Jeff -

You raise some good points, but I think you are taking the “convenience” of having tap water everywhere for granted. I recall two incidents this weekend alone where I was in need of water and there was no tap nearby.

I understand that bottled water comes in plastic, but so do sodas and other beverages (and yes, I understand you can’t get soda from your tap). Tap water is generally/most times safe, but what about those times when it is not?

I recall being at Lollapalooza last year in Chicago. 75K people in Grant Park on a blistering hot August day. If there was no bottled water, people would have literally died. You really can’t expect people to lug around a canteen or Nalgene bottle everywhere they go and replenish it whenever they happen upon a tap. Really think through the argument against bottled water, and I think you’ll realize that it’s not an unecessary evil. It’s needed in the world.

Yeah! Wonderful idea. We know where our water comes from:not always the case with bottled water.

What an exciting way to start this Monday! We need more CEOs calling for similar environmentally-conscious changes. It can and does start at home – and for this, I am inspired by this Australian town’s “we can, we will, here we go” attitude and its application to Timberland’s headquarters.

I was a little nervous when reading this post when I saw reference to the Nalgene bottle, which has been the target of previous environmental campaigns due to the toxins possibly leaked through this indestructible plastic. Lucky for Nalgene consumers, when I followed the link I saw that the product referenced was BPA-free – good to see we’re walking the talk with the materials referenced here and in our own products that can help with water and waste saving efforts.

So here’s another question: what about the water coolers around our office? What kind of water are they filled with? “Bigger” bottles or the clean stuff from our local water treatment plants?

Jeff-
I appalaud your efforts to ban bottled water at the Timberland headquarters. I work for a company that makes stainless steel replacement water bottles. We have also chosen to reduce our use of bottled water in our offices. We also only use reusable cups, plates and silverware and we are involved in the recycling program our city offers. The more earth conscious we are, the better this world will be for all of us. It’s exciting to learn about CEO’s that are committed to making our world a better place.
Keep up the good work!

Beth — great question! The water coolers in Timberland’s headquarters building source from local town water (same as all the other water in the building), then the water cooler units filter the water for drinking.

Thanks for your comment — and for thinking “beyond the bottle” about how we can improve our water use.

Earthkeepers

Jeff Kelly said “…You really can’t expect people to lug around a canteen or Nalgene bottle everywhere they go and replenish it whenever they happen upon a tap…”

My wife and I have been doing this for years. It takes a bit to establish the habit, but then it becomes second nature. It’s the same with bringing cloth bags to the farmers market and grocery store or turning off the water between rinsing each dish (probably increasing water efficiency by 50%).

It’s just forming the habit.

And then you’d be surprised how jarring it can be to see your ‘old’ way of doing it. Couple weeks ago we had guests staying with us who volunteered to do the dishes. When they left the water on between rinsing the soap off of each dish it pained me to see all that water being wasted. Now when I forget to bring our Nalgene bottle or don’t remember to fill it up somewhere and end up buying plastic bottled water it is not pleasant because I see how much trash gets generated by something that I didn’t really need.

[...] Seeing and hearing all the things Timberland has dedicated itself to is exhausting (and I’m not just saying that because their my client). They do everything from planting over 1 million trees worldwide, to things like Timberland’s CEO banned bottled water at all their corporate offices. [...]

[...] It’s exciting to help lead part of the effort Timberland has dedicated itself to (and I’m not just saying that because they’re my client). They’re doing incredible things, like planting 1 million+ trees around the world, and drastic things like banning the use of bottled water (by their CEO) at all their corporate offices. [...]

[...] summer I proudly announced our corporate bottled water ban, and I got lots of love letters from fellow CEOs in the bottled water business, letting me know [...]

[...] [...]

[...] rooms if I knew I’d be in the company of one of our more vocal environmental champions (our CEO banned bottled water here, so picture how he’d react if he saw the paper cup covered with that paper sleeve that keeps [...]

[...] an employee of the brand that banned the bottle, I was thrilled to see that Brita was encouraging Sundance goers to do the same. [...]

What’s the status of bottled water being banned at your company?

Jsanford, thanks for asking. You won’t find any bottled water in Timberland’s vending machines or cafeteria.  Water is available from any one of our many bottle-free water coolers, though!

You may want to ad Elkay’s EZH20 bottle filler stations and encourage employees to bring there own refillable bottles. Elkay is a partner of The Green Schoolhouse Series, where they are installing these amazing bottle fillers next to the drinking fountains.
Chelsea member at The Green Schoolhouse Series

To many of us who are always on the go, bottled water is a convenience. Water is a necessity, but safe drinking water may not be always available in the places we go. Recycling used water bottles is a good way to cut down waste stream.