Final Research Paper: Bottled Water

Lillian Boatwright
Professor McCormick
English 101
May 18, 2010

BLOG #8 AND #9

Drinking Bottled Water is Not the Healthiest Choice

When consumers drink from their favorite bottled water brands, the majority of them are convinced that they are drinking the cleanest, most abundant source on earth. What are the underlying causes for many consumers to jump on the bandwagon for drinking pricey bottled water? The simple fact is that many individuals are daunted by numerous reports from the media that claim our tapped water supply is tainted with all sorts of bacteria and chemicals. Also, the bottled water companies have engaged in an effort to convince consumers that the water in the bottles is purer than tap water. Despite the claims from bottled water companies that drinking water from the bottle is healthier and safer, there are other reports that dispute their statements. In this essay, I will argue that while bottled water is falsely advertised as pure, it is actually less regulated than tap water and this raises health concerns.

Bottled Water Falsely Advertised
Individuals can’t deny that while shopping down the aisles in a grocery store they are inundated with misleading advertisements from the different bottled water brands. The companies for the brand water use clever marketing tactics to persuade consumers into thinking that they are drinking the finest water. They use depicting images, for example, of water cascading down from the mountains of Maine and pristine nature and slogans such as “Pure Water” & “Perfect Taste.” Many consumers have stated that their reason for solely drinking bottled water is health concerns. They say bottled water tastes better than tap water, and that it’s cleaner and safer to drink. Sadly, this is not true when in fact most bottled water is purified tap water. As proven by ABC’s 20/20, where they took several brands of bottled water and a sample of tap water from a fountain in New York City to be tested by a microbiologist of University of New Hampshire for bacteria-e coli, there was actually no difference between the tap water and the bottled water they tested (Stossel 1). 20/20 also stated “One of Aquafina’s sources is the Detroit River!”(Stossel 2). A spokeswoman from Pepsi-Cola, for instance, told CNN that Pepsi’s brand water - Aquafina will change its label on the bottle to, “The Aquafina in this bottle is purified water that originates from a public water source” (Byron 1). Also Nestle, which owns several popular brands such as Deer Park, Perrier, Poland Spring, and Arrowhead, was expected to modify all of their brand labels to “identify the source of the water whether it’s from a municipal supply or ground-water well source” (Byron 2). On the other hand, Coca-Cola which owns Dasani bottled water had no plans to label its product with the origin of its water source. The National Resource Defense Council cited in a 1999 report, “about one-fourth of bottled water is tap water [and by some accounts, as much as 40 percent is derived from tap water]-sometimes with additional treatment, sometimes not” (Bryon 2).

Bottled Water Regulations
Our nation’s food and water supply is regulated by two appointed agencies-The Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is responsible for regulating tap water while the FDA oversees bottled water. Despite the claims from the International Bottled Water Association that bottled water regulations from the FDA are as stringent and protective as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for public water supplies, unfortunately this is not the case. Bottled water for example, is far less frequently tested for bacteria and chemicals than tap water. Moreover, bottled water rules allow the presence of some contaminants such as e coli and fecal coliforms which are prohibited in tap water (Barnett 178). According to The Environmental Working Group who performed a survey, “all but a few bottled-water products don’t list where their bottled water comes from and how it is treated, and publish quality-test reports on their Web sites” (Zhang 2). The U.S. GAO (Government Accountability Office) stated the FDA considers bottled water “low-risk”, assigning only two or three employees to inspect bottling facilities. Although there were violations at the water sites, the agency barely did anything about it (Zhang 2). Also, it’s difficult for the FDA to monitor the quality of bottled water because of the agency’s lack of power and funding. An FDA official, Joshua M. Sharfstein, conceded the FDA has limited power to require more information on labels, and in an effort to gain more authority for food safety, the FDA is pushing for legislation to boost its funding (Zhang 1). With such limited power and funding, the bottled water companies are relishing the gaps in the organization’s regulations.

