Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It (Hardcover)

by Elizabeth Royte (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Royte (Garbage Land) plunges into America's mighty thirst for bottled water in an investigation of one of the greatest marketing coups of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. As tap water has become cleaner and better-tasting, the bottled water industry has exploded into a $60 billion business; consumers guzzle more high-priced designer water than milk or beer and spend billions on brands such as Pepsi's Aquafina and Coke's Dasani that are essentially processed municipal water. It's an unparalleled—and almost exclusively American—social phenomenon. With journalistic zeal, Royte chronicles the questionable practices of Nestle-owned Poland Springs and documents the environmental impact of discarded plastic bottles, the carbon footprint of water shipped long distances and health concerns around the leaching of plastic compounds from bottles. Not all tap water is perfectly pure, writes Royte, still, 92% of the nation's 53,000 local water systems meet or exceed federal safety standards and it is the devil we know, at least as good and often better than bottled water. This portrait of the science, commerce and politics of potable water is an entertaining and eye-opening narrative. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Fantastic.” – Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

"Ingenious.... Amiably, without haranguing or hyperventilating, this veteran environmental writer has produced what could be, assuming enough people read it, one of the year's most influential books."  - Boston Globe

"Royte's lively investigation of water politics will leave you ashamed to drink out of plastic, uneasy about the tap, and impressed by her ability to synthesize complicated material into such a witty and engaging book." —Entertainment Weekly 

 “An easy-to-swallow survey…. after you read it you will sip warily from your water bottle (whether purchased or tap, plastic or not), as freaked out by your own role in today’s insidious water wars as by Royte’s recommended ecologically responsible drink: “Toilet to tap.”” —Lisa Margonelli, New York Times Book Review

“Light and easy-to-read narrative…lots of interesting factoids…” —Providence Journal-Bulletin

“At a time of climate change and increasing risks to global water supplies, we must change the way we think about this crucial resource and begin treating it as a public good to be preserved, rather than the equivalent of an oil deposit or timber forest, ripe for corporate exploitation.” —New Scientist

“An intriguing look at a totem of the ultramodern, perhaps selfish, way we live now” —Time Out Chicago

"a well-balanced, interesting and instructive book about our fundamental human need to drink water" —Chicago Sun Times

“Seamlessly blending scientific explanation and social observation" —LA Times Book Review

"Bottlemania makes the case that it's not in our interests to let private multinational corporations float their boats on our nation's water. That's not democracy, it's dam-ocracy, and it could damn us all if we let their unquenchable thirst for profit take precedence over our right to clean, safe, free drinking water." —Kerry Trueman, Huffingtonpost.com

“An intrepid, intelligent analysis of Americans’ raging thirst for bottled water.” —BookPage

“An essential, if somewhat disturbing, read.” —VeryShortList.com

"A breezy, accessible history of water through the ages....a good account of the tensions in the little town of Fryeburg, Maine." —New York Post

"A sharp indictment of the bottled-water industry" —New York Observer

“Informative” —Meghan O’Rourke, Slate.com

"Compelling and dynamic" —Library Journal

“Entertaining and eye-opening” —Publishers Weekly

“Bottlemania is eye-opening and informative; you will never look at water – either "designer" or tap – in quite the same way. Royte demonstrates how everything is, in the end, truly connected.” —Elizabeth Kolbert

Royte deserves credit for her tenacity and well-balanced approach….Lively investigative journalism." —Kirkus Reviews

One of Entertainment Weekly's 10 Best Non-Fiction Books of 2008

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; 1st U.S. Ed edition (May 13, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 1596913711 ISBN-13: 978-1596913714 Product Dimensions: 5 x 5 x 0.8 inches Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #107,107 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in these categories: (What's this?) #27 in  Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Civil > Environmental > Pollution > Air #55 in  Books > Business & Investing > Marketing & Sales > Marketing > Research

