Tuesday links

NRDC's bottled water report
Bottled water is a real hot button issue.
Advocates swear it's safer than tap water, plastic bottle be damned.
Greenies often object to moving water from its source, filling the landfills with plastic bottles and drinking water that may have been contaminated by its very container.
The National Resources Defense Council summarizes some of the facts and, more importantly, has an extended report, "Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Hype." It's from 1999, but the facts still ring true. (The main summary page, linked at the top of this entry was last updated in April.) The group tested bottled water and found disturbing contaminants, making them petition the FDA for more stringent bottled-water testing.
How stringent? Well, as safe as tap water would be nice.
Essentially, your Evian bottle could have bacteria and arsenic in it that would get your local water plant shut down.
Bottled water doesn't have to be disinfected, doesn't have to be free of E. Coli or pathogens or viruses or have limited amounts of asbestos or phthalates. And they don't have to tell the government or customers about contamination or contents.
But tap water is held to much higher standards.
To see a complete comparison of the rules, visit the NRDC's chart.
I'm taking my chances with tasty tap water, thank you very much.