Environment

BYOW: Grand Canyon Officially Bans Plastic Water Bottle Sales

National Park Service Bans Water Bottle Sales at Grand Canyon

Headed to the Grand Canyon any time soon? Better bring your own water bottle if you want to stay hydrated.

The Associated Press reports that the National Park Service has officially banned the sale of disposable, plastic water bottles at the Grand Canyon. The ban will be instituted within the next 30 days. You will still be able to bring your own reusable or disposable bottle into the park and water stations will be set up for visitors to refill.

Jon Jarvis, director of the Park Service, did away with the bottle ban at the Grand Canyon in late 2010, but a former park superintendent raised questions over whether Coca-Cola Co. had some influence in this decision. Both the agency and Coca-Cola deny this claim.

In instituting the ban on water bottle sales, the park hopes to cut down on bottles thrown away. AP reports that plastic bottles account for 20 percent of the park’s waste and 30 percent of recyclables.

The Park Service will be selling souvenir reusable bottles for as little as $1.99 should visitors forget to bring a container.

Comments (29)

  • Black Manta
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 3:48pm

    You can recycle all you want to save the planet…Jesus is still coming to burn it of its sins

    Report Post » Black Manta  
  • collectorbob810
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 2:59pm

    i go every year with my family spend 3 grand. guess well need to go somewhere else. somewhere where there not so much hate.

    Report Post »  
  • hoopsgulch
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 2:08pm

    Don’t ever fill from the water station at Jenny lake/Grand Tetons. It tastes exactly like one would imagine public bathroom water would taste.

    Report Post »  
  • banjarmon
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 1:21pm

    PACK It IN….PACK It OUT
    http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TeachingLeaveNoTrace/033_dispose.aspx

    Report Post » banjarmon  
    • Amica
      Posted on February 8, 2012 at 3:34pm

      Exactly! They wouldn‘t be doing this if irresponsible slobs didn’t just toss their trash on the trail.

      Report Post » Amica  
    • oldoldtimer
      Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:26pm

      I always try to bring out more than I took in. Never seemed to be a problem filling my bags. People are really slobs. Even a dog has better sense than to mess in his own back yard.

      Report Post »  
  • dmerwin
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 12:11pm

    I would like to see this extended in many areas, yes the bottle is convenient if you forgot water somewhere. But, ever notice how many of these are at work related meetings and events? I would also phase out plastic grocery bags and change the bag refund structure. Instead of “rewarding” me 5 cents for every bag I bring to the store and use how about a 3 cent charge for every plastic bag used? While these bottles tout their “recycle ability” the reality is there are very few options for convenient recycling. I will say Mexico actually provide easier recycling (at least receptacles) than the us. Ever passed a land fill after a windstorm and observed the thousands of grocery bags stuck to the trees? We can do better. I agree with the others to include “vitamin water, sports drinks and soda”.

    Report Post » dmerwin  
    • scuba13
      Posted on February 8, 2012 at 3:22pm

      So your answer is to levy a “tax” on plastic , how left wing of you.

      Report Post » scuba13  
  • dirtydog1776
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 11:56am

    Is there a ban on sports drinks, soda and juices included? Or, as the article suggests, biased and show favoritism towards Coca Cola?

    Report Post » dirtydog1776  
  • DeavonReye
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 11:25am

    I agree with many of the comments here. Bring your own refillable water device. There is no reason why anyone should litter any of our national parks. The general rule is. . . . take what you came with.

    I hope to visit the Grand Canyon at some point in the [hopefully] near future. An amazing geologic wonder.

    Report Post » DeavonReye  
  • LANE131
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 10:12am

    Hey AZ and FEDS i am 12 miles from the AZ Mexico border, if you want something really to clean and take care of, build a REAL fence on the border, the illegals that come across are trashing the land down here like you would not believe, tash everwhere, just in that alone the fence is needed i won’t even bring up the illegal drugs, the rape and killings, stealing, not feeling you can live like a free american in your own home, and can not even get to the parks down here without fear for your life.
    BUILD THE FENCE!!!

    Report Post »  
  • Mr.Fitnah
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 10:03am

    The grand Canyon?
    If they leave that thing outside, soon it will be nothing but a big hole in the ground.

