(Host) State officials plan to ban bottled water as part of a program to rely, instead, on tap water.
Natural Resources Secretary Deb Markowitz says the administration of Governor Peter Shumlin has committed to phasing out bottled water in state buildings. She says bottled water does not fit with the state’s environmental ethic.
(Markowitz) "It’s an understanding that we’re all an integral part of the environment and that we all have to be responsible stewards for this and for future generations. Bottle water is just not consistent with this ethic of environmental stewardship. Think of all the plastic waste and toxic chemicals that’s used to make the plastic. Think of the greenhouse gases emitted from trucks that ship bottles, not just in Vermont but around the world."
(Host) The state spends more than $200,000 a year on bottled water, though Markowitz concedes that it won’t be eliminated entirely.
Markowitz’s announcement coincided with World Water Day, which was established by the United Nations to focus attention on the importance of fresh water.