1000 Flowers for the Planet - #608 Demand Free Public Water
In the United States of America a major action is taking
place to reduce the demand for bottled water (and sugary drinks) and to get
people drinking their own tap water at a much lower cost than what they pay for
bottled water. Plastic bottles are a disaster to the planet, using valuable
fossil resources, creating the need for expensive recycling programs, and
contributing to massive landfill issues. In the States the idea of drinking tap
water and taking it with you in your own drink bottle has been extended even
further to cater for those needing to refill their bottles throughout the day.
Cafes and restaurants across the country have become part of the solution by
signing up as partners in a network of establishments where people can walk in
and ask to have their bottle filled with tap water – for free. They can be
discovered through searching the site at www.tapitwater.com or by downloading an app for your phone.
As at the time of writing I could find no such program in
Australia. Drinking fountains used to be available to the public everywhere –
in the olden days. They need to be brought back into fashion, by encouraging
councils and governments to replace them. It would be far cheaper to maintain a
network of drinking fountains across the country than to deal with all the
plastic waste the bottled beverage industry creates. Cafes and restaurants
could be encouraged to create their own free water program here in Australia
too.
In England their drinking fountains can be found via www.findafountain.org. What’s happening in your country?
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