Making the Case for Tap Water

Hosted by the Center for Environmental Filmmaking, Director of Sustainability Chris O'Brien participated in a panel discussion called "Tapped" - An Expose on the Bottled Water Industry regarding the controversy over bottled water.

The panel also included Paul Wapner, Director of AU's Global Environmental Politics Program, Tom Lauria, International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) Lobbyist , and Wenonah Hauter, activist.

After a screening of the film "Tapped," which examines the role of the bottled water industry and its' effects on our health, climate change, pollution, and our reliance on oil, the panelists made their cases.

Hear Chris's views about bottled water:

For other highlights from the full debate check out all of the videos from the Center for Environmental Filmmaking: http://www.american.edu/soc/cef/tapped.cfm

The Chronicle of Higher Education has also examined the bottled water vs. tap issue in their "Thinking Outside the Bottle" article which references the Tapped screening and debate. Chris sums up the issue by pointing out that, "We have been working for 10,000 years in human civilization to create great, safe drinking water for the public, and we have succeeded, and now we are throwing it out."