Bottled water a green worry, poll discovers

Posted July 9, 2007 in [Water]

David Kuxhaus, July 9, 2007, Winnipeg Free Press - Just over half of Manitobans in a Jory Capital/Probe Research poll are concerned about the environmental impact of bottled water.

Fifty-two per cent of respondents said they believe drinking from bulk water coolers is better than single-serve bottles because it is less wasteful.

Moreover, 44 per cent of respondents felt single-serve bottles are harmful to the environment because people don't always recycle them.

Kevin McDougald, of Probe Research, said he's surprised at the level of concern about the impact of empty water bottles.

"It could be a big issue," said McDougald. He noted that it's a hot-button topic in cities such as Salt Lake City, where the mayor wants to ban bottled water.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, at their national conference in Winnipeg in June, issued delegates a half-litre, refillable water bottle instead of relying on commercial bottled water in an effort to be more environmentally conscious.

On the whole, younger respondents were more likely to be concerned about the environmental effects than older respondents.

Bill Power, 34, carries his drinking water in a self-recycled plastic sport-drink bottle.

He said even though his container isn't meant to be reused, he refuses to throw it out.

Manitoba needs to be more like Alberta, where people receive a refundable deposit on many plastic bottles, Power said.

"It takes a lot of plastic out of landfills in Alberta. People actually get upset if they see you throw away plastic," said Power, a former resident of that province.

Alberta charges a refundable levy of five cents to consumers purchasing drinks in plastic containers that are under one litre. The deposit grows to 20 cents if the container is a litre or more.

"The incentive of a deposit would help," Power said.

"Buying a new bottle of water every day just seems wrong," said 24-year-old Amie Lesyk.

Lesyk said she buys one bottle then reuses it for "quite awhile" before recycling it and using a new one.

Poll respondents were also asked whether they thought people should avoid drinking bottled water because transporting it harms the environment.

Almost 20 per cent felt bottled-water consumption should be curtailed to avoid negative environmental effects. However, 37 per cent were against limiting consumption on that grounds.

The survey asked whether respondents thought investing in water-related businesses is a good idea. Almost 30 per cent said yes.

Patrick Cooney, CEO and president of Jory Capital, said he believes there are plenty of opportunities for businesses in areas such as water filtration.

He said water's value as an asset is readily seen in dry countries such as Australia, where farmers sell the water rights to their land.

The survey also tested views about the health benefits of bottled water. More than two-thirds of respondents said they believe it's better than pop and most other carbonated drinks.

The poll surveyed 1,000 Manitobans between June 8 and 21. The results are considered accurate within three per cent, 95 per cent of the time.

david.kuxhaus@freepress.mb.ca

james.turner@freepress.mb.ca