Health Concerns: Harmful Effects Bisphenol A
The health concerns that are linked to drinking bottled water are staggering. One of the major health issues involved with drinking bottled water is the chemicals used to produce the plastic bottles. Many consumers are not aware of the fact that plastic bottles are composed of fossil fuels and chemicals (Clarke 68). In addition to those chemicals, a chemical called Bisphenol A (BPA) also is used to make polycarbonate plastic. Bishphenol A is generally used in making baby bottles, beverage and food containers. In new studies, there are many concerns about the health risks of BPA that “leach” into beverages (Clarke 68). According to Jack Bend, who is a professor of pathology at the University of Western Ontario in London, stated Bishphenol A is an endocrine disrupter that has an impact on the hormonal system (Austen1). According to new research, young girls who were exposed to high levels of BPA showed to be more aggressive and hyperactive than other kids (Black 1).
In animal studies, BPA was linked to acceleration in puberty and poses a cancer risk in humans (Cullotta 1). Moreover, this chemical has been tied to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes in adults. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, noted “about 93 percent of people in the U.S. have detectable levels of BPA in their urine” (Black 1). Despite all the side effects of BPA in humans, the FDA has no intentions of banning this chemical found in so many products (Cullota 1).
Health Concerns: Bacteria in Bottled Water
The second major health issue is that some bottled water brands are contaminated with bacteria due to their storage life. The bacteria count increases when bottles are shelved for a long period of time. This is not shocking given that the plastic bottles are made with chemicals that leach into the water, along with byproducts of the disinfectants used to clean the water.


FIGURE 1:
Bacterial Growth in Two Bottled Waters



Source: Adapted from P.V. Morais and M.S. Da Costa, "Alterations in the Major Heterotrophic Bacterial Populations Isolated from a Still Bottled Mineral Water," J. Applied Bacteriol, v. 69 pp. 750-757, Figure 1 (1990).

Figure. 1. illustrates how bacteria count can enormously increase when water is stored in a bottle for an extended amount of time (NRDC). The Environmental Working Group (EWG) also has conducted a study where chemicals were present in some bottled waters. Dr.Olga Naidenko, a senior scientist from EWG, states that investigators found that “Samples of the Sam’s Choice water purchased at a San Francisco area Wal-Mart had levels of the disinfection byproducts trihalomethanes that exceeded the California legal limit for these chemicals” (Boyles 1). Some of the contamination found in the water has caused side effects in humans. In the months of August and September of 2000, there had been several cases where three people from Manhattan became seriously ill after drinking contaminated bottled water. The first incident occurred “when a woman felt a burning sensation in her throat and began bleeding from her mouth after drinking a bottle of Perrier water on Aug 3rd at a Manhattan restaurant” (Bumiller 1). After testing the contaminated water, there had been “some type of sodium hydroxide” which was described as a “strong cleaning agent” or a “lye-type agent”(Bumiller 1). The second case happened on August 27th when an older gentleman experienced a burning sensation in his throat after drinking Aquafina bottled water. The police commissioner, Bernard B. Kerik said, “the test on the water showed the presence of ammonia” (Bumiller 1). The third occurrence happened to an 18-month-old infant who appeared to be in pain after her mother gave her Poland Spring bottled water. Testing of the water showed the presence of ammonia.

In conclusion, the bottled water companies are misleading people into thinking that they are drinking a healthy product. The reality is that the majority of brand waters are derived from tap water. Bottled water isn’t the best product because substantial data indicates that it’s less regulated than tap water, and harmful chemicals have been found in the bottled water. Consumers should be more wary before investing in a product that promises better quality.

Word count - 1,719



Works Cited

Austen, Ian. “Canada Likely to Label Plastic Ingredient ‘Toxic’.” The New York
Times.The New York Times, 16 April 2008. Web. 7 May 2010.

Barnett, Sloan. "Green Goes with Everything." New York: Atria Books, 2008.Print

Black, Rosemary. “Bisphenol A, or BPA, Found in Common Plastics,Can Cause
Hyperactivity Aggression in Kids: Study.” Daily News. Daily News, 7 Oct. 2009.Web.7 May 2010.

Boyles, Salynn. “Report: Some Bottled Water Not So Pure.” WebMD. 15 Oct. 2008. WebMD.LLC. Web. 14 April 2010.

Bumiller, Elisabeth. “3 Sickened After Drinking Bottled Water.” New York Times 14 Sept. 2000. B 1 ProQuest. Historical Newspapers. Web. 7 April 2010.

