One in a series of posts celebrating the first annual World Tap Water Week at Green Thing.
Seven things that may likely lift your eyebrows whilst reading…
1. The most expensive bottle of water in the world costs $66,000. Don’t worry, proceeds go to a global warming charity. Allegedly.
2. Global annual bottled water sales are between $60-$80 BILLION. In America, more than 50% of bottled water comes from municipal supplies. People have sure paid a lot of money for something that is free.
3. Most bottled water contains more bacteria than tap.
4. Mariah Carey demands that her tea is made with Polish Spring water.
5. Every year, Berkeley Springs hosts the International Water Tasting Awards, where various tap waters are tasted and judged. This year’s winner is Hamilton, Ohio. *Note: although it is deemed an international contest, it appears that only North Americans ever win the title of World’s Best Tap Water.
6. It takes more than 400 years for a plastic bottle to decompose.
7. While the government of New York City was campaigning for residents to turn to their taps for water, the government spent $1.2 million on bottled water. Eck!
(This post is part of a series on Green Thing for World Tap Water Week. Find out more!)
Katherine Hui is currently the Social site editor at Green Thing, a web-based public service in London that inspires people to lead greener lives through creative content.
Before this, she worked as the Development Manager at Social Innovation Camp, an organization that encourages people to use web and mobile-based technology to mobilise social change. She oversaw 300 ideas submission and helped build 20 prototypes – five of which have gone on to get further funding or investment.
Katherine’s came over to the UK form Canada in 2007 for an MSc program at the London School of Economics. Before arriving in London, she managed a small environmental start-up in Vancouver called the Canadian Climate Change Alliance.
Katherine is football mad. She is a loyal supporter of Arsenal FC, plays for Islington Borough Ladies FC and coaches for Gunners in Islington in her spare time. Her second favourite hobby is kite surfing and she can sometimes be found chasing the wind.
