An Oregon County Shuns the Bottle
Multnomah County, Oregon, which includes the city of Portland, took back the tap by passing a resolution prohibiting the purchase of bottled water with county funds. Members of the Multnomah Country Board of Commissioners were unanimous in their decision to ban the bottle. The county even joined Food & Water Watch’s national campaign to Take Back the Tap.

Members of the Multnomah Country Board of Commissioners voted unanimously against the bottle to save money and the environment. The county also joined Food & Water Watch’s national campaign to Take Back the Tap.
Commissioner Barbara Willer, who led the effort, was motivated by a desire to see the county save money and to protect the environment from unwanted waste and pollution. She punched her point home by reminding people just how costly bottled water can be when she said, “Buying bottled water is more expensive than buying gas.”
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Another Round in the Battle Against the Bottle
CNBC’s Power Lunch provided a forum today for yet another debate on the subject of bottled water versus the tap, following a special segment called Liquid Assets. Food & Water Watch Senior Legislative and Policy Analyst Mitch Jones squared off against International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) President and CEO Joe Doss in front of program hosts Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, Sue Herera and Tyler Mathisen.

Food & Water Watch Senior Legislative and Policy Analyst Mitch Jones squares off against International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) President and CEO Joe Doss on CNBC’s Power Lunch. In our opinion, Jones wins.
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The Real Dumb Story of Bottled Water and the Lying Liars Who Tell It (Sorry Al Franken)
The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), the public relations arm of the bottled beverage industry, is taking another shot at controlling the message about water. This time, they point to a succession of overturned bans on bottled water to try to convince people that consumers are changing their minds about buying their “products,” the same product that is available without extra packaging from your tap at home.
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Virginia Falls Off the Wagon
Last week, among government workers of the commonwealth of Virginia, the hot topic around the water cooler is most certainly the water cooler itself. Governor Bob McDonnell proudly defied one critical portion of former Governor Timothy M. Kaine’s plan to “green” Virginia by reversing Kaine’s ban on bottled water. (GULP!) One step forward, two steps back. At a time when many cities across the country are moving forward by reconsidering their relationship with bottled water, McDonnell wants to move all of Virginia backward. Virginia is a bottle-aholic.
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The Ban Heard 'Round the World
Concord, Mass could end up sparking another shot heard around the world. Well, maybe not a shot – more like a court decision. The town is in the middle of a huge debate over whether or not it’s legal to ban the sale of bottled water there. At the heart of the issue sits 82-year-old Jean Hill: resident, grandmother, jam maker, and water activist, though she’s no ordinary water activist. She doesn’t even drink that much water, but she knows a sham when she sees one.
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