National Telephone Press Conference - Think Outside the Bottle Pledge Launch

Mayors, Restaurants, Religious Leaders and Corporate Accountability and Environmental Groups Lead Mass Consumer Action

For Immediate Release:   October 9, 2007

Contact: Nick Guroff, Corporate Accountability International,
617-695-2503 (direct), 617-695-2525 (main)

WHAT: With the tide turning against bottled water, a major new effort focused on campus, city, retail and consumer action will launch on Wednesday, October 10. On a telephone press conference, the Mayor of Salt Lake City and the campaign director of “Think Outside the Bottle” will detail how the nationwide effort will, among other things, give local officials the public support needed to direct larger investment into public water systems and rebuild public confidence in the tap after years of misleading bottled water advertising. 

WHEN:  Tuesday, October 9, 9 a.m. PT / Noon p.m ET

CALL-IN: 1-800-895-0231

CONFERENCE CODE: 7BOTTLE

WHO:  Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson, Mayor, Salt Lake City, UT
Gigi Kellett, Associate Campaigns Director, Corporate Accountability International
Sister Sharon Dillon, Franciscan Federation
Katherine Manzier, CEO, Bella Luna Restaurant

WHY:  The U.S. Conference of Mayors, as well as groups and individuals across the country have become increasingly concerned about the effects of the $15 billion bottled water market. Cities from Ann Arbor to San Francisco have already taken action to cancel bottled water contracts and reduce bottled water waste. Media reports have also focused on how bottled water can cost thousands of times the price of tap water, even though up to 40 percent of bottled water comes from the same source, raising increasing concern over the corporate control of water resources.