After watching Tapped, I’m really glad I’ve stopped buying bottled water. The very beginning introduced me to the term “water mining.” Mining typically has negative connotations—and mining water is no different. Surface water belongs to the state it’s in, but the water running underground belongs to whoever has the biggest drill; this is known as absolute dominion. So in Fryeburg, ME, Poland Spring, owned by Nestle (yes, chocolate Nestle does water, too!) can bottle water and sell it to people in ME unregulated by the FDA and for up to 1900 times the price of tap water. The movie begins with the anecdote of Fryeburg and takes the viewer into the problems of plastic, trash, marketing, and the FDA. Shocking statistics are paired with saddening photos: e.g. 50% of the world recycles its water bottles while only 20% of the United States recycles its bottles, paired with the image of ocean water that has become plastic soup due to littering. We are really left with the problem of money or time/convenience. Bottled water is such an easy thing; it’s right there, whenever you want it, and it’s throwaway. But it’s ridiculously expensive and completely unregulated. People drink bottled water because they’re afraid of what’s in their taps when really tap water is tested up to 300 times a day and all the findings are open to the public. Bottled water is rarely, if ever, tested and when it is tested it’s done by scientists hired and paid off by the industries themselves. Last April, I bought an aluminum water bottle from TTF for $20 and since then have been getting my still-cold, still-refreshing water from taps and fountains for free. Think about how much money you spend on water bottles in a year. Think about where that water came from. Is buying that water bottle really better for you? Not according to this movie, or to me.
Buy the movie here: Tapped
