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The Right to Clean Water


melamed

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California has decided to give school children free clean water. This is good news, but what took so long? LINK

While traveling in some of the poorer areas of Europe it was clear that many people had very little, but they did understand the importance of providing water to every visitor and citizen alike. The village fountain is one of the most welcoming symbols when entering any village or town. We saw these fountains all over Eastern Europe.

water  2010 286.jpg

Cheers, Sarah

http://sarahmelamed.com/

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I would love to see which bottled water companies lobbied this bill. Yes the water from the drinking fountains is not great, but providing kids bottled water is a huge cost. Plus, knowing most kids, they take a sip and leave the rest. Massive waste. If, however, they were providing juice or milk with the paid lunch then water should be an option to check when you submit your meal info. That way the cost would be just a trade between drinks I would think.

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It sounds like there are no water fountains or such in the school cafeterias or dining rooms. I've seen water fountains at various locations in every California public school I've visited. So the situation is not lack of water. It's about getting up from your seat to go to the corridor to fill a glass or water bottle.

More info here:

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/19/local/la-me-water-schools-20100920

I suspect that when most of the schools were built (1950s, 60s, 70s), kids were expected to drink milk at lunch. Or maybe Coca-Cola. :raz:

Water has become a "healthy" desirable drink only in the last few decades or so. Nobody bothered to drink water when I was growing up, unless nothing better was available. How food fashions change...

BTW, that number in the article, "40% of school districts that responded to an online survey said their students had no access to free drinking water..." may not be accurate or representative, since that sounds like a self-selected group to answer an online survey.

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I think the clean water act was a response to water contamination found in several schools, for example here and the general fear of drinking tap water (partly perpetuated by bottled water companies)

I would hate to see more waste from bottles instead of developing stricter regulations for tap water and perhaps more fountains.

Cheers, Sarah

http://sarahmelamed.com/

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