    Report Post » Mr.Fitnah  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:24am

    Seems resonable to me. our family has always had a policy of whatever we brought to a park, we took out. Trash cans are often full, and we don’t believe in leaving messes in places of beauty. From personal experience, aliens are pigs with trash, they are turning our parks into mexico mess. They should be severely punished, no fine, just hours and hours of clean up. Don’t get me wrong, some Americans are piggy too. If I hadn’t seen the messes in parks and even on the streets of L A, I would never thought people could be so awfull. I was really stunned at the extent of it.

    Report Post »  
  • rabblechat
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 9:02am

    I don’t see a problem with this. As others have noted water bottles account for most of the trash you see along trails and in parks. If someone goes into a place the the G.C. it is to see nature not a bunch of empty water bottles or snickers wrappers from people to careless to haul out their own trash.
    In general, bottled water is a wasteful product. The water which you pay 7 bucks a gallon for is unregulated and in some cases of worse quality than your own tap water.
    Not to mention the petroleum and landfill space wasted in the production and disposal of the bottles.

    If you are going to the Grand canyon, Yellowstone or even your local park, take a refillable water bottle or a hydration bladder.

    Report Post » rabblechat  
  • Latter-Day-Soldier
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 7:58am

    I’ll take my Camelpac thank you

    Report Post » Latter-Day-Soldier  
    • ishka4me
      Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:31am

      You can be an environmentalist and not a nut job. Have had the experience of paddling the Grand Canyon and the trash on shore in places is disgusting and most of the trash is plastic bottles. The Grand Canyon is a treasure and I support this. Clean rivers, clean oceans, clean forests is not against the conservative agenda.

      Report Post »  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:48am

      are theyinsralling body scanners?
      how will they check for ckntraband?
      if they had claimed this was to cut down on litter, I might have agreed.
      But, cutting cutting down on trash?
      That’s just enviro-activist nonsense.

      what of the poor and needy? Shouldn’t we subsidize their $1.99 bkttles?
      After all, how heartless is it to make poor people dehydrate while selling water to the rich?
      (sarcasm)

      Personally, I LIKE drinking from old-school glass bottles.
      They had a tactile experience you don’t get from plastic.
      The coca cola tasted better, and there was no worry of BPH, or litter, and they were 100% recyclable!
      I never asked for plastic to replace glass.

      I’m with you… I’ll take along a canteen or a camelback.

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • Latter-Day-Soldier
      Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:41pm

      Every time I go an area to target shoot, I always end up taking back at least a couple full bags of garbage that people just leave laying around! Heck, I even toted out a big wide screen t.v. that someone filled with holes….of course I added a few more myself ;} My point is that I firmly believe in leaving an area in better condition that how I found it in, just like the Boy Scout do.

      Report Post » Latter-Day-Soldier  
  • SageInWaiting
    Posted on February 8, 2012 at 7:28am

    This ban discriminates against those with diabetes; I thought SUGAR was the devil, according to the First Frau. That leaves the beverages with artificial sweeteners to poison us! (Maybe a bit sarcastic, but I’m REALLY tired of the thick headed power drunk A$$ES in this country.

    Report Post » SageInWaiting  
    • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
      Posted on February 8, 2012 at 8:18am

      Did you read something different than I did in this story? The park officials are going to offer cups at a reasonable price for those who forget their containers and water refill stations around the park. I see nothing wrong here, whatso ever. You need to calm down and read the entire story before you go off. I think it is a great move.

      Report Post »  
    • SageInWaiting
      Posted on February 8, 2012 at 6:30pm

      …so I can refill my empty 1L Aqufina bottle? Our gov’t reg are schizophrenic and obtrusive.

      Report Post » SageInWaiting  
  • Unc68
    Posted on February 7, 2012 at 11:13pm

    Just had some of the Grand Canyon spring water the other day, it was tastey. No need to complain about this, if you are in the desert here in Arizona, you should have water with you long before you get to the Grand Canyon. I hate tourist season, because no one seems to realize you need to have water in the desert. Some summer days require more water than you think.

    Report Post »  

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