Seattle Restaurants Cancel Bottled Water Contracts - Corporate Accountability International - Challenging Abuse, Protecting People - Think Outside the Bottle

SEATTLE— Leading restaurateurs announced plans today at B & O Espresso to cancel bottled water contracts and instead promote the use of Seattle's high-quality tap water. The move is part of a nationwide effort, dubbed “Think Outside the Bottle,” that exposes the environmental and social impacts of bottled water.

“Water is more than just something we pour in a glass,” said Jane Lukata of B & O Espresso. “We rely on water for our food supply and on a clean environment for food quality. So it’s in our restaurant’s and our customers’ best interest to protect the primary resource behind our business. Fortunately, using Seattle's high-quality tap water instead of bottled water also saves our patrons money.”

Bottled water, now a $15 billion industry, began its boom when it appeared on the menus of high-end restaurants. The restaurant industry is now turning back the clock in Seattle, following the example of prominent restaurateurs like Mario Batali (Del Posto) and Alice Waters (Chez Panisse).

Mighty Donuts (2110 North 55^th St) and Portage Bay Cafe (4130 Roosevelt Way NE) also pledged to Think Outside the Bottle.

Their announcement comes just weeks after Mayor Greg Nickels signed an executive ban to stop the city from buying bottled water. In doing so, Mayor Nickels added Seattle to a growing list of cities across the country that have cancelled their bottled water contracts in order to save taxpayer money and reduce waste. Their efforts also counter the bottled water marketing that has eroded confidence in public water systems, even though tap is more highly regulated than bottled water.

“The bottom line is that water is a public trust,” said Mary Rafferty, Seattle Organizer for Corporate Accountability International. “When it is treated as a commodity instead of a shared natural resource, our democracy, health and environment suffers.”

For more information on Think Outside the Bottle, city and restaurant actions across the country, and for facts about bottled water, visit www.ThinkOutsideTheBottle.org.