VERIFY: Is it safe to drink water from a plastic bottle left in a hot car?.
It’s a popular rumor online: a post claims “A friend of ours became very sick after drinking water left in a car overnight and she was ill for a couple months … Bottled water in your car is very dangerous!” (Photo: WBIR) The post claims chemicals like dioxin can leech from the bottle into the water, so 10News’ Verify team set out to find the real dangers of plastic water bottles.
His research focuses on environmental chemicals’ affect on human health – in particular, dioxin.
SOURCE: Dr. Jiangang Chen “Oh, it’s an urban myth,” Chen said.
“… I don’t think there’s real risk inside the water bottle.” Chen went on to say he often drinks from disposable plastic bottles, and sometimes leaves them in his car overnight.
Though he did note: if a bottle has spent weeks or even months in a hot car, he would avoid drinking it, because high-temperatures over time could potentially begin to break down the bottle.
“I do not tell my patients to avoid drinking water from a plastic container,” Newman said.
Microwave-safe Containers Prof. Chen highlighted another part of the post, which warns against microwaving food and beverages in plastic containers.
Verify Conclusion So is it safe to drink water from a plastic bottle after it’s been in your car for a few days?
Is there another story you’d like us to VERIFY?

Does Bottled Water Expire?
One thing that I never see an expiration date on is bottles of water.
I sometimes imagine a huge freighter bringing Evian water from France crossing the Atlantic so we can drink it here, while people in France for that brief time got freighter loads of water from the Hamptons.
Like many people, I’ve taken to carrying a bottle of water with me wherever I go every day.
I think water CAN go bad.
If the drinker’s just me, then the bottle is still good for a second day.
Another rule: If a passenger in my car drank some of my water, then it’s not good even the next day.
Or maybe—and this is really first class—I refill it from the water I get from the refrigerator door.
Refrigerator water, in my view, really can be drunk for days and days.
Finally, it’s all done right there, in the refrigerator, so this is the ultimate in what environmentalists tell you to do, which is to “buy local.” I do think that filtered, ice cold water from your refrigerator here in the Hamptons is probably the best water there is.

In response to So what would a carbon tax really cost?, Stefano Carattini wrote: We have recently published an advanced review article tackling some of the points that you mention.
From the abstract: Here, we present the main arguments for carbon pricing, to stimulate a fair and well-informed discussion about it.
We stress that a main reason to use carbon pricing is environmental effectiveness at a relatively low cost, which in turn contributes to enhance social and political acceptability of climate policy Lobbying definitely plays a key role here, but unfortunately under standard circumstances the general public is not much more open to the idea of a carbon tax (see for instance this).
From the abstract: We examine the determinants of voting and find that distributional and competitiveness concerns reduced the acceptability of energy taxes, along with the perception of ineffectiveness.
I then asked Stefano: Do you think that a series of national carbon taxes (with funds reallocated domestically) is better than an international (but more efficient) tax system?
I think that cap and trade is defacto dead as a policy due to its complexity but — worse — its design of shipping money to foreigners.
Thus, I think that a national carbon tax (even without border adjustments, but I like that idea of refunding the border adjustment to the exporting country!)
is a definite second best… To which he replied: The question that you ask is a tough one, but I would say that yes, starting with domestic carbon taxes is probably the most feasible solution.
I know of several initiatives trying to tackle the unpopularity of carbon taxes, with the aim to push for (acceptable) national carbon taxes in different countries.
Their plan does include carbon motivated border tax adjustments, as also did the recent initiative by a group of prominent republicans.

