It Doesn’t Hold Water
By Dylan Kane
Published on Tuesday, August 21, 2007
To the Editor:
I am glad to see that Zak Moore has not lost his knack for composing articles ("Defying the Nalgene," Aug. 17) without concern for evidence or sound arguments. According to the Pacific Institute, the production of bottled water annually requires 17 million barrels of oil (not including transportation) and generates 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide. But, hey, who is the Pacific Institute to say that? A respected research institution that has conducted numerous scientific and investigative studies? And you're going to believe it over a sophomore at Dartmouth College who observes that water doesn't cost very much and therefore concludes that "waste and transportation are not big problems"?
Moore doesn't need scientific authority, experience with this topic, evidence or even a passing familiarity with basic logic to draw a conclusion. He went to Wal-Mart and spent only $4 for Poland Spring. Therefore, the production of bottled water causes no appreciable environmental harm. Problem solved!
Dylan Kane '09