A communication from IBWA ( International Bottled Water Association ) that came out today outlines just a few of the serious implications that can and will occur if this proposal is passed and put in to action. The 130% taxation of bottled water will render much-needed drinking water un-affordable for many people who can't drink well water that isn't drinking quality or force them to drink water from government sources that contain chemicals and flouride. Thousands of Washington citizens will lose their jobs and make our unemployment rates soar. The links below generate a pre-typed letter in opposition to the 1 cent per ounce bottled water tax and there is space provided for a personal message as well. Please continue reading to view the original communication............
Dear Washington State Bottled Water Supporter,
Thank you very much for taking the time to sign our Bottled Water Matters petition during this past year. We truly do appreciate your support of the bottled water industry and our products.
We wanted to let you know that Governor Chris Gregoire and some within the Washington State Legislature are currently discussing ways to close the State's $2.8 billion budget shortfall, and one proposal currently under consideration is a 1-cent-per-ounce TAX ON BOTTLED WATER. If this proposal were to be signed into law, it would easily DOUBLE the price of a case of water in the state, and the price of a 3- or 5-gallon jug of water. It could also eliminate a lot of good paying jobs and hurt a great manufacturing industry in Washington State.
Please take just a few minutes of your time TODAY to sign a letter to your Washington State Senators and Representatives asking them to OPPOSE any and all legislation that would raise the price of your bottled water and eliminate jobs. A copy of your letter will automatically be sent to Governor Gregoire. The bottled water tax proposal may be under serious consideration in the Legislature very soon, so it is critical that your legislators hear from you RIGHT NOW. The short time you spend today on this issue will save you money tomorrow.
Visit either of these links to take action:
http://www.bottledwatermatters.com/content/take-action
OR
http://capwiz.com/ibwa/issues/alert/?alertid=14709586
Please pass this email along to your family and friends who also enjoy bottled water so that they can write their legislators too. And ask them to sign our petition if they haven’t already done so.
Thanks for your time, and we appreciate your support of the bottled water industry.
Sincerely,
The Bottled Water Matters Team
Monday, February 22, 2010
Gregoire: Raise taxes on bottled water, pop, cigs
Full post at: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattlepolitics/archives/194909.asp
Gregoire: Raise taxes on bottled water, pop, cigs Higher taxes on things like bottled water, pop, cigarettes and candy are part of Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposal to raise more than $600 million to help avoid large cuts to education and social services.
Gregoire: Raise taxes on bottled water, pop, cigs
Higher taxes on things like bottled water, pop, cigarettes and candy are part of Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposal to raise more than $600 million to help avoid large cuts to education and social services.
Gregoire's plan, which also includes closing some tax loopholes, was released Wednesday.
The plan contains $493 million in tax increases, including a hike on the tax rate on oil products and other pollutants from 0.7 to 2 percent. That would generate about $148 million for state programs, according to Gregoire.
The governor also wants:
· An excise tax on bottled water: This would be a tax of 1 cent per ounce. It would raise $134.7 million this budget period, the governor says.
· Excise tax on carbonated beverages: A tax of 5 cents per 12 ounces to raise $93.6 million through July of 2011.
· Increase on cigarette and tobacco taxes: This would raise $88.8 million through this budget period. It includes raising the taxes on cigarettes by a buck a pack to $3.025.
· Sales tax on candy and gum: Most food products are exempt from the state's sales tax. This proposal would introduce such a levy on candy and gum to raise $28 million through next year.
The state's operating budget deficit is $2.8 billion - meaning that even if Gregoire's tax plans were approved about a billion in cuts will have to be made. Washington is hoping for hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money to help balance its books.
Advocates for the state's needy praised the governor, but said the tax increase proposal needed to be bigger.
"The choice we face as a state is clear, either state will raise significant new revenue or we will face devastating cuts to the services that support our quality of life," said Sandeep Kaushik, spokesman for the Rebuilding our Economic Future Coalition. "Gov. Gregoire made it clear today that she understands that working families across the state are hurting and the state needs to act quickly and decisively to pass a revenue package."
To make it easier to raise taxes majority Democrats are working to suspend a citizen initiative that requires a two-thirds legislative vote. The House is expected to approve a bill suspending Initiative 960 late Wednesday night. The Senate has already OK'd the measure. Republicans have strongly opposed attempts to suspend I-960.
There are Democrats in the House who propose going in farther than Gregoire; some have advocated an across-the-board sales tax increase.
"This isn't just 'a day late and a dollar short' – it's a year late and several hundred million dollars short. We must find more revenue to avoid an even more apocalyptic budget crisis in 2011," Rep. Brendan Williams, D-Olympia, said in a statement.
