Friday, July 4th, 2008

Bottlemania

photo by Flickr user Shrff14

It's hard to go anywhere these days without seeing someone with bottle of drinking water. But when did that start -- and how has the water bottle become such a part of current US culture? In this segment, Ira talks with Elizabeth Royte, author of a new book on the bottled-water phenomenon, about Americans' willingness to pay for something that often can be had from a tap for much less, and about the economic and environmental costs of our bottled-water obsession.

Guests

Elizabeth Royte
Author, "Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It."
Brooklyn, New York

Related Links

• Slate: Reusable water bottles you'll actually want to use.
• Green Guide: The True Cost of Bottled Water
• Fast Company: Message in a Bottle
• Bottlemania

Segment produced by:Flora Lichtman

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