Starting with the Hose

As kids, under warm summer skies either playing sports, hiking through the woods, or simply bicycling at great speeds, we would often head to the nearest friend’s house and take turns drinking from the outside hose. The first to drink would let the warm water, heated by the sun, pass through the hose before starting to drink. At that time lawn irrigation systems were unknown. Eventually, we graduated to firm plastic cups or glasses at the kitchen sink.

One day we heard that some businesses were starting to bottle water and sell it. Many of us laughed in unison at such a preposterous scheme. Yet, as we have come to know, not so ridiculous at all.

The American Actor Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa, a Hawaiian who goes by his second name Jason, has played a number of roles but became quite famous with his portrayal of Arthur Curry in the series, as well as the movie, “Aquaman”. I confess never having seen any of his work except perhaps a television commercial.

Momoa owns a company called Mananalu. The enterprise sells water contained in an aluminum can. According to Momoa, the reason for the more unconventional container is that plastic bottles litter the earth and eventually end up in the oceans. The water bottles have threaded off-and-on caps, so they can be reused. A 12-pack of 16-ounce bottles retails at Amazon for $27.99  -  this breaks down to $3.36 per bottle. Somewhat expensive one might say. At a local grocery store, a 12-pack of brand-name beer in 16-ounce aluminum cans retails for $15.99 or $1.33 each.

I knew there was a valid reason I drink it.

The Center for Organizational Research and Education (CORE), seemingly in protest to Momoa’s claim took out a full-page advertisement in USA Today, claiming “Does Momoa care about the planet or profits?” CORE itself is kind of a peculiar non-profit organization creating multiple websites to tackle problems it perceives with organizations in the Environment, Consumer, Science, and Activist Groups categories.

While the plastic water bottle conundrum as well as the plastic straw fallacy is significantly overblown, it makes one wonder if CORE is endeavoring to virtue-signal its position using a targeted celebrity. After all, CORE gets its volunteer funding from individuals, corporate donors, and foundations. I link an article on this saga here.

My reasoning for writing on this battle is that it seems intentionally lame. If aluminum cans are such an absolute disaster on the earth and its climate, would it not be much preferred to take on Pepsi, Coca-Cola, or Red Bull, or in the beer industry, Budweiser, Coors, or Miller Brewing?

Speaking of exerting superior morality but certainly, some mediocrity when it comes to alcoholic beverages, there is Air Co vodka, apparently made purely from carbon dioxide and water. Each bottle, according to the linked article removes one pound of CO2 from the air. Taking this a step further, the average vehicle emits about six tons of carbon dioxide every year under the assumption that burning one gallon of gas creates 20 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Six tons equals 12,000 pounds or the consumption of 12,000 bottles of Air Co vodka for every vehicle owned - Like many households, I have two so if there is no commentary from me tomorrow, rest assured I am quite drunk.