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Customer Reviews

19 Reviews 5 star:  (9) 4 star:  (4) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:  (2) 1 star:  (2)           Average Customer Review 3.8 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 44 of 47 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars An expose that merits more attention, May 21, 2008 By  Sreeram Ramakrishnan (Yorktown Heights, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)       This is a remarkably interesting read that I am afraid hasn't gotten the attention it deserves. Ever since I read an article on "Fast Company" on the phenomenon of bottled water, I have been intrigued by it. A recent review in "Seed" introduced me to this book. I am glad that I read it. Despite the "funny" review of a top 1000 reviewer (imagine that) that considers this book as propaganda for more regulation, it is quite the opposite. The book comes across as a systematic analysis of how the industry evolved and some on-the-scene reporting of key players like Nestle and Poland Springs. The chapter on the latter, neatly cataloging the unimaginable conflicts of interests and a apparently pliant local public officials, alone is worth the price of the book. It is impossible for a reader not to be shocked at some of the reporting (the author almost always avoids any preachy tone). The contrasts and comparisons drawn between the Freysburg and Kingsfield communities is an interesting read as well. There is another chapter that outlines some actions companies like Coke are taking to evaluate their footprint. Another chapter worth mentioning is "Something to Drink?" - the last chapter which takes a broader viewpoint and ties the topics to global warming and related issues. You will learn fun stats as "a cotton t-shirt is backed by 528.3 gallons of water and a single cup of coffee by 52.8 gallons". Now, the negatives - The book takes a decidely US-centric narration. There is no extensive discussion on similar issues outside of the US (though there is some mention on the Coke debacle in India). The first-account narrative style helps to provide a very down-to-earth method to convey the ideas, but sometimes distracts from highlighting some of the salient points being made. Nevertheless, an informative, entertaining read that will certainly question the utility of an entire industry. 42 of 46 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely the Best Book on Nestle and the Predatory Bottled Water Industry, May 17, 2008 By  Peter Crabb (Pennsylvania USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Elizabeth Royte has written the best book available on the bottled water industry. Focusing on Nestle Waters North America and its Poland Spring operations in Maine, Royte's writing is knowledgeable, even-handed, and hip, and has none of the hyperbolic mewling that many environmentalist writers fall prey to. She provides sweeping and insightful coverage of the history, hydrogeology, chemistry, technology, politics, economics, and social psychology of the commodification of water. Readers will develop a better appreciation of just how unhealthy, environmentally destructive, and frankly crazy it is to buy and drink bottled water. An enlightening joy to read. Thanks, Elizabeth! 28 of 31 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Don't be put off by the apparently trivial title, June 6, 2008 By  J. R. Lebowitz "a reader" (upstate ny) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    The title is cute and catchy and implies the book is a lightweight screed about the erstwhile evils of drinking bottled water. Yes, the initial starting point for Ms. Royte's inquiry was asking some simple questions about the impacts and equities of a corporation bottling huge quantities of Maine springwater. But this is an important environmental book, in the same league as "An Inconvenient Truth". This is because Ms. Royte's simple questions about bottled water lead her and us on an exploration of a whole hidden world of our water and sanitation resources and infrastructure that lies behind our taps. How does bottled springwater differ from tap water in terms of harmful biological and chemical contaminants? How did the fad of chugging water out of throwaway plastic bottles catch on? Where does our tap water come from? How is it treated? Is that necessarily good for us? What is happening to the watersheds that all of us depend on? How can they be protected? How are water and sanitation systems interrelated? Are these groundwater and freshwater issues affected by other environmental trends, like global warming? And so on. Like Ms. Royte, you will probably come to the end of this brisk, readable work knowing a lot more about your own water and sanitation then you did when you began and have a much better appreciation of the somewhat unsurprising policy conclusions she reaches: that protecting our public drinking water "commons" makes more sense than drinking water