Jul 15, 2008 7:33 pm US/Eastern
Phipps Conservatory Stops Selling Bottled Water
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) ―
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Oakland is no longer selling bottled water to guests.
The Conservatory has decided to make an "eco-conscious decision" to discontinue the sale of bottled water in order to reduce plastic bottle pollution.
Phipps says the removal of bottled water is part of an on-going initiative to reduce its "carbon footprint," the impact on the environment in terms of greenhouse gases emitted from all activities.
In 2005, when its environmentally certified welcome center first opened, Phipps decided to exclusively sell only locally bottled water to reduce high energy costs associated with production and shipping.
A new corn-based compostable cup will be offered for guests, which officials say a will biodegrade within 50 days and will take up less room in landfills.
Reusable plastic bottles for filtered water will be sold in the Conservatory's café.
They are dark green, printed with the Phipps logo, and are similar to bicycle or sports water bottles.
These new bottles will cost $2.25, compared to the previous price of $1.75 for a regular bottle of water.
Phipps, which has also banned the use of bottled water at all meetings and events in its buildings and on its grounds, is joining a trend away from plastic bottles, which environmental groups say produces plastic waste and uses oil.
Governments in Seattle, San Francisco and Santa Barbara, Calif., also have banned or restricted purchases of bottled water.
And in 2007, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which represents more than 1,100 cities, passed a resolution questioning the need for municipal purchases of single-use water bottles while cities already spend $43 billion a year keeping their own water supplies clean.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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