Chicago Puts Bottled Water Tax on Tap

Environmentalists claim credit; industry blames economy

(NEWSER) - Bottled water sales are sinking, and environmentalists point triumphantly to their hard-fought campaign against the wasteful industry. Consumption is expected to drop 2% this year, following a 3.2% drop last year, MSNBC reports. But industry executives say it’s just a natural result of the economic downturn, noting that sales of soda and other drinks have seen even worse declines. More»

Newsom continues anti-plastic campaign

(NEWSER) - San Francisco’s mayor called on restaurants yesterday to quit selling bottled water and favor the tap, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Gavin Newsom, a former restaurateur, says the plastic containers pile up in landfills and hurt the environment. The request—which isn’t a requirement—follows Newsom’s ban last year on using tax dollars to buy bottled water for city employees. More»

When gov't enacted 33-cent tax, usage dropped 94% in weeks

(NEWSER) - "Paper or plastic?" is perhaps the last question you'll hear on the Emerald Isle, thanks to a 33-cent tax on each plastic bag that cut Irish consumption by 94% within weeks of its 2002 enactment, reports the New York Times. Cloth bags have become downright fashionable since, but strong manufacturer and merchant opposition has hindered similar efforts in Britain and LA, and laws elsewhere have met mixed results. More»

(NEWSER) - Fresh-food pioneer Chez Panisse has joined a growing number of San Francisco–area restaurants in striking bottled water from the menu. The decision to serve local tap water only—flat or carbonated in-house—comes from an effort to cut down on the packaging waste and energy used shipping bottles. More»