Triumphrat

LoVel · 07-02-2007, 12:13 PM

Has anyone else ever been concerned with all of the half empty bottles of water that are thrown into the garbage with the cap on them. From what I understand these are non biodegradable bottles that are taken to a dump and buried under the ground.

I have always understood that water is not an endless resource. I know the supply of water on the planet is enormous but with millions of gallons a year being buried in land fills in plastic bottles it's only a matter of time before there is not enough water on the planet to support life as we know it.

Yes I understand how the water cycle works but this doesn't give the water a chance to escape back into the ground or the air. Does this concern anyone else or should I not worry about the future of a planet since myself and my children will be long dead before this has any major effect?

[ This message was edited by: LoVel on 2007-07-02 10:14 ]

mdgore · 07-02-2007, 02:36 PM

I live in Santa Barbara county CA. The city of Santa Barbara has just banned bottled water for all city dept., a step ahead of San Francisco, who is doing the same, for reasons stated above. SoCal is experiencing its worst year of drought since records have been kept, 130 years. The LA basin is home to 18 million people with local water reserves able to sustain 3 million, the rest is brought to the basin by 3 aqueducts. Some droughts in this area can last up to 10 years.

I myself use filtered water and do not buy bottled water except as a last resort. Get yourself a few containers that do not leach chemicals into the water it's holding so that you can take water along with you where ever you go, and use a filtration system or a water cooler in your home. Buying water in bottles is a very stupid and shortsighted method to get your needed daily supply of water.

I could go on, but I'm starting to bore myself.

[ This message was edited by: mdgore on 2007-07-02 12:37 ]

decobike · 07-02-2007, 03:13 PM

Lovel
First of all your concern is really admirable. As for the world supply of water being enormous well, I can look out of my upstairs window and see Lake Superior, lot a water there. But the American southwest is experiencing a dought and could probably suck that lake dry in a matter of months. Some of the nations mayors are also concerned about the amount of plastic water bottles being put into the landfills and are proposing the promotion of tap water and use of refillable water bottles. That's about all I will say on this. For me water resources is an urgent and hot issue and I've already been responsible for having a thread locked on another topic unrelated to motorcycles as is this. This is going to be a major concern internationally within the next 10 years.

brolane · 07-02-2007, 03:23 PM

Some of the basic truths come from comedians who make us laugh at ourselves. Jerry Seinfeld said that two-thirds of the earth is covered with water. It is our most plentiful resource, but we are now paying a dollar a bottle for it.

I have plastic bottles that I fill with almost frozen water, put them in an insulated pack and rehydrate about every hour. Drinking bottled water is not only expensive and wasteful, it's really kinda dumb. I cannot believe it has become fashionable.

LoVel · 07-02-2007, 05:22 PM

I am glad to see this is a concern in other areas. I have never heard it mentioned in Alabama. Any time is see someone throwing away a water bottle full of water I ask them to pour it out because it will be trapped in that bottle in a land fill forever and I get this look kinda like when a dog watches TV.

I do drink some bottled water but I always pour out anything that is left before I trash the bottle.

I know plastic sucks also but that is another issue all together.

[ This message was edited by: LoVel on 2007-07-02 15:23 ]

airguy · 07-02-2007, 05:56 PM

Ya see, it is all a diabolical plot of the political elite. They keep pumping gas into the atmosphere to create a warming globe. Simultaneously, selling bottled water to the masses with the foreknowledge that the masses would waste this resource and throw capped water into the landfills. The guarantee of wealth for their future generations guaranteed by the water mines at centuries old landfills when all the oceans dry up. Simply brilliant I tell ya'.

Ok, can we be serious now? Gimme a BREAK!
(Insert photo of Airguy hugging a tree)

Normandy · 07-02-2007, 05:57 PM

Really two issues here, the water situation and the landfill populated with bottles.
Imagine a world where all the oil and mineral mining equipment globally being used to extract and filter the earth to find the water bottle dredges that we throw out today :-D

steventhechef · 07-02-2007, 06:22 PM

Good post Lovel.

I am concerned at the level of water wastage on our planet, especially hitting home here in Oz at the moment.

There are some areas in Australia that are suffering with floods at the moment but other areas that are still in the grip of a severe drought.

I have just sold the last of my herd of cattle as we have no grass and can't afford to buy the hay to feed them.

This is our dry period in winter and no "major" rain is due until November / December.

Water wastage has always been a bug bear for me personally. People hosing down their driveways, letting the tap run when they clean their teeth, over watering their precious gardens..

We are currently on level 5 water restrictions (it should have happened a long time ago IMO) where you are not permitted to water your garden - except by bucket and there are $ incentives to fit water tanks, water efficient shower heads, dual flush toilets etc from the govt.

Now they are rushing to get recycled water back into the system to cope with the high demands for this precious and valuable resource.

I have just invested in water stocks (companies that deal with water infrastructure) for this reason..

FWIW we rely solely on tank water for all of our needs and do not have a connection to the main water system.

:hammer:

Don't get me started about landfill and pollution..

[ This message was edited by: steventhechef on 2007-07-02 16:23 ]

superfour · 07-02-2007, 06:50 PM

Anybody thought about the other half of the bottle?A half a pint or more of air in every bottle.Me I empty the bottle and squash it before doing up the lid.

Tbirdnz · 07-02-2007, 07:02 PM

Pretty tough that Steven having to sell your cattle under duress. Prices are generally very poor in those circumstances.

We've just had 38mm rain over the past 3 days, don't want anymore just yet, nice sunny day today (Tuesday morning)and will shortly be going for a ride.

Water companies appear to be doing very well, or at least the councils that are running them are, I believe here water rates in city areas is going up 16%. Not for me, I too am not on the mains supply and collect my own, at the moment I've got 115,000 litres, the tanks are full and overflowing and my dam for the stock is 3/4's full. July is probably our wettest month so there's more to come.

Biggest problem in the world is not so much a shortage of water but the means to collect it. Householders in suburban areas should definitely have their own tanks. Water rates soon will make that very economical, which in turn places less reliance on the mains supply. Don't sell your shares yet, when waters cheap people just waste it.

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Ride on !