The Think Outside the Bottle campaign by Corporate Accountability International brings to the Tufts campus a hot topic addressed recently by other publications and municipal governments: smart consumption of bottled water. Given Tufts' environmentally friendly attitude, it is no surprise that Corporate Accountability International is recruiting Tufts students to aid its campaign.
The Think Outside the Bottle campaign has two objectives: to convince Boston's mayor to cut the city's water contracts with Nestle's Ice Mountain brand and to inform the public of the quality of the city's public water. The group's major argument is that 40 percent of all bottled water comes from municipal taps.
If Nestle's Ice Mountain water is nothing more than tap water, it makes sense for the city of Boston to stop providing the brand in its government offices and at other city-sponsored events. The city should not spend taxpayers' money on bottled water when citizens are already funding regulation of perfectly potable tap water.
But Corporate Accountability International does not know if Nestle's Ice Mountain water is tap water. It says that the city should end its contract with Nestle to force the company to reveal the source of its water. Pepsi and Coke revealed that Aquafina and Dasani, respectively, come from public water sources this summer. Corporate Accountability International wants Nestle to do the same.
The Daily agrees. A responsible corporation should clearly convey its product's contents to consumers so they can make informed purchases. Think Outside the Bottle is right to encourage such honesty.
The campaign's second point also addresses the need for communication between manufacturer and consumer. Just as the campaign wants Nestle to inform consumers about the water it sells, it wants the city of Boston to inform its citizens about the water it regulates and provides free of charge.
Such communication allows consumers to make informed choices about what they buy. The arguments against bottled water are strong, especially those against the waste involved in its acquisition and packaging. And consumers deserve to know if bottled water comes from public water sources.
Moreover, tap water provides an excellent and comparable alternative to bottled water. In Massachusetts, both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Massachusetts Department of Environment Protection conduct ongoing tests for the presence of bacteria, lead and other heavy metals, herbicides and other contaminants. If water does not meet federal standards, water suppliers must notify customers through local news media, further highlighting the importance of such communication.
Some consumers, however, may choose to drink bottled water, even if it comes from public sources. Certain people prefer the convenience and taste of bottled water. If they value convenience and taste enough to pay for them, they have the right to do so as long as they know exactly what it is they're paying for.
Once consumers have accurate information about their water options, it is up to them to decide which water to drink. The city of Boston has every right to cut its contract with Nestle, and the Daily advocates that it do so.
