“Tapped” (affiliate link) exposes several of the problems that the bottled water industry is implicated in from dissembling and pollution to overwhelming corporate influence over government and the carcinogenic agents found in the bottles and leached into the water they hold.

All sides are given an opportunity to address the questions at hand.  Nestle, Coca Cola and Pepsi, the three largest water bottlers in the world, refused to be interviewed.  Representatives from the International Bottled Water Association, a group representing the PET plastic and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave interviews that were used in the film though the press liaison for the FDA said that the interview wouldn’t have been granted if he had known that the filmmakers were going to ask about BPA – a type of chemical in plastic that has been found to have profound impact on the biology of rats.

In spite of the approach of the different organizations, the bottled water industry and the FDA.  “Tapped” makes it clear that bottled water is the scourge of our century and that it needs to be done away except for in cases of emergency relief.

The amount if plastic in the oceans is on the increase, people who live near the Flint Hills plant in Corpus Christi that makes the bottles have a higher incidence of disease and birth defects, and the towns where the water is being mined receive nothing for the water that is pulled out of the community.

The film does offer suggestions about how to alleviate the problem including eliminating the use of bottled water, supporting recycling bills that require a deposit on bottles and cans, and complaining to the FDA and government officials.

Anyone interested in water – and that should be everyone – should see this documentary to find out what kind of world children will be left with and why they should not accept corporations as benevolent when the motive for profit turns the organizations into greedy malevolence incorporated. (This article was originally published at examiner.com in 2012.)

On Creativity

Seeing films that are outside of your normal purview helps improve your creativity. They offer inspiration, new points of view, and a way to refill your well. Documentaries are a great way to get the basics of a subject and a place to dive deeper.