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DemocracyNow just did an episode devoted to the privatization of water. As bioregionalists (I assume most of us are that) water should be one of the major focuses of this group.
DemocracyNow:
The Bottled Water Lie: As Soft Drink Giant Admits Product is Tap
Water, New Scrutiny Falls on the Economic and Environmental Costs of
a Billion Dollar Industry
Listen to Segment || Download Show mp3
Watch 128k stream Watch 256k stream
Help Printer-friendly version Email to a friend
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---------------------------------------------------------------------
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The soft drink giant Pepsi has been forced to make an embarrassing
admission – its best-selling Aquafina bottled water is nothing more
than tap water. Pepsi has agreed to change its label under pressure
from the advocacy group Corporate Accountability International (CAI)
which has been leading an increasingly successful campaign against
bottled water. We look at the economic and environmental costs of
the bottled water industry with CAI's Gigi Kellett and freelance
journalist Michael Blanding.
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-----------
The soft drink giant Pepsi has been forced to make an embarrassing
admission – its best-selling Aquafina bottled water is nothing more
than tap water. Last week Pepsi agreed to change the labels of
Aquafina to indicate that the water comes from a public water
source. Pepsi agreed to change its label under pressure from the
advocacy group Corporate Accountability International which has been
leading an increasingly successful campaign against bottled water.
In San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom recently banned city
departments from using city money to buy any kind of bottled water.
In New York, local residents are being urged to drink tap water.The
U.S. Conference of Mayors has passed a resolution that highlighted
the importance of municipal water and called for more scrutiny of
the impact of bottled water on city waste.
The environmental impact of the country's obsession with bottled
water has been staggering. Each day an estimated 60 million plastic
water bottles are thrown away. Most are not recycled. The Pacific
Institute has estimated 20 million barrels of oil are used each year
to make the plastic for water bottles.
Economically it makes sense to stop buying bottled water as well.
The Arizona Daily Star recently examined the cost difference between
bottled water and water from the city's municipal supply. A half
liter of Pepsi's Aquafina at a Tucson convenience store costs one
dollar and thirty nine cents. The bottle contains purified water
from the Tucson water supply. From the tap, you can pour over six
point four gallons for a penny. That makes the bottled stuff about
7,000 times more expensive even though Aquafina is using the same
source of water.
Two guests joins us from Boston:
Gigi Kellett. Associate Campaigns Director at Corporate
Accountability International joins us in Boston. The group is
spearheading the Think Outside the Bottle Campaign.
Michael Blanding. Freelance journalist and author of the article for
Alternet.org "The Bottled Water Lie."
www.democracynow.org/article.pl
Salvadorans Face Terror Charges for Opposing Water Privatization
Listen to Segment || Download Show mp3
Watch 128k stream Watch 256k stream
Help Printer-friendly version Email to a friend
Purchase Video/CD
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
A protest against water privatization in El Salvador last month
resulted in 13 demonstrators charged with committing acts of
terrorism. If found guilty they could face up to 60 years of prison
time under laws modeled on the USA Patriot Act.
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We turn now to El Salvador where a protest against water
privatization early last month ended with the arrest of fourteen
protestors, thirteen of whom were subsequently charged with
committing acts of terrorism.
On July 2, hundreds of people had gathered in the Suchitoto
municipality to protest President Antonio Saca's plan to
decentralize water distribution. They saw the plan as an attempt to
privatize municipal water resources as stipulated in a 1998 World
Bank loan. The protestors were met with heavily armed riot police
who fired rubber bullets and tear gas on the crowd and detained
fourteen people. Among those arrested was a journalist covering the
protest and members of CRIPDES, the Association of Rural Communities
for the Development of El Salvador. They were on their way to attend
the rally in Suchitoto.
Last week the prisoners were released on bail as a result of
national and international pressure. But the charges of terrorism
remain and if found guilty they could face up to 60 years of prison
time. El Salvador's anti-terrorism law came into effect last year
and is modeled on the USA Patriot Act. Human rights groups have
condemned the government's response and application of this
draconian law. Human Rights Watch said yesterday that the law
criminalizes a wide variety of acts most of which "do not fall
within any reasonable definition of terrorism."
