Poll Results: Do you support a ban on the sale of bottled water?

Here are the results from last week's poll:

Question: Do you support a ban on the sale of bottled water?

Yes - 10 (52%)
Sale?!? Ban the production completely! - 3 (15%)
Shut up hippie! Give me more bottles - 3 (15%)
Only in public buildings - 2 (10%)
No - 1 (5%)

Total Votes: 19

An overwhelming majority of voters support a complete ban on the sale of bottled water. This is becoming an increasingly popular movement throughout the world, although very few jurisdictions have fully implemented such laws. Given the negative aspects of bottled water -- health concerns because health standards for bottled water are lesser than tap water; environmental impacts because of plastic bottles; and cost concerns because of how outrageously more expensive it is than tap water -- more and more places are looking to ban the sale of bottled water.

At Trent University, both Sustainable Trent, an environmental student group, and the Trent Central Student Association, the student union on campus, have been advocating for a ban on the sale of bottled water by Aramark, the school's main food supplier. In a meeting between ST and an Aramark representative, Aramark stated that it would not be opposed to a ban, but is supportive of the availability of alternatives before a ban takes place. For Trent students and staff, this means accessible water fountains and the availability of reusable bottles. If there are no alternatives on campus, Aramark worries it would take the heat when bottled water couldn't be sold.

It is important to recognize that the infrastructure has to be put in place before a ban on anything can be implemented. When the groups first proposed the ban over a year ago, plans were held back largely because water fountains had not yet been introduced. (They have since been built).

The second most votes were garnered from the views on the extremes. On one side, some people believe banning the sale of bottled water is ludicrous as it impinges on the consumer's right to product choice. There will always be people on that side, regardless of the issue. On the other side, some felt that only banning the sale of bottled water isn't going far enough. One problem with banning the production of bottled water is that it is appropriate in some situations, specifically emergencies -- say, a flood -- when water has to be brought in when local water resources are deemed unfit to drink.

Banning the sale of bottled water in public buildings has been considerably more successful than all out bans. Because the movement is driven primarily by members of the public, bans can exist in places the public owns. Banning the sale in private buildings is a little more difficult. Moreover, it can serve as a testing ground on the impact of banning the sale of bottled water.