Advertisement

Lifestyle

Greenwash of the week: Boxed Water

The font heavy black and white box is insistent: boxed water is better. They say 74% of the packaging is made from “well-managed” trees, a “renewable resource.” But don’t presume moral superiority when walking around with one of these in hand. What are we doing cutting down virgin trees, even “well-managed ones,” to buy filtered Michigan tap water? Sure they donate 1% of revenue to deforestation and water causes, which is nice, but they’re full of shit about being 100% recyclable – in Toronto anyway. These are Tetrapaks we’re talking about, what Councillor Gord Perks once called the Hummer of the packaging world. It’s paper fibre lined with plastic and foil and neither the foil nor the plastic get recycled because they’re too pricey to separate. They’re trashed. Look, we all hate plastic water bottles, but at least they’re actually 100% downcycled into polar fleece or whatnot. Regardless, neither boxed or bottled water is better. Ask for a glass of tap first. 

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Recently Posted