Bottled Water Still For Sale in 2023?
January 17, 2023
Water Watchers volunteer and StopPlastics’ ally makes the case against bottled water in a letter to the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). Let’s see how they respond.
Hello CAA,
Although I spoke with a customer service rep late December, I also wanted to write my own email to express my concern. Please pass along this email to others on the Board and the Community Relations Committee: Brenda Rideout, Janet LaFortune, Sheila Kingston
They may not be part of the Southern Ontario Club of the CAA Federation, but perhaps this is an issue at other clubs as well. Sometimes Board Members need to be aware of the overall CAA image being projected and appreciate that times are changing. Having a position of leadership means to think hard about what kind of future we are leaving our children/grandchildren.
Over the holidays I attended Fisherman’s Friends at the Royal Alexandra theater in Toronto. I loved the show and just being in this beautiful theatre. I was disappointed however, when I noticed that the CAA Lounge sells bottled water. This seems inconsistent with the sustainability goals of the CAA! I’m sure there is a decent profit margin, but sometimes we have to just say, “No” to money, in return for leaving a brighter legacy behind. There is room for every company/corporation to be leaders in our communities and stop encouraging the privatization of our freshwater resources. It’s not fair that during our lifetime, we trash the planet and then once our time is up leave so many problems for our children to clean up, climate change will make their lives difficult enough.
It was even more upsetting to me when I realized that the bottled water being sold was Eska or Fiji. Please be aware that Fiji water is pumped from aquifers in Fiji, South Pacific and transported to Toronto for sale!!! Does this make sense? It’s a distance of 12,345 km! Eska water comes from St-Mathieu, Quebec a distance of 574 km. Toronto has excellent tasting tap water, it’s tested at least six times a day (over 6,000 times/year) and the CAA should be proud of this!
Please understand that taking bottled water from distant aquifers, packaging it in single use, single serving plastic bottles and shipping it by boat and/or truck to Toronto has multiple environmental and privatization consequences. I live in Guelph, Ontario where our precious groundwater is pumped and bottled by an American private equity fund! This is another reason for my concern. Not long ago Nestle’s Water Canada, now Blue Triton Waters, outbid the Township of Centre Wellington for a well to add to their portfolio, putting the future of Elora andFergus’ freshwater resources in jeopardy.
I am a member of the CAA and also volunteer for the Water Watchers which campaigns against bottled water. I love the CAA and have memberships for my children as well, but I also love and respect water. Pumping and bottling water for use for a few moments and leaving plastic behind for hundreds of years is irresponsible. I know some believe it’s ok, we are recycling all this wasted plastic. If you are someone of this mind, you have some recycling homework to do.
I am writing to ask that you either request that the Royal Alexandra theater stop selling bottled water in the CAA lounge, or that CAA terminate its sponsorship with the Royal Alexandra theatre.
I look forward to hearing from you.
With all due respect,
K.
Water for Life, Not Profit