Krista Hanson. Program Director of Committee in Solidarity with the
People of El Salvador. Website: Cispes.org.
www.democracynow.org/article.pl
Stockton, California City Council Reverses Water Privatization It
Passed Over Widespread Local Opposition
Listen to Segment || Download Show mp3
Watch 128k stream Watch 256k stream
Help Printer-friendly version Email to a friend
Purchase Video/CD
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
We end with a major victory for the opponents of water
privatization. In 2003, the City Council of Stockton, California
ignored overwhelming public opposition to approve a $600 million
dollar, 20-year water privatization agreement. The deal gave a
multinational consortium full control over the city's water, sewage,
and stormwater systems. But two weeks the council reversed the
position and voted unanimously to resume control of its water
utilities. We speak with Alan Snitow, co-director of an award-
winning PBS documentary on water privatization and co-author
of "Thirst: Fighting the Corporate Theft of our Water."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
We end today's show with a major victory for the opponents of water
privatization. I'm talking about Stockton, California – a place that
has long been at the center of California's water wars.
In late 2003, despite concerted efforts by a wide coalition of
groups, the City Council voted in favor of a 600 million dollar 20
year water privatization agreement. The deal gave a multinational
consortium made up of the Colorado based OMI and the London-based
Thames Water full control over the city's water, sewage, and
stormwater systems.
Two weeks ago the city of Stockton reversed its earlier position and
voted unanimously to undo the privatization deal and resume control
of its water utilities. Before we discuss the current victory, let's
go back to the city council vote in favor of privatization in
February 2003. I want to play a clip from the 2004 PBS
documentary "Thirst" - that brought national attention to the
struggle in Stockton.
Excerpt of "Thirst."
Alan Snitow joins us now from San Francisco.
Alan Snitow. Co-director of "Thirst" – the award-winning 2004 PBS
documentary on water privatization in Bolivia, India, and the United
States. He is also a board member of Food and Water Watch and co-
author of "Thirst: Fighting the Corporate Theft of Our Water."
www.democracynow.org/article.pl
DemocracyNow:
The Bottled Water Lie: As Soft Drink Giant Admits Product is Tap
Water, New Scrutiny Falls on the Economic and Environmental Costs of
a Billion Dollar Industry
Listen to Segment || Download Show mp3
Watch 128k stream Watch 256k stream
Help Printer-friendly version Email to a friend
Purchase Video/CD
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
The soft drink giant Pepsi has been forced to make an embarrassing
admission – its best-selling Aquafina bottled water is nothing more
than tap water. Pepsi has agreed to change its label under pressure
from the advocacy group Corporate Accountability International (CAI)
which has been leading an increasingly successful campaign against
bottled water. We look at the economic and environmental costs of
the bottled water industry with CAI's Gigi Kellett and freelance
journalist Michael Blanding.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
The soft drink giant Pepsi has been forced to make an embarrassing
admission – its best-selling Aquafina bottled water is nothing more
than tap water. Last week Pepsi agreed to change the labels of
Aquafina to indicate that the water comes from a public water
source. Pepsi agreed to change its label under pressure from the
advocacy group Corporate Accountability International which has been
leading an increasingly successful campaign against bottled water.
In San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom recently banned city
departments from using city money to buy any kind of bottled water.
In New York, local residents are being urged to drink tap water.The
U.S. Conference of Mayors has passed a resolution that highlighted
the importance of municipal water and called for more scrutiny of
the impact of bottled water on city waste.
The environmental impact of the country's obsession with bottled
water has been staggering. Each day an estimated 60 million plastic
water bottles are thrown away. Most are not recycled. The Pacific
Institute has estimated 20 million barrels of oil are used each year
to make the plastic for water bottles.
Economically it makes sense to stop buying bottled water as well.
The Arizona Daily Star recently examined the cost difference between
bottled water and water from the city's municipal supply. A half
liter of Pepsi's Aquafina at a Tucson convenience store costs one
dollar and thirty nine cents. The bottle contains purified water
from the Tucson water supply. From the tap, you can pour over six
point four gallons for a penny. That makes the bottled stuff about
7,000 times more expensive even though Aquafina is using the same
source of water.
