operating it, although you won’t know for sure until you fill it with water and shake it upside down vigorously. 

Fourth, you want to be sure that any painted decoration is lead-free and durable so that it’s safe and long lasting.  If it’s printed in the USA, it’s likely to be safe.  If the bottle is described as dishwasher safe, the paint is probably pretty durable. 

It turns out there is a significant difference between cheap, low quality bottles and better quality water bottles.  In the long run, a reusable bottle can save you hundreds of dollars so why scrimp and end up with an inferior bottle that you won’t use, just to save a few bucks in the short term?

Did you know you have a water footprint, too?

My BFG (best green friend) sent me an article from msn Green entitled  ”What’s Your Water Footprint?”  It reminded me that there’s way more than just carbon shaping our footprints on Earth.   Your carbon footprint is just one component of your overall ecological footprint, a term coined by Wackernagel and Rees in the early 90s to describe human demand on all ecosystems.  For 2005, humanity’s total ecological footprint was estimated by the Global Footprint Network at 1.3 planet Earths – in other words, we are using our natural resources 1.3 times as fast as Earth can renew them.  Your water footprint is one component of this calculation that is not talked about as often.

Your water footprint is the amount of water that you consume both directly and indirectly.  That is the quantity of water you use for drinking, cleaning, and cooking, etc. (direct) plus the quantity of water used to make the products you consume (indirect).   Which do you think is bigger – your direct or indirect water consumption?  According to the msn Green article,  a whopping 95% of your water consumption is indirect!   Apparently, your leaky faucet is the least of your worries – cut out one hamburger and you save 5000 gallons of water!   This certainly sounds easier than scheduling a plumber.  Not to mention cheaper and healthier.  

I have a hard time fathoming how a hamburger could require this much water to produce, but I know from reading Michael Pollan’s mind-blowing book, “In Defense on Food” that it is related to the cultivation of the corn needed to feed the cattle.  Even the lowly disposable bottle of water you bought requires more water to make than you would think – somewhere between 3 to 8 times its volume.   These hidden ecological costs are important to consider when you make everyday choices about what to eat and what to buy. Every single product you consume has a water footprint associated with it, bovine products topping the list of offenders. 

The concept of a water footprint is inherently different than the carbon footprint.  Unlike CO2, the volume of water on earth remains the same: all of the water you use does eventually get recycled back into the ecosystem, although its quality is often degraded by use.  The worse the degradation, the more clean water needed to dilute the polluted water until it meets our standards for “clean” and is usable again.  The other difference is that all water use is not created equal.  Using large volumes of water in an arid climate is more detrimental than using large quanities of water in a humid climate, whereas a ton of CO2 is problematic no matter where it is generated.

Once again, reducing your consumption will reap the best eco-payback.  To calculate your own water footprint or learn more, you can visit: http://www.waterfootprint.org.  Now if I could just convince my growing teen and tween-aged boys and hulky husband to become vegetarians, we’d be able to greatly reduce our family’s water footprint (and our carbon footprint as well!).  It may well be easier to call the plumber.

Corporate Sustainability at Rowan University

As a small green business owner, I particpated in an eco-preneurship panel at the Rowan University Sustainability Conference on April 3. Business leaders working in the area of sustainability shared their accomplishments and challenges with the students and faculty in connection with this Principles for Responsible Management Education intiative.

There was no “greenwashing” there.  The companies, large and small, showed that they had a serious commitment to sustainability, way beyond recycling and choosing eco-friendly paper products.   The eco-prenuers were generally small companies primarily focused on meeting the market demand for green goods and services.  The large established companies were focused on improving operations and products.  DuPont reported on its progression from being the #1 polluter to trying to “do less bad” and finally to now ”trying to do more good.”  Domino Sugar spoke of its plant in Florida where electricity is generated using bagasse – sugar cane fiber waste as well as the introduction of carbon footprint free sugar in some markets.  Ernst and Young reported saving $100 million by banning bottled water and has eliminated the use of 4 million disposable cups per year.  A regional flooring company spoke of their manufacturing model where the volume of waste consumed is greater than the waste produced.