Byron, Katy.“Pepsi says Aquafina is tap water.” CNNMoney.com.Cable NewsNetwork.27 July 2007. Web. 7 April 2010.

Chart 1: “Bacterial Growth in Two Bottled Waters.” Natural Resources Defense Council.1990.Web 7 April 2010. http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/chap3.asp

Clarke,Tony."Inside the Bottle: Exposing the Bottled Water Industry".Ottawa,Ontario: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2007. Print

Cullota, Karen Ann.“Chicago Bans Bottles With BPA Plastic.”The New York Times.The New York Times,13 May 2009. Web. 7 May 2010.

Stossel,John.“Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap?” 20/20.ABC.WABC,New York.6 May 2005. Television.

Zhang, Jane. “Home & Family: More Scrutiny Urged for Bottled Water.”Wall Street Journal 9 July 2009. D 2 ProQuest. Web. 7 April 2010.

BLOG # 7 MY RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Lillian Boatwright
English 101
May 28, 2010
BLOG # 7

MY RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Frustrating experience:
In the beginning of my first research paper, it was somewhat frustrating and time consuming, but at the end of my research journey, it was rewarding. When I first set out to find books about bottled water at LaGuardia’s library, it was frustrating because the library didn’t have any books that pertained to my topic. So the next step for me to do was to go online and search for books about bottled water at another library. I came across The New York Public library which supplied the books I needed for my research paper. I traveled all the way to the city (42nd street on 5th Ave because that was the location that had the books) but to my surprise that branch didn’t carry the books I was looking for, the 34th street branch had the books. After traveling from LaGuardia to the city and walking from 42nd to 34th street, I finally was able to obtain the books about bottled water.

Positive experience:
In doing my first research paper, I found many interesting articles and books that have given me knowledge about the topic I was writing about. I learned so much about bottle water, tap water and the politics behind the whole water industry that felt I confident in writing my first research paper. The library’s media resource center was a very helpful tool in starting my paper. I found the staff to be very helpful and knowledgeable about research papers. I learned how to quote in my paper and how to cite my sources. In addition, I learned about plagiarism and paraphrasing other peoples written work. This experience has taught me how to try different avenues when I can’t find the information that I need. The most useful skill in doing my paper was having access to the school’s library resources such as the computers, staff, and the library’s media center website. The most important thing I need to work on is learning how to manage my time in writing my paper and become a better writer.

Blog # 6 Counter Arguments for Bottled Water

Lillian Boatwright
English 101
May 14, 2010
Blog # 6
Counter Arguments for Bottled Water

Argument # 1

Many consumers have stated that their reason for solely drinking bottled water is for health reasons. They say bottle water taste better than tap water; it’s cleaner, and safer to drink. Unfortunately, this is not true when in fact most bottled water is purified tapped water. For example, ABC/20/20 did a special about “Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap?” They stated, “One of Aquafina’s sources is from the Detroit River!”(Stossel 2). Also, “20/20” had several national bottled water tested by a microbiologist of New Hampshire, and studies revealed that there were no difference between tap water and bottled water.

Argument # 2

Despite the claims from the International Bottled Water Association that bottled water regulations from the FDA are as stringent and protective as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for public water supplies. According to The Environmental Working Group who performed a survey, “all but a few bottled-water products don’t list where their bottled water comes from and how it is treated, and publish quality-test reports on their Web sites” (Zhang 2). The FDA doesn’t have total control of the quality of bottled waters. The U.S. GAO (Government Accountability Office) stated “The FDA considers bottled water low-risk, assigning only two or three employees to inspect bottling facilities.” Although there were violations at the water sites, the agency barely did anything about it. Also, “The Food and Drug Administration, which oversees the $11.2 billion industry, doesn’t keep track of companies that produce bottled water and doesn’t require companies to report positive tests for contaminants, federal officials told a House hearing Wednesday”(Zhang 1).

Super-Sized Americans

Lillian Boatwright
English 101
May 1, 2010
Blog # 5
SUPER-SIZED AMERICANS
One of the main factors that has contribute to the outpouring numbers of American’s weight gain are unhealthy food choices. The documentary movie-“Supersize Me” had demonstrated how fast food establishments such as McDonalds and an overconsumption of poor food choices are the culprit to America’s obesity problem. The movie touched on several, interesting topics.

