Bottled water banned by city
London has gained international recognition for being the first Canadian City to ban single-use bottled water in all of its municipal facilities, starting immediately in three main buildings.
The ban on bottled water will be extended to all other locations within a year once adequate drinking fountains are installed.
The London chapter of the Council of Canadians (CoC) is applauding the decision made by city council in a landslide vote August 18 of 16-3. They are now calling on all cities across the country to follow suit and enact similar bans.
“This decision represents a most positive step, the first of many, towards a future of sustainability. Our new fountains will represent a city re-designing itself for our citizens and future generations rather than a city shaped by industry,” said Cory Morningstar, chair of the London Chapter of the Council of Canadians, who played a leading role in the campaign to secure the bottled water ban in London.
“We believe this decision will inspire cities across Canada and across the world to not only recognize water as a basic human right not to be commodified, but to take back and embrace the tap,” added Morningstar.
Activists of the London chapter of the Council of Canadians who played a key role in achieving the victory are now issuing a challenge to the John Labatt's Centre and other large local facilities such as Fanshawe College and the University of Western Ontario to show leadership and environmental stewardship by announcing a voluntary discontinuation of the purchase and sale of single use bottled water.
The bottled water ban faced stiff opposition from corporations such as Nestle, who argued that if bottled water wasn't available consumers would simply choose an unhealthy alternative such as soft drinks.
Nestle Waters Canada President, Gail Cosman denounced the decision stating, “let's focus on actions that will increase both recycling behaviours and healthy water consumption, rather than eliminate the healthiest bottled beverage option available to consumers.”
In response to Nestle, Krista Sawchuck, the chairperson of the health protection committee of the London chapter CoC, fired back.
“Tap water is a clean, healthy and safe alternative to bottled water, and it can be accessed without the use of wasteful packaging,” Sawchuck said. “Rather than creating waste to be recycled, people should engage more readily and regularly in a practice called ‘precycling.'
According to Sawchuck, precycling is the “practice of reducing waste by attempting to avoid bringing into the home, or business items that generate waste.”
Sawchuck and Morningstar understand that this is a symbolic victory representing a shift towards a sustainable future, yet they acknowledge that the work has just begun.
Last year alone, nearly 100 billion litres of bottled water were sold around the world, most of it in non-renewable plastic.
The ban on bottled water will be extended to all other locations within a year once adequate drinking fountains are installed.
The London chapter of the Council of Canadians (CoC) is applauding the decision made by city council in a landslide vote August 18 of 16-3. They are now calling on all cities across the country to follow suit and enact similar bans.
“This decision represents a most positive step, the first of many, towards a future of sustainability. Our new fountains will represent a city re-designing itself for our citizens and future generations rather than a city shaped by industry,” said Cory Morningstar, chair of the London Chapter of the Council of Canadians, who played a leading role in the campaign to secure the bottled water ban in London.
“We believe this decision will inspire cities across Canada and across the world to not only recognize water as a basic human right not to be commodified, but to take back and embrace the tap,” added Morningstar.
Activists of the London chapter of the Council of Canadians who played a key role in achieving the victory are now issuing a challenge to the John Labatt's Centre and other large local facilities such as Fanshawe College and the University of Western Ontario to show leadership and environmental stewardship by announcing a voluntary discontinuation of the purchase and sale of single use bottled water.
The bottled water ban faced stiff opposition from corporations such as Nestle, who argued that if bottled water wasn't available consumers would simply choose an unhealthy alternative such as soft drinks.
Nestle Waters Canada President, Gail Cosman denounced the decision stating, “let's focus on actions that will increase both recycling behaviours and healthy water consumption, rather than eliminate the healthiest bottled beverage option available to consumers.”
In response to Nestle, Krista Sawchuck, the chairperson of the health protection committee of the London chapter CoC, fired back.
“Tap water is a clean, healthy and safe alternative to bottled water, and it can be accessed without the use of wasteful packaging,” Sawchuck said. “Rather than creating waste to be recycled, people should engage more readily and regularly in a practice called ‘precycling.'
According to Sawchuck, precycling is the “practice of reducing waste by attempting to avoid bringing into the home, or business items that generate waste.”
Sawchuck and Morningstar understand that this is a symbolic victory representing a shift towards a sustainable future, yet they acknowledge that the work has just begun.
Last year alone, nearly 100 billion litres of bottled water were sold around the world, most of it in non-renewable plastic.
