Law Library Staff Recommend...
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An occasional feature, "Law Library Staff Recommend..." highlights books that Law Library staff members have read for enjoyment and now recommend that others consider for inclusion on their own reading lists. If you have any comments or questions about any of the titles presented in this feature, feel free to email lawlib@umn.edu or stop by the library. Today we highlight Bottlemania: How water went on sale and why we bought it by Elizabeth Boyte (Bloomsbury, 2008).
I admit that I began to read this book looking for compelling reasons to ditch my bottled water habit, and be a little more informed in recommending the same to others. What I found instead was a well-rounded investigation into the state of America's drinking water, both in bottles and from the tap, not to mention drinking fountains and toilets! The book conveys disturbing facts (In 2007, the recycling rate of water bottles was barely 15%) and introduced me to other factors I hadn't even considered (Brita water filters generally aren't recycled in the US, and really don't filter out some of the worst contaminants).
Boyte is an environmental writer, but isn't preachy when she traces the history of some of the bottled water companies' histories and practices. She provides humorous examples from her own life, like trying to devise a test to make sure her daughter is truly drinking enough water during the day, that a lot of people can relate to. The book comes with a companion website, with excerpts, reviews, and the links to more resources that are included in the book. See http://www.bottlemania.net/ for more information on this eye-opening and surprisingly entertaining book.