bottled at distant plants. Although judging by the cute title and cover art the topic might seem a bit frothy and more of a treatise on marketing and product development, the author's target is much wider. I am an environmental attorney and have handled permitting and litigation involving public water supply and sanitary treatment systems and bottled springwater, and am impressed by how the author is able to get so much technical detail right, while keep it readable and interesting to a lay audience. Ms. Royte has written one of the best general interest books in a long while on an important, probably, THE most important environmental topic (other than climate change/greenhouse gases) of "wat-san" and preserving/expanding our aging public water and sewer infrastructure. In getting to those conclusions by starting her inquiry with questions about commoditized bottled water, the author attempts to be evenhanded and fair in her depiction of the corporate and individual actors without overly indulging in anti-corporate bias. My only minor quibble is the omission of any discussion of state licensing requirements and associated testing and reporting requirements (where it says, e.g., "NYSHD Cert. No. ___" on the label in small type). However, that's just a small omission, although I'm surprised the Nestle people didn't mention that there are state reviews of their in-house analytical and production data, it would seem to make their case stronger that water quality is not merely self-regulated or conforming only to advisory industry standards (i.e., IBWA) with respect to periodic testing, labeling and allowable maximum contaminant levels. That small error however does not detract significantly from the quality of this book. I've just ordered a few more copies of this book to share with several friends and colleagues who I think would be interested, that's how much I'm recommending it.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars bottlemania An entertaining, informative, and insightful read. Elizabeth Royte's curiosity and sense of humor make the book extra engaging, and sheds some light on one of the greatest... Read more Published 3 months ago by Kevin Strano 2.0 out of 5 stars A Disappointment With a BS and MS in natural resources and a PhD in marketing, I was extremely interested in reading Ms. Royte's book Bottlemania. Read more Published 3 months ago by Pricing Prof 5.0 out of 5 stars Water, Water, Everywhere? Well, Perhaps If It's Bottled There are some who predict that water will be the next oil. The world has not quite reached that point yet, but the early signs are painfully evident for those who care to look... Read more Published 5 months ago by Steve Koss 4.0 out of 5 stars To Bottle or NOT to Bottle, That IS the Question Though Royte purports this to be about bottled water producers, it's mostly a polemic against Nestle (our beloved friends from Switzerland) and it's predatory machinations on... Read more Published 6 months ago by Grey Wolffe 2.0 out of 5 stars I suppose I knew better . . . I read three reviews of this book, all of them good. Sadly a 500 word review is all that is necessary to convey all of the information in this book. Read more Published 7 months ago by Taggart Murphy 4.0 out of 5 stars Important Reading that Raises Important Questions I found this book to be highly informative, putting a human face on a series of complex issues without simple answers. Read more Published 10 months ago by Peter Pelland 1.0 out of 5 stars Anti Business Polemic Although many reviewers have commented on the author as an environmentalist, she is really opposed to corporations developing and marketing something as basic to nature as water... Read more Published 10 months ago by J. M. Williams 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent research and writing on this priority subject Bottlemania: how water went on sale and why we bought it By Elizabeth Royte (Published by Bloomsbury USA, New York - First edition 2008) What is our... Read more Published 11 months ago by Marian Rose, PhD Physics 3.0 out of 5 stars Long on strident advocacy: short on provable facts I was pre-disposed to liking this book based upon its full title alone: "Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It". Read more Published 11 months ago by Jerry Saperstein 5.0 out of 5 stars My impressions of Bottlemania Anyone reading this book will hopefully pick up their plastic water bottles and heave them into the recycling bin. Read more Published 11 months ago by Spero P. Tsindos Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; 1st U.S. Ed edition (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596913711
• ISBN-13: 978-1596913714
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #107,107 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #27 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Civil > Environmental > Pollution > Air
  #55 in	Books > Business & Investing > Marketing & Sales > Marketing > Research