Gregoire: Raise taxes on bottled water, pop, cigs Higher taxes on things like bottled water, pop, cigarettes and candy are part of Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposal to raise more than $600 million to help avoid large cuts to education and social services.
Gregoire: Raise taxes on bottled water, pop, cigs
Higher taxes on things like bottled water, pop, cigarettes and candy are part of Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposal to raise more than $600 million to help avoid large cuts to education and social services.
Gregoire's plan, which also includes closing some tax loopholes, was released Wednesday.
The plan contains $493 million in tax increases, including a hike on the tax rate on oil products and other pollutants from 0.7 to 2 percent. That would generate about $148 million for state programs, according to Gregoire.
The governor also wants:
· An excise tax on bottled water: This would be a tax of 1 cent per ounce. It would raise $134.7 million this budget period, the governor says.
· Excise tax on carbonated beverages: A tax of 5 cents per 12 ounces to raise $93.6 million through July of 2011.
· Increase on cigarette and tobacco taxes: This would raise $88.8 million through this budget period. It includes raising the taxes on cigarettes by a buck a pack to $3.025.
· Sales tax on candy and gum: Most food products are exempt from the state's sales tax. This proposal would introduce such a levy on candy and gum to raise $28 million through next year.
The state's operating budget deficit is $2.8 billion - meaning that even if Gregoire's tax plans were approved about a billion in cuts will have to be made. Washington is hoping for hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money to help balance its books.
Advocates for the state's needy praised the governor, but said the tax increase proposal needed to be bigger.
"The choice we face as a state is clear, either state will raise significant new revenue or we will face devastating cuts to the services that support our quality of life," said Sandeep Kaushik, spokesman for the Rebuilding our Economic Future Coalition. "Gov. Gregoire made it clear today that she understands that working families across the state are hurting and the state needs to act quickly and decisively to pass a revenue package."
To make it easier to raise taxes majority Democrats are working to suspend a citizen initiative that requires a two-thirds legislative vote. The House is expected to approve a bill suspending Initiative 960 late Wednesday night. The Senate has already OK'd the measure. Republicans have strongly opposed attempts to suspend I-960.
There are Democrats in the House who propose going in farther than Gregoire; some have advocated an across-the-board sales tax increase.
"This isn't just 'a day late and a dollar short' – it's a year late and several hundred million dollars short. We must find more revenue to avoid an even more apocalyptic budget crisis in 2011," Rep. Brendan Williams, D-Olympia, said in a statement.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Study: Bottled Water Has Small Environmental Footprint
A new study released last week finds that water, in all its forms, has the least environmental impact of any beverage choice. When compared to other packaged beverages, including soft drinks, sports drinks, enhanced waters and juices, bottled water has the lightest environmental footprint.
Commissioned by Nestle Waters North America, the life-cycle analysis study is believed to be the first peer-reviewed, comprehensive analysis of the environmental impact of water and alternative beverage options, including filtered and un-filtered tap water consumed from reusable plastic, steel and aluminum containers.
According to the report, packaging and distribution are key contributors to a beverage’s carbon footprint. Key findings from the study include the fact that water is the least environmentally impactful beverage option. Water of all types accounts for 41 percent of a consumer’s total beverage consumption, but represents just 12 percent of a consumer’s climate change impact.
Bottled water is the most environmentally responsible packaged drink choice. Sports drinks, enhanced waters and soda produce nearly 50 percent more carbon dioxide emissions per serving than bottled water. Juice, beer and milk produce nearly three times as many carbon dioxide emissions per serving as bottled water.
“Water is the hero in this story. If people have access to good quality tap water, we’ve always felt they should use it,” said Kim Jeffery, president and CEO of Nestle Waters North America, in a press release. “And, from a health perspective, choosing bottled water — with no calories, sweeteners or additives — is about the smartest choice one can make among packaged beverages.”
Commissioned by Nestle Waters North America, the life-cycle analysis study is believed to be the first peer-reviewed, comprehensive analysis of the environmental impact of water and alternative beverage options, including filtered and un-filtered tap water consumed from reusable plastic, steel and aluminum containers.
According to the report, packaging and distribution are key contributors to a beverage’s carbon footprint. Key findings from the study include the fact that water is the least environmentally impactful beverage option. Water of all types accounts for 41 percent of a consumer’s total beverage consumption, but represents just 12 percent of a consumer’s climate change impact.