The Toxic Environment-American’s sudden weight gain didn’t happen overnight. We live in an environment where we have easy access to constant fat laden foods that are sold at gas stations, vending machines and fast food restaurants.

The Impact- American’s obesity crisis has been linked to many health problems such as hypertension, stroke, respiratory problems, colon cancer, and onset of diabetes. One of the ice-cream kings Burt Baskin,who pioneered Baskin Robins,died of a heart attack at an early age. John Robbins, the nephew of Burt Baskin, believed there was a link between his uncle death and the amount of ice-cream he ate. Also, Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream had a quintuple by-pass surgery at an early age.

Fast Food Advertisement- Television is one of the many tools where food companies advertise their products. McDonald’s alone spent 1.4 billion dollars on advertisement cost worldwide in 2001. Pepsi spent over a billion dollars, and Hershey’s Food spent nearly under 200 million dollars. Unfortunately, the campaign for fruits and vegetables merely spent 2 million dollars. Many young children are targets of the food companies that heavily advertise their products such as sugar cereals, soft drinks, fast food and candy. All of the children who were shown a picture of Ronald McDonald, they all knew he was associated with McDonalds.

Nutrition- When consumers are out-and-about, it’s hard to know what they’re eating. Many of the nutrition information for fast food establishments are not readily available for customers. For example, many of the McDonalds located in Manhattan didn’t have a nutritional fact sheet available for their customers. The nutritional fact sheet was either in the basement or hidden behind an advertisement billboard. The students, who attended Madison Junior High in Illinois, were served foods that didn’t have any nutritional value. Their food lunches consisted of French fries, mozzarella sticks, cookies, and Gatorade drinks. At Park Middle School in West Virginia, the students were served reheated and reconstituted package foods. Some of their meals were high in calories, cholesterol and sodium.

The Final Result- Morgan Spurlock, who underwent a 30-day experiment of solely eating a McDonald diet, had proved eating fast foods was unhealthy. During his 30-day experiment, he experienced nausea, mood swings, and chest pains. He nearly gained 25 pounds, his liver turned into fat, his cholesterol shot from 165 to 230, and his body fat went from 11 % to 18%. He caused damage to his heart, liver and blood.

In my conclusion, Americans didn’t become obese overnight. We have our genetics working against us as well as making poor food choices. Yes, Fast Food establishments are all around us and they are here to stay, but it’s up to each individual to make the right choices. I can attest to my weight gain which didn’t happen overnight. I had eaten at several fast food restaurants and over indulged in the fat laden foods such as potato chips, cookies, cakes, and fried foods. I also didn’t exercise, which also didn’t help, and sooner than I knew it; I was tipping the scale. Due to my weight gain, I felt lethargic and uncomfortable. In the past couple of months, I had changed my eating habits by eliminating fast food restaurants from my diet, and eating less of the fat laden foods, and started walking often. My foods now consist of baked, chicken, fish, beans, raw nuts, salads, and a natural protein smoothie. In my journey, I have lost 25 pounds. I still have more to accomplish, but it’s a start to a better health.

Revision Letter- Blog # 4

My research paper was about bottled water- "Drinking Bottled Water is Not the Healthiest Choice"
The topics that I discussed in my paper were false advertisement, less regulated, and health concerns. In my research paper, I didn't discuss on the topic Bisphenol A (BPA) which is a chemical that leach into bottled water. My next revised paper, I will focus on several topics:

1. The materical that is used to make plastic bottles such as polycarbonate.
2. How polycarbonate leach BPA into the liquid of bottled water.
3. Describe what is BPA.
4. How BPA affects humans.
5. The government stance on BPA.