It was very encouraging to see the serious commitment that these corporations have made to moving toward more sustainable operations: they have created and filled the position of corporate sustainability manager to lead the effort; they have gone through a process of re-examining their own operations, they have set goals and started implementation of sustainability improvement measures, and they have pressed their suppliers to do the same.  Best of all, every business reported that they found economic benefits in their implementation of these sustainability improvements.

Happy Earth Day, Everyone!

Earth Day has an almost religious quality about it this year.  Never before have I been known to shout Happy Earth Day to everyone I greet, nor have I ever been known to sign my emails with this wish.  What is going on?

My having spent the better part of this past year co-founding a green business, Back2Tap, may explain some of this, but I think there is more to it.   At a sustainability conference I attended at Rowan University recently, one corporate sustainability manager called it the “green tsunami“.  He may be right – like a real tsumani, this “wave” of environmentalism has  indeed  covered the land with a new rich “soil” which will increase productivity during the next “growing season”.  

The corporate world is working hard to green up all aspects of its operations, Obama is turning out to be a truly green president, and people are flocking to green events and joining green social networking sites on-line.  There is plenty to celebrate this year: Earth Day is becoming mainstream and it’s not just on April 22 anymore!

The Lazy Environmentalist hits the GoGreen Expo

My favorite panelist on the Environmental Leadership Panel at the GoGreen Expo NYC was the Lazy Environmentalist, Josh Dorfman.  The night before, I had done my homework by visiting his website.  His blog about how to better articulate the concept of sustainability definitely struck a chord with me so I knew I was in for a treat on Sunday. 

First of all, I agree with Josh that the current definition of sustainability is pretty uninspiring:   meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  When I speak to groups, I usually just explain that sustainability is “making Earth’s resources last forever.”  While my definition is simple to understand, Josh takes it a step further and makes it also sound appealing: to live as well as we possibly can while bringing our lifestyles into balance with nature.

Josh pointed out that it doesn’t matter if we “green” folks do everything we can to live more sustainably; it’s much more important what the other 90% of the population - the “mainstream” are motivated to do.  In terms of how to get the mainstream to go green, he suggests appealing to people’s self interest:  it’s better for you and for the planet. 

One small example of this would be getting Back2Tap by using a reusable stainless steel bottle and drinking tap water instead of bottled water.  You’ll save money and reduce your impact on the planet. 

Later in the afternoon, there was a premiere of Josh’s first Sundance Channel TV reality series episode that will air in June.  In this episode, he visits a typical American family and tries to green up their lifestyle.  I was LOL in no time – the family actually uses disposable dishes for lunches and some dinners on a regular basis, the son thinks global warming is a girl issue, and the father thinks there’s plenty of room for all our trash in all that open space in Texas!    I won’t spoil the outcome of that green “makeover”! 

The Lazy Environmentalist blog and show are now some of my favorites!

GoGreen Expo – Day 2!

Mariel Hemingway and Ann Whitman, a co-founder of Back2Tap

I just spent a perfectly spectacular spring Saturday inside the Hilton Hotel in New York City at the GoGreen Expo.  Not surprisingly, the turnout was low.  Most rational green folks were probably out enjoying nature and soaking in the abundant solar energy, or at the very least, planting trees or picking up litter in honor of Earth Day.  Nevertheless, I enjoyed the worthwhile events at the Expo today.

 

 

Fashion photographer Nigel Barker showed his new documentary film “A Sealed Fate?” which is about the the annual massacre of baby seals in Canada.  When it comes to baby seals, there is something that inspires sadistic humor in all but tried and true humanitarians.  Upon entering the lecture hall, I remembered more jokes about clubbing baby seals than actual facts about the issue.  It was an informative film that managed to convey the gravity of the atrocities without exposing viewers to anything terribly gruesome.  The coverage of  the actual seal hunt was shot from helicopters at a distance. 

