Water Load of Nonsense

[liuzhou]

There are, as I'm sure people know, many concerns about the environmental impact of bottled water. Billions of plastic bottles are sold around the world every day and only a tiny proportion are recycled.

Here are a some of the more ridiculous examples I've come across.

 

1) Bama Water (巴马丽琅 bā mǎ lì láng)

 

 

Bama is a tiny village in the west of Guangxi which has a notably high number of centenarians - a well known longevity cluster. The inhabitants are mainly subsistence farmers and lead a very simple life and follow a simple diet with very little meat, salt or sugar. Organically grown corn, rice, millet, sweet potato, and soy bean are their main foods. They also eat pumpkin seedlings, sweet potato leaves, pak choi, mushroom, and bamboo shoots. The main cooking oil, used sparsely, is colza oil (a relative of rapeseed or canola oil).

In recent years, the government has decided to cash in on the reputation of Bama as a "healthy place", building hotels and encouraging tourism. They have even gone so far as to suggest making the place a "Longevity Theme Park".

Scores have people have come running thinking that it will increase their longevity to hang out there for a weekend or longer. They are totally ignoring the fact that most scientists attribute the longevity mainly to genetic factors.

An alternative theory for the long life comes from one of the inhabitants, 104-year-old Xiao Yuanying. She puts her age down to the two ‘cups’ of rice wine she drinks every day. Of course, it isn’t your average supermarket ‘baijiu’, but home made ‘snake wine’ – bottles of rice wine in which a couple of snakes are suspended. (Being long, things like snakes and noodles are associated with longevity in China).
 

Not content with their alcohol consumption, the locals are also partial to a bit of cannabis. Not to smoke. They use the oil, euphemistically referred to as ‘hemp oil’ in most English reports, but openly labelled on the local brand. This is used in dips and in a soup eaten twice a day. (At least that’s what they tell nosy researchers.)

One thing for sure: drinking this water ain't going to make you life to 112.

(In addition we've been hit by Bama eggs and Bama sesame oil. Naturally at double to triple the normal prices.)

 

(Parts of this post have been copied from my blog here, which has more details about Bama.)

 

Edited February 1, 2018 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

2. Tibetan Water

 

Various brands of Tibetan water have hit the market recently purporting to be purer than pure.

 

 

This one is from Eastern Tibet.

 

Concerns have been expressed by scientists as to the environmental damage extracting this water is causing. Also, you can bet your life, none of the revenue is likely to benefit the Tibetan residents.

 

Again, there is little, if any, evidence of any significant health benefits. Except to the companies' bottom line. Yes, they charge premium prices. 3 - 10 times the normal price.

 

 

[liuzhou]

Finally, for now, this gem.

 

Ten years ago, I flew from Hong Kong to London for a short visit and was handed this bottle of water when I boarded at Hong Kong airport.

 

Gleneagles is not far from my birthplace, so I was initially quite amused. But then I thought about it. This water had already been flown across the half the planet and was about to fly back again. To compound the air miles, I never actually remembered to drink it and ended up carrying it back to Hong Kong, then on another flight to my home on the Chinese mainland. Three intercontinental trips. 

 

I still have it untouched ten years later. I am planning a trip back again relatively soon and will take it with me. It will probably be the best travelled bottle of water ever!

[liuzhou]

I should add that no one in China drinks tap water. It isn't safe. In the past people boiled water, but today it is nearly all from bottles. Most home, offices etc have these water dispensers. This one, in my home, both heats and cools the water. Some only do the former. Chinese people often drink plain hot water and many consider drinking chilled water to be fatal!

 

I make a phone call when I need a new bottle and the delivery guy usually turns up within the hour - 7 days a week. Around $3 USD for 20 litres.

This is non-carbonated, non-sparkling purified water, not mineral water. I've never seen a Chinese sparkling water, although imported varieties such as Evian or San Pellegrino are available at astronomical prices.

[HungryChris]

Why does the Gleneagles look so cloudy? Not something would seek out.

HC

[liuzhou]

5 hours ago, HungryChris said:

Why does the Gleneagles look so cloudy? Not something would seek out.

HC

 

It's the light and the bottle. Not the water. The water is crystal clear.

 

Like Perrier water isn't green!

Edited February 1, 2018 by liuzhou (log)

[Beebs]

And then there's the "raw water" fad in parts of the US & Canada.....

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/what-to-know-about-the-raw-water-trend.html

 

I'll pass on that glass of untreated water full of fecal matter, e. coli, & giardia, thank you very much.

[rotuts]

"It has a vaguely mild sweetness, a nice smooth mouth feel, nothing that overwhelms the flavor profile,"