Tapped Documentary
The documentary "Tapped", released in 2009, presents a compelling case against the use of bottled water. Special attention is paid to Nestle, which owns many of the most popular bottled water brands in the United States, including Poland Springs and Ice Mountain. The impacts of the water withdrawal on the individual communities is explained, as well as the relative lack of FDA oversight of the water itself, especially compared to municipal tap water requirements. A second argument against the use of bottled water is the presence of Bisphenol A (BPA) in the plastic itself. This compound, which is known to leach out of plastic that is stressed over time, has a multitude of effects on the human body as an endocrine hormone disruptor. Finally, footage is shown of the Pacific ocean trash vortex. Samples taken from the gyre show that the water is so heavily contaminated with small plastic pieces that it outweighs the amount of actual plankton in the water.
Essential concepts: Water quality, water consumption, bottled water, water treatment, groundwater, BPA, endocrine hormone disruptors, Pacific trash vortex.
Answer Key: Included as part of the environmental science instructor resources subscription page.
