Town in Australia bans... water!

[Jeremy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8141569.stm

Australia town bans bottled water

A rural town in Australia has voted overwhelmingly to ban the sale of bottled water over concerns about its environmental impact.

Campaigners say Bundanoon, in New South Wales, may be the first community in the world to have such a ban.

They say huge amounts of resources are used to extract, package and transport bottled water.

The discarded plastic bottles then end up as litter or go into landfill sites, the "Bundy on Tap" campaign says.

More than 350 residents turned out to vote at the public meeting in the town hall.

Only one resident voted against the ban, along with a representative from the bottled water industry, ABC news reported.

The BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney says locals have promised not to set upon visitors if they ignore the ban, but they will be encouraged to fill a reusable container from water fountains in the main street.

The reusable bottles will bear the slogan "Bundy on Tap".

Campaigner John Dee said local opinion had been incensed when a drinks company announced plans to tap an underground reservoir in the town.

Environmental impact

"The company has been looking to extract water locally, bottle it in Sydney and bring it back here to sell it," he said.

"It made people look at the environmental impact of bottled water and the community has been quite vocal about it."

The ban has been supported by shopkeepers in the town, which has a population of about 2,500.

"We believe Bundanoon is the world's first town that has got its retailers to ban bottled water," said Mr Dee. "We haven't found it anywhere else."

New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees has backed the cause, ordering government departments to stop buying bottled water and use tap water instead.

Mr Rees says it will save taxpayers money and help the environment.

 

[djman900]

awww tht sucks

 

[Shade]

Oh..... I'm drinking bottled water right now

 

[Trent the Paladin]

I'll be sure to visit with tons of Bottled Water.

 

[technoxmaniac]

Wow. Poor them.

 

[ipodawesum]

hahahahahahaha the only funny thing is that the bottom of page ad is for fiji bottled water!
ahahaha!

 

[melly]

Interesting that they would do that, it kinda makes the economy drop
1.) water companies make less
2.) Druckers don't deliver water
3.) no more portable water
no good, atleast enforce less plastic use in the bottles

 

[FITZEH]

Wow poor them! :0

 

[Jarv156]

I'll be sure to visit with tons of Bottled Water.

They've only banned selling bottled water, they won't care that you bring in bottled water.

 

[Nigel]

uh oh

 

[JJH]

I find it amusing how people are saying "Poor them" like they didn't want this, when the article says only one person voted against it.

And I guarantee that person is now the most hated man in that town.

 

[melly]

well, atleast they don't have to worry about litter
but what about other litters,like plastic bags ? or chip bags O.O

 

[fitzy]

That's odd...

 

[Conor]

Too bad they don't make canned water.

 

[Gnome]

Too bad they don't make canned water.

Yeah the do, it's called De ja Blue, look it up.

 

[DarthGohan1]

That is awesome! Good for them... I wish more local governments would do the same. Don't get me wrong... there are times when bottled watter is just too convenient to not drink... but there are also a lot of times where people could easily refill a reusable bottle and use it for a long time, save money, and be drinking tap water which is better for you than bottled water, anyway. For example - in school. For every 10 people I see drinking bottled water, there's 1 with a reusable water container... which makes no sense at all, and like the article says, is horrible for the environment. For normal every day activities, such as going to school or work, there should be more encouragement to just use a water bottle, not bottled water.

 

[John102]

That is awesome! Good for them... I wish more local governments would do the same. Don't get me wrong... there are times when bottled watter is just too convenient to not drink... but there are also a lot of times where people could easily refill a reusable bottle and use it for a long time, save money, and be drinking tap water which is better for you than bottled water, anyway. For example - in school. For every 10 people I see drinking bottled water, there's 1 with a reusable water container... which makes no sense at all, and like the article says, is horrible for the environment. For normal every day activities, such as going to school or work, there should be more encouragement to just use a water bottle, not bottled water.

plastic bottles of water can be reused too.....

 

[DarthGohan1]

That is awesome! Good for them... I wish more local governments would do the same. Don't get me wrong... there are times when bottled watter is just too convenient to not drink... but there are also a lot of times where people could easily refill a reusable bottle and use it for a long time, save money, and be drinking tap water which is better for you than bottled water, anyway. For example - in school. For every 10 people I see drinking bottled water, there's 1 with a reusable water container... which makes no sense at all, and like the article says, is horrible for the environment. For normal every day activities, such as going to school or work, there should be more encouragement to just use a water bottle, not bottled water.

plastic bottles of water can be reused too.....

For a week, 2 max. A reusable bottle for water can be used for years.

 

[Conor]

Too bad they don't make canned water.

Yeah the do, it's called De ja Blue, look it up.

I did not know that
:huh:

 

[John102]

That is awesome! Good for them... I wish more local governments would do the same. Don't get me wrong... there are times when bottled watter is just too convenient to not drink... but there are also a lot of times where people could easily refill a reusable bottle and use it for a long time, save money, and be drinking tap water which is better for you than bottled water, anyway. For example - in school. For every 10 people I see drinking bottled water, there's 1 with a reusable water container... which makes no sense at all, and like the article says, is horrible for the environment. For normal every day activities, such as going to school or work, there should be more encouragement to just use a water bottle, not bottled water.

plastic bottles of water can be reused too.....

For a week, 2 max. A reusable bottle for water can be used for years.

What if you were in the middle of that town on a hot summer's day, and you didn't bring your water bottle? What would you do? Ask for someone else's? eww, unsanitary.