Movie Review-Tapped

From small town USA to the Pacific Ocean, bottled water impacts people and our environment in countless ways. This unregulated industry is chronicled in director Stephanie Soechtig’s 2009 award-winning documentary, “Tapped.” In traditional indie documentary style, this film takes an opinionated look at the process of making bottled water from its start in municipal water supplies to the landfills that billions of bottles end up in each year. “Tapped” is informative and thorough, while still visually interesting and creative.

This documentary is designed to shock, and it succeeds. Some notable shots include the infamous “garbage patches” in all four oceans that contain countless water bottles which eventually kill the many aquatic animals who mistakenly eat them. The interviews in “Tapped” are also alarming. One such interview takes place in Corpus Christi, Texas where many residents believe a bottle-making plant is causing cancer and birth defects at a disturbingly higher rate than normal nearby towns. This film also takes time to debunk the myths of bottled water advertising, such as the claims that it is “safe” and “pure.” In fact, multiple independent studies have found harmful compounds in water straight off supermarket shelves.

There is a website companion to the film (www.tappedthemovie.com) that includes state-by-state information on water bottling and collecting facilities. It also has a section that deals with ways to cut down on waste such as purchasing a BPA- free reusable bottle.

In the end, the basic message “Tapped” leaves you with is that even if you aren’t concerned about the environmental and health hazards, bottled water is still a waste of money since at least 40 percent of it is from the tap. If you have any interest in health, environmental issues or documentaries in general, “Tapped” is definitely worth watching.

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