Two guests joins us from Boston:
Gigi Kellett. Associate Campaigns Director at Corporate
Accountability International joins us in Boston. The group is
spearheading the Think Outside the Bottle Campaign.
Michael Blanding. Freelance journalist and author of the article for
Alternet.org "The Bottled Water Lie."
www.democracynow.org/article.pl
Salvadorans Face Terror Charges for Opposing Water Privatization
Listen to Segment || Download Show mp3
Watch 128k stream Watch 256k stream
Help Printer-friendly version Email to a friend
Purchase Video/CD
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
A protest against water privatization in El Salvador last month
resulted in 13 demonstrators charged with committing acts of
terrorism. If found guilty they could face up to 60 years of prison
time under laws modeled on the USA Patriot Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
We turn now to El Salvador where a protest against water
privatization early last month ended with the arrest of fourteen
protestors, thirteen of whom were subsequently charged with
committing acts of terrorism.
On July 2, hundreds of people had gathered in the Suchitoto
municipality to protest President Antonio Saca's plan to
decentralize water distribution. They saw the plan as an attempt to
privatize municipal water resources as stipulated in a 1998 World
Bank loan. The protestors were met with heavily armed riot police
who fired rubber bullets and tear gas on the crowd and detained
fourteen people. Among those arrested was a journalist covering the
protest and members of CRIPDES, the Association of Rural Communities
for the Development of El Salvador. They were on their way to attend
the rally in Suchitoto.
Last week the prisoners were released on bail as a result of
national and international pressure. But the charges of terrorism
remain and if found guilty they could face up to 60 years of prison
time. El Salvador's anti-terrorism law came into effect last year
and is modeled on the USA Patriot Act. Human rights groups have
condemned the government's response and application of this
draconian law. Human Rights Watch said yesterday that the law
criminalizes a wide variety of acts most of which "do not fall
within any reasonable definition of terrorism."
Krista Hanson. Program Director of Committee in Solidarity with the
People of El Salvador. Website: Cispes.org.
www.democracynow.org/article.pl
Stockton, California City Council Reverses Water Privatization It
Passed Over Widespread Local Opposition
Listen to Segment || Download Show mp3
Watch 128k stream Watch 256k stream
Help Printer-friendly version Email to a friend
Purchase Video/CD
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
We end with a major victory for the opponents of water
privatization. In 2003, the City Council of Stockton, California
ignored overwhelming public opposition to approve a $600 million
dollar, 20-year water privatization agreement. The deal gave a
multinational consortium full control over the city's water, sewage,
and stormwater systems. But two weeks the council reversed the
position and voted unanimously to resume control of its water
utilities. We speak with Alan Snitow, co-director of an award-
winning PBS documentary on water privatization and co-author
of "Thirst: Fighting the Corporate Theft of our Water."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
We end today's show with a major victory for the opponents of water
privatization. I'm talking about Stockton, California – a place that
has long been at the center of California's water wars.
In late 2003, despite concerted efforts by a wide coalition of
groups, the City Council voted in favor of a 600 million dollar 20
year water privatization agreement. The deal gave a multinational
consortium made up of the Colorado based OMI and the London-based
Thames Water full control over the city's water, sewage, and
stormwater systems.
Two weeks ago the city of Stockton reversed its earlier position and
voted unanimously to undo the privatization deal and resume control
of its water utilities. Before we discuss the current victory, let's
go back to the city council vote in favor of privatization in
February 2003. I want to play a clip from the 2004 PBS
documentary "Thirst" - that brought national attention to the
struggle in Stockton.
Excerpt of "Thirst."
Alan Snitow joins us now from San Francisco.
Alan Snitow. Co-director of "Thirst" – the award-winning 2004 PBS
documentary on water privatization in Bolivia, India, and the United
States. He is also a board member of Food and Water Watch and co-
author of "Thirst: Fighting the Corporate Theft of Our Water."
www.democracynow.org/article.pl
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