New Book on Bottled Water Shows How the Public is Being Defrauded

Posted 2/23/05

Polaris Institute publishes new book: Inside the Bottle: An exposé of the
bottled water industry

Across North America, the bottled water industry is exploding. Bottled water
sales are now the fastest growing segment of the entire beverage industry.
Over the past decade, the consumption of bottled water has more than doubled
in the U.S. alone, in Canada; bottled water consumption now outpaces that of
coffee, tea, apple juice or milk.

Inside the Bottle provides a vivid and disturbing portrayal of how four big
companies Nestlé, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Danone --- dominate the bottled
water industry today. It examines key issues of public concern about their
operations, including how they:

- pay little or next to nothing for the water they take from rural springs
or public water systems;
- turn "water" into "water" through elaborate treatment processes;
- produce a product that is not necessarily safer than, nor as regulated as,
tap water;
- package it in plastic bottles made of toxic chemicals that are
environmentally destructive;
- market it to an unsuspecting public as "pure, healthy, safe drinking
water."
- sell it at prices that are hundreds and even thousands of times more
costly than ordinary tap water.

This book also identifies what people can do in their communities to:

- stimulate public awareness and debate about these issues.
- challenge and resist the more exploitive practices of the big-4 bottled
water companies.
- promote the rebuilding of public tap water systems and services.
- develop alternative models of bottled water production that are locally
controlled and ecologically sustainable.

To view a preview of the book check out www.polarisinstitute.org

Cost $15 CDN ($13 USD) plus shipping.

Bulk orders of the book are also available for groups, at cost pricing!
Activists are encouraged to place a bulk order and use the book as an
educational and fund-raising tool for local water campaigns. The book can be
sold at events, put on school reading lists or hosted by independent book
stores --- interested groups keep the sales income to support local water
struggles!

Assistance in promoting the book to your constituency via website links or
notices in your newsletters is appreciated and we can provide copy and
graphics.

Contact insidethebottle@polarisinstitute.org for order details.

Polaris Institute
312 Cooper St
Ottawa, ON
Canada
K2P 0G7
Tel. 613.237.1717

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