 

All in all, Nigel made a compelling argument for boycotting Canadian seafood in order to pressure the Canadian government to stop licensing these hunts. It seems there is reason to believe the Canadian government may be swayed to ban this barbarism someday soon.   

 

The problem with the hunt is the inhumane tactics, not the overall reduction in the seal population.  There are about 5 million of these seals so they are not an endangered species.   During the first 12 days of their lives, baby seals are unable to swim and simply hang out on the ice nursing.  Sadly, 200,000 baby seals drowned this spring due the earlier thawing of the ice sheets, likely caused by global warming.  

 

Nigel was unsure which channels would be airing the documentary due to the expected reluctance of viewers to watch such material.  I did wonder why people would be OK seeing people getting shot on TV, but couldn’t watch seals being clubbed?  I had to work hard to restrain myself from suggesting that he ask the Military Channel to air the show, if not Discovery.  There I go again! 

 

When I got home from the expo this evening, my 11 year old son was thrilled to receive an adorable white baby seal stuffed animal.  When I asked him what he planned to name it – he responded “clubber”.  I’m afraid that name is going to stick because he saw me crack a smile before I was able to summon the thoughtful response and decry his choice.  All joking aside, if you’d like to support this worthy cause, visit protectseals.org. 

 

I didn’t have the opportunity to hear Mariel Hemingway’s inspiring talk, but she signed a copy of her new book for us – Healthy Living from the Inside Out. At first glance, it looks like a great book, full of practical suggestions for slowing down and enriching your life through diet, exercise and relaxation.”

 

One more day at the Expo.  I’m praying for rain!

GoGreen Expo NYC is Underway

If you’re in New York this weekend, you might want to check out the GoGreen Expo NYC. See over 200 booths & learn from industry professionals, best selling authors & eco-celebrities on how to “green” your life & business; Mariel Hemingway, Nigel Barker, Josh Dorfman (the Lazy Environmentalist) Jen Boulden (founder of Ideal Bite), Ken Rother (President of Treehugger) Gay Browne (founder of Greenopia) Sarah Beatty (founder of Green Depot) Julie Edelman & Seth Leitman (best selling authors) and many other leaders will be joining us for this annual event.  Details: www.GoGreenExpo.com.  Admission is only ten dollars. Students & Seniors are free.

Today there was a pretty good turnout for the Business to Business day. The variety of exhibitors was impressive – from green cars, green storage facilities, green chips, sustainable cheese, green turf, green cosmetics, to green beds – you name it!  GreenTV was on-site interviewing people (including Back2Tap). CNN was there covering energy-related exhibits, and Martha Stewart Living was also there.  We expect the Expo to be much busier on Saturday and Sunday when it’s open to the general public.

Back2Tap is at booth 225 and will be offering delicious free NYC tap water to all who visit.  With the assistance of Food and Water Watch, we’ll be running a Tap Water Challenge over the weekend.   Come see if you prefer tap water to bottled water in a blind taste test.  Four out of five people do – how about you?

Healthy Lawns and Gardens

Spring is here – it’s time to start thinking about lawns and gardens!  This year, I am especially inspired by the White House announcement that there is going to be a new organic kitchen garden on the far end of the South Lawn.   The White House is sending a powerful message to Americans: you can improve your health by eating fresh produce on a daily basis, especially produce grown organically, and you can grow your own produce to save money as well as your impact on the planet.   Conventional produce has a huge carbon footprint due to the enormous amount of petroleum required to fertilize it, spray it with pesticides, and transport it to you.  That’s why growing your own organic produce is so beneficial.  Check out ”This Lawn is Your Lawn“, a fun video about why you should convert some of your lawn into a produce garden.   At my house, we’re pretty limited in the sun department because of the big trees, but we’re planning to double our usual 9×9 garden plot.    The peas and lettuce seeds were sown today!

