Jun 23 2007
SF Mayor bans bottled water, ensures no one will ever take him seriously again
Ok, this is just dumb. Even for San Francisco.
S.F. bans bottled water for city workers
Is city water better than bottled water?
Mayor Gavin Newsom thinks so. Newsom has issued an executive order banning city departments from buying bottled water, even for water coolers. The ban goes into effect July 1, and will extend to water coolers by Dec. 1.
The move was billed as a way to help stem global warming and save taxpayer money.
“We’re hoping to set the example for the private sector and other cities in getting off the bottle,” said Tony Winnicker, spokesman for the San Francisco public utilities commission.
In a press release announcing the decision, the mayor cited the environmental impact of making, transporting and disposing of the bottles. More than a billion of them end up in the state’s landfills each year, the release said.
When the ban goes into effect, city and county offices will dispense municipal tap water from a reservoir. Winnicker said exceptions will be made in cases where potable water is not easily available or poses health concerns.
I wish I worked for the city there so I could tell him to kiss my bottled water drinking butt. Honestly this serves no purpose and just makes a mockery of the city. People should have the choice to drink whatever kind of water they want,
Stupid, but then San Francisco has banned JROTC, wants to ban the Blue Angels and countless other idiocies, including thumbing its nose at the State laws, so this feel good piece of fascism is just one in a string of them. Even when DiFi ran the city it made more sense.
Beautiful San Francisco, the Anti Military Fascist City by the Bay.
I shudder to imagine what comes next. Mandatory screenings once a week of An Inconvenient Truth for all employees? Hmmm….
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7 Responses to “SF Mayor bans bottled water, ensures no one will ever take him seriously again”
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Why should my hard earned tax dollars be spent to buy bottled water for the supervisors? I buy my own out of my salary, why should they be different. The article neglected to mention that the City spent $500,000 on bottled water last year whilst simultaneously spending millions on the Hetch Hetchy Dam and sending out water quality is so fantastic reports to everyone in the City. Which is it? I can’t believe I am saying this but Gavin is right - $500,000. Also, the Blue Angles is not ‘the City’, it is some individuals who must be unbelievably cranky. It seems that many people here believe that their own comfort/belief system is the most important thing on the planet. But, it ain’t nothing like Marin or, shudder, Berkeley. For example, therapists/psychiatrists in Berkely cannot practice within a certain distance from each train stop. Why? Because they don’t want crazy people loitering around the trains. Not to be judgemental but I’d rather have a hysterical person on Bart than driving across the Bay Bridge for am emergency session. This is the same Berkeley that doesn’t want you to have a car. Endless.
Mayor Newsom Bans Bottled Water…
In an effort to reduce global warming and to reduce the number of plastic bottles in landfills, Mayor Newsom of San Francisco has banned departments from buying bottled water, even for water coolers. Employers can certainly decide if they will purchas…
I think the decision on whether to buy water should rest within each department personally, that is my point. If the department has the budget for it, let them buy it as long as the expense does not impede critical services.
Playing devils advocate, if we assume the bottled water issue is valid, why attack water coolers that do not waste the bottles, but exchange them? No sense.
I will be honest too, I personally would be skeptical of the water quality of the city tap.
And never forget, the money diverted from this will certainly not go unspent in any sense, the departments will not buy water, they will just buy something else.
A better method would be the encouragement of filtering units to allow people to reuse containers, assure fresh water and eliminate waste.
And part of what annoys me on this is that Newsom is not trying to save money, he is more concerned with making SF an example city. That makes me wonder if the problem cited is really the problem or if he is once again blowing his own horn.
Sorry Karl, but you fail to answer a pertinent question.
Why should taxpayers pay for bottled water when tap water is held to more stringent requirements.
Now I agree with this statement
“People should have the choice to drink whatever kind of water they want”
Then let them pay for it.
I recall the old Lawrence Welk show they always advertised Serurtan and the blurb was
Serutan is Natures spelled backwards
Guess what Evian spelled backwards is?
if you can get yourself past the initial shock of banning bottled water and really analyze the situation it is actually a pretty good idea. first of all, the author of this page has missed the entire point when he states “people should have the choice to drink whatever water they want.” they do. this ban only applies to offices funded with tax payer dollars. if those offices want to purchase bottled water with their own money they are free to do so…..as are you. second, a city which invests heavily in the improvement of its public water quality should also use that system whenever possible. also, it is the responsibility of the state to advocate systems that are good for society as a whole but not able to survive in the private sector yet. the environmental costs of the waste alone to future generations is alarming and a government willing to try and inspire –but not force– private business to perform in a more efficient manner should be commended……even if it does seem a little silly.
There is one question to ask San Francisco. Did you say that people with immune deficiencies should not drink tap water because it could make you sick and maybe kill you?
Several municipalities have made that statement. While it may not kill the rest of us, it can and does make you sick.
Several reputable bottled water companies use a reverse osmosis technology so good it removes disease from water.
I for one am drinking bottled water
Karl,
I agree with you on one point, and I believe the Mayor did ask for research to be done in the matter: “A better method would be the encouragement of filtering units to allow people to reuse containers, assure fresh water and eliminate waste.” This is what I do at home. Filter city water at my tap, and re-use a polypropylene (non-BPA) Nalgene that I have had for over 10 years now to drink from.
I agree with what Newsome has done for many reasons; and others including many local restaurants and other cities nationwide, have either beat him to the punch or followed suit. Incanto in Noe Valley has been offering filtered tap (not bottled) for years now.
Bottled water is wasteful. 1) It costs 1000’s times more than filtered city water; 2) Fossil fuels are burned to deliver it, manufacture the bottles, print the labels (no mention of the toxic inks used thereon), fill the bottles, and recycle the bottles; 3) No mention of landfill issues — how many of the bottles are actually recycled?
I drink bottled when I’m in a 3rd world country and have no other suitable option. Other than that, its tap for me — and Hetch Hetchy IS excellent tap once the organics (lead, chlorine, TCA, etc.) have been removed by a relatively inexpensive (read: compared to drinking bottled) easy-to-install filter.