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An expose that merits more attention, May 21, 2008

By	Sreeram Ramakrishnan (Yorktown Heights, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is a remarkably interesting read that I am afraid hasn't gotten the attention it deserves. Ever since I read an article on "Fast Company" on the phenomenon of bottled water, I have been intrigued by it. A recent review in "Seed" introduced me to this book. I am glad that I read it.

Despite the "funny" review of a top 1000 reviewer (imagine that) that considers this book as propaganda for more regulation, it is quite the opposite. The book comes across as a systematic analysis of how the industry evolved and some on-the-scene reporting of key players like Nestle and Poland Springs. The chapter on the latter, neatly cataloging the unimaginable conflicts of interests and a apparently pliant local public officials, alone is worth the price of the book. It is impossible for a reader not to be shocked at some of the reporting (the author almost always avoids any preachy tone). The contrasts and comparisons drawn between the Freysburg and Kingsfield communities is an interesting read as well. There is another chapter that outlines some actions companies like Coke are taking to evaluate their footprint. Another chapter worth mentioning is "Something to Drink?" - the last chapter which takes a broader viewpoint and ties the topics to global warming and related issues. You will learn fun stats as "a cotton t-shirt is backed by 528.3 gallons of water and a single cup of coffee by 52.8 gallons".

Now, the negatives - The book takes a decidely US-centric narration. There is no extensive discussion on similar issues outside of the US (though there is some mention on the Coke debacle in India). The first-account narrative style helps to provide a very down-to-earth method to convey the ideas, but sometimes distracts from highlighting some of the salient points being made.

Nevertheless, an informative, entertaining read that will certainly question the utility of an entire industry.

42 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely the Best Book on Nestle and the Predatory Bottled Water Industry, May 17, 2008

By	Peter Crabb (Pennsylvania USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Elizabeth Royte has written the best book available on the bottled water industry. Focusing on Nestle Waters North America and its Poland Spring operations in Maine, Royte's writing is knowledgeable, even-handed, and hip, and has none of the hyperbolic mewling that many environmentalist writers fall prey to. She provides sweeping and insightful coverage of the history, hydrogeology, chemistry, technology, politics, economics, and social psychology of the commodification of water. Readers will develop a better appreciation of just how unhealthy, environmentally destructive, and frankly crazy it is to buy and drink bottled water. An enlightening joy to read. Thanks, Elizabeth!

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't be put off by the apparently trivial title, June 6, 2008

By	J. R. Lebowitz "a reader" (upstate ny) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The title is cute and catchy and implies the book is a lightweight screed about the erstwhile evils of drinking bottled water. Yes, the initial starting point for Ms. Royte's inquiry was asking some simple questions about the impacts and equities of a corporation bottling huge quantities of Maine springwater. But this is an important environmental book, in the same league as "An Inconvenient Truth".

This is because Ms. Royte's simple questions about bottled water lead her and us on an exploration of a whole hidden world of our water and sanitation resources and infrastructure that lies behind our taps. How does bottled springwater differ from tap water in terms of harmful biological and chemical contaminants? How did the fad of chugging water out of throwaway plastic bottles catch on? Where does our tap water come from? How is it treated? Is that necessarily good for us? What is happening to the watersheds that all of us depend on? How can they be protected? How are water and sanitation systems interrelated? Are these groundwater and freshwater issues affected by other environmental trends, like global warming? And so on.

Like Ms. Royte, you will probably come to the end of this brisk, readable work knowing a lot more about your own water and sanitation then you did when you began and have a much better appreciation of the somewhat unsurprising policy conclusions she reaches: that protecting our public drinking water "commons" makes more sense than drinking water bottled at distant plants.

Although judging by the cute title and cover art the topic might seem a bit frothy and more of a treatise on marketing and product development, the author's target is much wider. I am an environmental attorney and have handled permitting and litigation involving public water supply and sanitary treatment systems and bottled springwater, and am impressed by how the author is able to get so much technical detail right, while keep it readable and interesting to a lay audience. Ms. Royte has written one of the best general interest books in a long while on an important, probably, THE most important environmental topic (other than climate change/greenhouse gases) of "wat-san" and preserving/expanding our aging public water and sewer infrastructure. In getting to those conclusions by starting her inquiry with questions about commoditized bottled water, the author attempts to be evenhanded and fair in her depiction of the corporate and individual actors without overly indulging in anti-corporate bias.

My only minor quibble is the omission of any discussion of state licensing requirements and associated testing and reporting requirements (where it says, e.g., "NYSHD Cert. No. ___" on the label in small type). However, that's just a small omission, although I'm surprised the Nestle people didn't mention that there are state reviews of their in-house analytical and production data, it would seem to make their case stronger that water quality is not merely self-regulated or conforming only to advisory industry standards (i.e., IBWA) with respect to periodic testing, labeling and allowable maximum contaminant levels. That small error however does not detract significantly from the quality of this book. I've just ordered a few more copies of this book to share with several friends and colleagues who I think would be interested, that's how much I'm recommending it.