The other big step you can take is to ditch your lawn chemicals and care for your lawn organically.  We converted about five years ago;  it’s not significantly more difficult or more expensive if you lower your expectations a bit and pull a few weeds by hand.  Conventional fertilizers and pesticides require a huge amount of petroleum to manufacture and transport.  Once spread on your lawn, they don’t stay put, and they don’t break down within 48 hours as the little hazard signs lead you to believe.  Some of these toxic chemicals will runoff into your storm drains and harm the drinking water quality and creatures in your watershed.  Some of them will get tracked into your house where they persist for months while you gradually inhale and ingest them over time.  Lawn pesticides which have been associated with cancer, Parkinsons, and other diseases, are especially unhealthy for children and pets.   There are great resources on organic lawn care available on the internet to guide you.  We have learned a lot from the information and videos on the SafeLawns website:  http://www.safelawns.org/ .

Healthy lawns and gardens are better for you and better for the planet.    So, replace part of your lawn with a kitchen garden or grow some produce in a community garden, and make it pesticide-free!  In these difficult economic times, growing your own food and maintaining your own lawn can help you save money and regain a sense of accomplishment and self-sufficiency.

PTO Today Expo – the Back2Tap Debut

Starting a small business has presented many new experiences as well as frequent moments when my partners and I look at each other and say – “Wow, did you ever think you’d be doing this?”  Dragging all our props into the convention center last Tuesday was definitely one of those moments.  We had no idea what to expect or how Back2Tap would compare to the other exhibitors.  Our booth turned out to be much better than some minimally adorned booths and pleasantly less commercial and cluttered than some big-time commercial fundraising company booths.  We offered free tap water, a much less exciting option than the free pizza, cheesecake, chocolate and candies offered at other booths, but those who partook were quite grateful to quench their thirst with a healthy alternative.

One of the best parts of the day turned out to be watching people’s expressions as they first looked at our booth – they seemed puzzled but curious.  Why was there a giant tower made of plastic bottles?  What exactly was Back2Tap selling?  Tap water?  It took about 2-3 minutes to explain why bottled water is so wasteful and how selling Back2Tap stainless steel bottles as a green fundraiser could help the planet and help a school community. Only one person had heard of us, and only two people had considered this type of fundraising campaign.  No other exhibitors offered a customized green fundraising item. Most of the other fundraising companies were offering the same old items- knickknacks, clothes, and unhealthy foods.  Clearly, we were offering something new and different to the PTO Today audience.

For most of the day, all four of us were busy giving our elevator pitches to groups PTO parents as they wandered by our booth.  I couldn’t help but notice that the booth across the aisle that had attracted lots of attention in the morning with its screen show and four active salespeople had quieted down by mid-day whereas we were still going strong.  I think we were able to maintain our enthusiasm because we really believe that our cause, reducing plastic waste, is good beyond profits, and we get genuinely excited by convincing other people of that.

 

We noticed that some exhibitors had signs boasting of 55% profit margins for their customers.  Is this number the best measure of a fundraising option?   High profit margins usually mean the items are overpriced to the customer or are very cheaply made.  We know from firsthand experience as parents and PTO volunteers that parents resent being asked to pay too much for fundraising items and lose enthusiasm when they are offered the same items they really don’t want year after year.  This is why we chose to offer high quality reusable bottles priced close to retail with a 20-30% payback.

 

Tim Sullivan of PTO Today concurs in his March 2009 PTO Today article entitled: “More to Fundraising Than Profit”.  Sullivan writes: “The best PTOs and PTAs aim to create a great community at their school, to grow parent involvement, to serve parents, and to help provide valuable resources for the school and the students.”  This is exactly what Back2Tap is trying to do – spread a green movement through the school communities that will bring people together around a shared sense of concern and desire to do something good for the planet, for themselves and for their school.