I just got this letter from the Environmental Working Group (EWG). They’re starting an investigation into the cleanliness of bottled water, and they need our help. Plus if you participate, you can win prizes. Yippee!
In short, they need us to save the labels off the bottled water we buy, and send them in.
Here’s their letter:
Dear Supporter,
Ever look at a bottle of water and wonder, “Where does the water come from? Is it purified? Did the FDA make sure it’s safe and clean?”
Join EWG’s Bottled Water Label Scavenger Hunt and get your questions answered.
Here’s how to get involved (and win EWG prizes!):
1) The next time you buy a bottle of water (even we EWG’ers sometimes forget our reusable bottle) choose a non-sparkling, unflavored water bottled in glass or clear plastic.
2) Carefully remove the entire label from the bottle. We need all the information from the label, so if necessary, cut the plastic around the label to get it all off.
3) Write down:
- the name and location of the store where you purchased the water
- the date you purchased the water
- your name, email and mailing address
4) Mail your labels and other information to:
Environmental Working Group
Attn: Nneka Leiba
1436 U St. NW, Suite 100
Washington, DC 20009
Whoever sends the most labels (duplicates not counting) by June 15 will win a stainless steel water bottle with the EWG logo and a jumbo-sized, reusable grocery tote printed with EWG’s pollution solutions tips. Plus, everyone who participates will get a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides magnet!
Thank you in advance for helping us with our research to make sure bottled water companies are honest with you about the water you buy.
Sincerely,
EWG Bottled Water Research Team
Let’s all come together to help out this great organization! Personally I’d love to know just how clean and “chemical free” bottled water is, since they claim to be so pristine.
If you’d like to visit the Environmental Working Group’s website, you can find it here.
{ 3 comments }
I’m confused. How will sending in bottled water labels help make the water cleaner? Also, seems silly for EWG to reward someone for sending in lots of labels – a reward for using plastic bottles…. however, I guess the reward is a stainless steel bottle which is good. It’s what they should be using anyway.
Hi Kate,
I thought the same thing at first! I’m not sure exactly how they’re running their experiment, but I trust that organization, so I’m sure they’ve got a good reason. At least, I hope so! 🙂
The progress reports made by the GAO and EWG are big for holding private corporations just as accountable and municipal systems. Isn’t that the goal?
On a related note, I never got why people bought bottled water. It’s more expensive than gasoline drop for drop, a waste of plastic, and 40% of it comes from city tap water. People shouldn’t trust profit so blindly. The GAO and EWG will give these people a new set of eyes hopefully.
http://www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org
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