Bottled water is the most environmentally responsible packaged drink choice. Sports drinks, enhanced waters and soda produce nearly 50 percent more carbon dioxide emissions per serving than bottled water. Juice, beer and milk produce nearly three times as many carbon dioxide emissions per serving as bottled water.
“Water is the hero in this story. If people have access to good quality tap water, we’ve always felt they should use it,” said Kim Jeffery, president and CEO of Nestle Waters North America, in a press release. “And, from a health perspective, choosing bottled water — with no calories, sweeteners or additives — is about the smartest choice one can make among packaged beverages.”
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Water for Haiti Update
Here is an email we received from the northwest bottled water association
Hello Everyone!
I wanted to share our exciting news with you. NWBWA and you are doing great things as an association. Thank you to all of you that have contributed to the Water for Haiti project. I'm please to inform you that our first truck load shipped last week and is on its way to Haiti. Our first load was produced by Idaho Ice in Moscow, Idaho. Kevin Espy and his team, along with owner Jim Schwartz, not only donated their spring water, but donated their time and labor to make this project happen. I have been working closely with Jim Connelly, our Vice President. We are partnering with Convoy of Hope - an organization that is well established and was already on the ground in Haiti long before this horrific earthquake. They have been feeding up to 11,000 children per day to make sure they get at least one meal of food and water each day. Their warehouse in Haiti was away from the epicenter and virtually untouched by this quake. With the need for food and water at a catastrophic level, our timing could not be better. Convoy of Hope is covering all transportation of the product to Haiti. Our first load is approximately 20,000 liter bottles. Our supplier members have been a key part of our success. This first truckload of raw materials was totally donated: bottles, caps, labels and boxes. With his special donation we now have funding from our members, that will allow us to move forward. Paul Fischer, General Manager of Mountain Mist in Tacoma, Washington, has also stepped up for our cause and is donating Mountain Mist artesian well water and all the labor to send out our second load. Paul's suppliers are helping defer some of the cost with raw material donations as well. Idaho Ice is going out on a limb and producing a third load. Our hope, as an association, is that our members will continue to help with this project. Please, if you can, send your donation to NWBWA, marked for Water to Haiti project. Last week I traveled to Moscow, Idaho with Jim Connelly to meet with the media. Our interview will air in the northwest market, promoting our efforts in Haiti. We are working on other ways to raise funds. Some of our bottlers are asking their customers for support, while others have their employees working together to raise funds to keep helping this cause. The people of Haiti will need support for many years to help rebuild what has been taken away by this event. Thank you again for your support and helping us at NWBWA to make a difference in the world we live in.
Sincerely,
Tim Dougherty
Executive Director
Northwest Bottled Water Association
Hello Everyone!
I wanted to share our exciting news with you. NWBWA and you are doing great things as an association. Thank you to all of you that have contributed to the Water for Haiti project. I'm please to inform you that our first truck load shipped last week and is on its way to Haiti. Our first load was produced by Idaho Ice in Moscow, Idaho. Kevin Espy and his team, along with owner Jim Schwartz, not only donated their spring water, but donated their time and labor to make this project happen. I have been working closely with Jim Connelly, our Vice President. We are partnering with Convoy of Hope - an organization that is well established and was already on the ground in Haiti long before this horrific earthquake. They have been feeding up to 11,000 children per day to make sure they get at least one meal of food and water each day. Their warehouse in Haiti was away from the epicenter and virtually untouched by this quake. With the need for food and water at a catastrophic level, our timing could not be better. Convoy of Hope is covering all transportation of the product to Haiti. Our first load is approximately 20,000 liter bottles. Our supplier members have been a key part of our success. This first truckload of raw materials was totally donated: bottles, caps, labels and boxes. With his special donation we now have funding from our members, that will allow us to move forward. Paul Fischer, General Manager of Mountain Mist in Tacoma, Washington, has also stepped up for our cause and is donating Mountain Mist artesian well water and all the labor to send out our second load. Paul's suppliers are helping defer some of the cost with raw material donations as well. Idaho Ice is going out on a limb and producing a third load. Our hope, as an association, is that our members will continue to help with this project. Please, if you can, send your donation to NWBWA, marked for Water to Haiti project. Last week I traveled to Moscow, Idaho with Jim Connelly to meet with the media. Our interview will air in the northwest market, promoting our efforts in Haiti. We are working on other ways to raise funds. Some of our bottlers are asking their customers for support, while others have their employees working together to raise funds to keep helping this cause. The people of Haiti will need support for many years to help rebuild what has been taken away by this event. Thank you again for your support and helping us at NWBWA to make a difference in the world we live in.
Sincerely,
Tim Dougherty
Executive Director
Northwest Bottled Water Association
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