Research Paper-Bottled Water Woes

Lillian Boatwright
English 101
April 1, 2010
Blog # 3
My research paper is about the bottled water industry: It’s costly, raises health concerns and the effects on the environment.
What is the underlying cause for many Americans to jump on the bandwagon of drinking bottled water? The simple fact is that many individuals are daunted by the numerous reports that claim a host of bacteria and chemicals are in the water supply. Although there is much debate about how the water supply is tainted with harmful chemicals, there are many claims that drinking bottled water isn’t the solution. For one reason, the cost of drinking bottled water drains the consumers’ wallet. The second reason, it raises health concerns. Lastly, it has an effect on the environment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72MCumz5lq4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saSgpX186MM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGd9D4J0lag

First, everyone has a right to clean drinking water, but many individuals are spending way too much money for fancy named bottled waters that depicts images of water cascading down from streams in Maine. According to the documentary movie -Tapped (www.tappedthemovie.com), “the bottled water industry brought in $11.5 billion business in 2007 and, Americans buy 29 billion single- serve bottles of water every year.” It was reported also by CNN news, a trailer on
YouTube-CNN: Most Bottled Water is Tapped, that many consumers weren’t aware that their chic bottled water they were drinking such as Desani and Aquafina were simply tapped water. Basically, both PepsiCo’s Aquafina bottled water and Coca-Cola’s Desani water were purified public tapped water placed in a fancy bottled. Importantly, consumers were spending money for pricey bottled water in reality they could have drank tapped water for free.
Second, most of the bottled waters that individuals have been drinking raised major health concerns. “One third of the bottled water brands that was tested revealed harmful substance for example arsenic, organic chemicals and, a variety of bacteria”, according to a documentary movie-Flow directed by Irena Salina. Another major health concern is a chemical called Bisphenol A (BPA) which is in the plastic and this chemical leaches into the water. This chemical is noted as an endocrine disrupter which can cause havoc in the human bodies. Some studies suggested BPA’s side effect range from uterine and breast cancer in women and, a decreased level of testerone levels in men.
Lastly, the effects of the bottled water industry had a major impacted on the environment. Air pollution is one of the effects the water bottled industry have created when transporting different brands of water into the country. Some of the water companies, such as Nestle who owns Poland Spring, Deer Park, Perrier and Arrowhead bottled water, have water traveling from other states. For instance Ohio,Florida,Miami, Connecticut, and Maine. Also, most of the plastic bottles are found in the ocean hurting our food supplies.

Blog # 2- Eating Healthy on a Limited Budget

Lillian Boatwright
English 101

There are many health conscientious people who are looking for ways to eat healthier, but go into despair because of their limited budget. This kind of mindset can hinder them from achieving this goal of a healthier lifestyle. Despite one’s economical status, there are still several ways individuals can afford the healthier food groups they yearn to have. The first plan consumers should consider is to budget. The next would be for individuals to shop at different supermarkets for bargains. Lastly, consumers should plan their meals.

Budgeting would be the most challenging part of this plan because people would probably think, “There goes my lifestyle of fun and entertainment”. This goal is to consider where people can nip-tuck in certain areas to free-up extra cash to have for that enjoyable healthy lifestyle. One way to cut back on spending and have extra funds to eat healthy is to spend smart. People should consider shopping at exclusive neighborhood’s thrift shops. These shops carry an array of items such as shoes, clothing, purses, jewelry, accessories, and furniture. The items sold in these stores are amazingly priced for a bargaining deal, and some of the items are new. By shopping at the thrift shops, people can save extra money and make use of it for buying healthy foods.

The next plan would involve individuals to shop around at different supermarkets for bargains. There are many supermarkets people can shop at and save money. If some people are considering only interested in organic foods, they should try going to WholeFoods, or a Farmer’s Market. The prices may be expensive, but shopping around for a better deal will save people money in the long run. Supermarkets also have coupons in their flyers which consumers can save extra funds. Consumers can search online to find website that also offer additional coupons. This will free up extra cash for consumers to buy the foods that they like without feeling restrictive.

Lastly, people should plan their meals. Individuals should list the different types of food groups they like. When considering buying fruits, organic does not always have to be the first choice. People who are concerned about pesticides should eat fruits with a thicker peel and safe to eat such as pineapples, grapefruits, oranges, tangerines, and watermelons, kiwi, and papaya. Consumers can search also online to find out which food groups they don’t have to purchase organic. People who eat chicken, fish, and red meat may want to consider buying organic. If an individual is a meat eater, they should consider consuming four to five days a week and the next two days fruits and vegetables.

People can enjoy eating healthier regardless of their income. The most important part in achieving this lifestyle is to set realistic goals. Individuals should know their budget, bargain hunt for sales at the supermarkets and make a list of the foods they enjoy eating. Money should not be an issue for not eating healthy. Consumers will benefit at the end.