Reusable Water Bottles for Congress?
The starting point for water conservation in the high consuming and wasteful United States must begin by addressing the insanity of the bottled water industry. In my blog entry last month I mentioned that water has now become an official commodity and vehicle for profit.
I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so!
The starting point for water conservation in the high consuming and wasteful United States must begin by addressing the insanity of the bottled water industry. In my blog entry last month I mentioned that water has now become an official commodity and vehicle for profit. Therefore, I have chosen to use my Term of Service as a Green For All Fellow candidate to expose the fallacy of bottled water and challenge individuals for their actions by carrying their own water in reusable canteens.
It appears that George Hawkins, the General Manager of DC Water, stepped up to the challenge by addressing the Speaker of the House, and asking Congress to do the same.
Speaker of the House John Boehner recently announced plans to cut the U.S. House of Representatives office budgets. However people across the country were shocked to hear that House spent $190,000 on bottled water just during the first quarter of 2010.
DC Water delivered to Speaker Boehner a letter of support and ten sample reusable water bottles, with an offer to supply each member of Congress with their own reusable water bottles.
Hawkins’ letter encourages elimination of the bottled water expenditure for environmental reasons as well. Consider this: bottled water production and transportation in the United States uses enough oil to fuel about 1.5 million cars each year. And that plastic has to go somewhere - nearly 2.5 million tons of plastic bottles and jars were thrown away in 2008 - often, it chokes our environment.
How many times have you thrown away half used bottles of water? Unsure which bottle is yours? Imagine how many times the ruling plutocracy in America does that! I feel proud and validated that someone in a position of power has finally confirmed my suspicions.
We are the leaders we have been waiting for! If only the powers that be would listen.
Read the full letter from George Hawkins
Urge Congress to ditch bottled water >>
Kymone Freeman is a 2010 Green For All Academy Fellow Candidate and director of the National Black LUV Festival. He was recognized in 2006 as a finalist of Washington, D.C. Mayor's Art Award for Excellence in Service to the Arts, and received a Mayoral Proclamation in 2007. Read more »
