RELEASE: 50+ Boston area businesses call on governor to buck the bottle

For Immediate Release:
August 31, 2011

Contact:
Christine Chester, 617-695-2525
Ruby Bolaria, 857-413-6428

BOSTON, MA – Today over 50 Boston area businesses announced their commitment to go bottled water-free. The announcement is part of a statewide initiative to encourage Governor Patrick to cut state spending on bottled water and continue to reinvest in Massachusetts’s public water systems.

With public water systems nationally facing an annual $23 billion investment shortfall, Governor Patrick has been a national leader in closing the gap. As recently as 2010, the governor committed $185 million to expand, repair and fortify the state’s water infrastructure. But in the last fiscal year alone, the governor’s executive branch spent almost $450,000 on bottled water.

Local businesses and public interest organizations say this spending sends a mixed message. Not only do Boston and Massachusetts tap water rank very well nationally in terms of quality, U.S. tap water is more highly regulated than its counterpart in the bottle. Yet taxpayer dollars during troubled economic times are being squandered on the poster child for conspicuous consumption – bottled water. 

“Government should be spending scarce public dollars on projects that provide vital public services and grow the economy at large, not just the bottom line for a handful of private corporations,” said Think Outside the Bottle Director Kristin Urquiza of Boston-based Corporate Accountability International – the organization leading the state initiative. “To this end, investment in public water is one of the wisest investments the state can make.”

Every dollar spent on public water systems adds $9 to the national economy and creates needed green jobs.  In contrast, bottled water is a drain – for example, each year cities and states pay at least $42 million to dispose of plastic water bottles. That’s why more than 140 cities and five states have already taken similar steps largely in response to similar initiatives by Corporate Accountability International and its small business partners.

State and local governments have invested in bottled water alternatives, such as reusable water bottles, refurbished water fountains, and bottle-less cooler water stations to cut waste and guarantee staff have access to quality tap water. More importantly, these public officials have used their actions as a platform to rebuild public confidence in the tap and reinvest in the nation’s most vital public service.

“As a leader in pioneering and supporting policies that benefit and protect the public and environmental well-being, it is important that Massachusetts sets an example for the rest of the nation by supporting policies that strengthen our public water systems, and encourage use of public water versus bottled water,” explained Jeff Barry, founder of Boston Organics. “Bottled water has many direct and indirect costs to both the environment and general public that are associated with its transportation, distribution, and production of the plastic for the water bottles, as well as the cost of the water itself.”

Boston Organics and the other 52 establishments participating in the bottled-water free Massachusetts initiative are listed here. Initiative supporters range from restaurants like Bella Luna in Jamaica Plain to bakeries like 7ate9 in Winchester, and include Boston area institutions like Newton South High School and Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School of Government. Corporate Accountability International and representatives from these establishments, along with Henrietta Davis, Vice Mayor of Cambridge, delivered a letter from all 53 establishments to the governor’s office today.

“I encourage Governor Patrick to lead the Commonwealth towards eliminating tax payer dollars being spent on plastic water bottles,” stated Jim Solomon, chef and owner of The Fireplace. At a time when we want to reduce our carbon footprint and decrease land-fill waste, the opportunity exists to make positive change.”

Corporate Accountability International (formerly Infact) is a Boston-based membership organization that has, for the last 35 years, successfully advanced campaigns protecting health, the environment and human rights. Think Outside the Bottle is Corporate Accountability International’s national campaign to promote, protect and ensure public funding for the nation’s public water systems. 

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Click here to tell Governor Patrick to Think Outside the Bottle!

Additional quotes from bottled water free establishments:

John Pell, owner of Matt Murphy’s Pub, Brookline: 

Drinking bottled water is analogous to driving a car even though good, reliable, safe and inexpensive public transportation is readily available.  We are fortunate enough to live in a country that has potable water just about everywhere and for the long term environmental health of our planet, it’s important to utilize it in as simple and direct way as we can. Our fine state government should set the example for us all and utilize the delicious Massachusetts public water supply and budget the saved funds for a campaign to lead us all in the same direction.

Jim Solomon, chef and owner of The Fireplace, Brookline: 

At The Fireplace we stopped serving water bottles two years ago.  I encourage Governor Patrick to lead the Commonwealth towards eliminating tax payer dollars being spent on plastic water bottles. At a time when we want to reduce our carbon footprint and decrease land-fill waste, the opportunity exists to make positive change.  Mr. Governor please re-direct those dollars to investment in our public water system, green jobs and the type of ecological stewardship that I know you endorse. Massachusetts has always had exceptional water.  The state now needs Governor Patrick’s strong leadership to direct scarce resources away from a system which maintains use of plastic water bottles, overcrowds land-fills and demands carbon dioxide and rather invest in our public water system.

Sarah-Beth Chester, owner of 7ate9 Bakery, Winchester:

Over the last 30 years, the bottled water industry has manufactured demand for an essential resource that already flows from our taps. Bottled water costs hundreds or thousands of times more than tap water, and nearly 8 out of 10 plastic bottles are burnt or tossed into landfills, polluting the air, overflowing landfills and contributing to water pollution. As a local business interested in sustainability, I support our public water system-- I don’t want to contribute to the millions of plastic bottles that needlessly wind-up in landfills, as roadside litter, and in our oceans.

Larry Slotnick, co-founder of Taza Chocolate, Somerville:

Supporting "Think Outside The Bottle" was a natural for Taza Chocolate since we strive to create a workplace that gives employees solid alternatives to needing to use or purchase single-serve containers. This includes three water coolers plumbed with City of Somerville water, and a full kitchen with glassware and a dishwsher.

Andy Husbands, chef and owner Tremont 647 and Sister Sorel, Boston:

Sustainability is part of the mission of Andy Husbands' Tremont 647, we feel that taking steps to be green is important to our guests, neighbors, community and all of the staff at Tremont 647. Along with recycling lowering our bottle usage is an integral piece in reducing our carbon footprint.

Megan Mainzer, director of operations of Bella Luna and Milky Way Lounge, Jamaica Plain:

We feel grateful to live in a city like Boston that has such high quality tap water. We prefer to utilize that resource and serve it to our customers and staff instead of spending more money on bottled water that has a far higher carbon footprint . We have been bottle free for over 3 years and our customers support our decision.

Theo Freddura, The Daily Catch, Brookline:

Water is a natural resource that is a vital part of human growth. Water is meant to be free for all, not privatized by some.

Joyce Parlapiano, Channel Café, Boston:

It's not only wasteful but it seems crazy to stock and sell bottled water when we have the great resources of the Quabbin Reservoir flowing freely to our taps. When someone asks for water we are happy to pour them a glass for free.