Is drinking bottled water from the car safe to drink?.
LAREDO, Texas (KGNS) – Many of us usually head out the door with a bottle of water to stay cool during the summer temperatures and a lot of the times they end up being left in cars.
An important question is that is the water safe to drink after being left in the car for several hours?
Many might think it is unsafe to drink because of the plastic that it is in, which is made up of a chemical called BPA, but it’s actually something different.
Health officials say that when left in the car the amount of BPA that could be released from the bottle is not harmful because it is in a small does.
However, Doctor Hector Gonzalez with the Health Department says you should be concerned about bacteria that could grow inside the bottle.
Gonzalez says if it were over a long period of time like several months in very hot temperatures, then the BPA could be a bigger concern.
However, leaving the water in the car for a day or two is less likely to cause harm to the body.

Clean water from the tap is a goal encouraged by the Pike County Conservation District.
MILFORD – Almost everyone in the area depends on ground water; even if you have bottled water for drinking, you likely cook and wash with water that comes from the tap.
To answer these questions, the Pike County Conservation District, in conjunction with Pike County Penn State Extension and the Pocono Source Water Protection Collaborative, will be holding three public workshops in different areas of the county in coming months.
Michelle Long, of the Conservation District, announced at the County Commissioners’ meeting, July 5th, that the first 10 people who register at any of these workshops, will be provided a water test kit at no charge.
The homeowner can then take this home to sample their own water, and have it sent in for analysis.
Peter Wulfhorst, Penn State Extension, said that they recommend that this test be done annually.
Groundwater is subject to being contaminated by harmful substances, such as road salt, cleaning supplies, home heating oil medicines, weed killers and fertilizers.
Pike County Commissioners meet on the first and third Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Administration Building, 506 Broad St., Milford, PA. More information about the Pike County Conservation District is available at https://pikeconservation.org or by calling 570-226-8220.
Contact your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office, 570-296-3400, to get a soils test kit to help measure the amount of fertilizer to use in your lawn or garden.
Have your water tested.

Chelan PUD provides bottled water for customers in Olds Station area affected by “boil water” advisory.
Chelan County PUD is making bottled water available to customers who were affected by today’s “boil water” advisory.
The water will be available until 6 p.m. tonight at the Fire Station at the base of Sunnyslope, 206 Easy Street.
Although water is flowing to customers after the system interruption early this morning, the PUD is advising to either boil water or to use bottled water until early tomorrow afternoon when test results are expected.
Sometime early today the automated controls that operate the PUD’s water system, malfunctioned and a portion of the Chelan PUD water system affecting about 250 customers in the Olds Station area lost pressure.
Repairs have been made and water service has been restored.
(see PUD map above or call 663-8121 and ask about your address) However, when pressure is lost there is a potential for contamination to enter into the water distribution system.
As a result, the PUD is asking customers to boil water until it has been determined that the water is safe to drink.
Water samples have been collected and delivered to a local lab for analysis.
Chelan PUD advises customers that boiling kills any potential bacteria and other organisms in the water.

Salvation Army cooling centers open again this week.
Autoplay:Play Video0:00 0:00: 0%: 0%LIVE -0:00 OMAHA, Neb.
(KMTV) – The Salvation Army cooling centers will be this week to anyone seeking relief from the heat, and is asking for bottled water donations.
Council Bluffs bottled water donations can be dropped off at the Council Bluffs Corps, 715 N. 16th St., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Call 402-898-6090 for more information about this site.
Kroc Center at 2825 Y St. will be open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Call 402-451-4048 for more information about this site.
Call 402-451-4048 for more information about this site.
Council Bluffs Corps at 715 N. 16th St. will be open 9 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Call 712-328-2088 for more information about this site.

Boil water advisory issued for dozens of homes in Murrysville.
MURRYSVILLE, Pa. — A precautionary boil water advisory went into effect Monday for approximately 87 homes in Murrysville for a lack of positive pressure.
The advisory is expected to be lifted by Wednesday.
Residents in this area received an automated call about the advisory.
The e-mail from the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County stated the following in regards to the advisory: "Customers within the affected area are advised not to drink water without boiling it first for one full minute.
Bring all water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using; or use bottled water.
Water in the affected area is still safe for bathing, washing clothes and flushing toilets.
A broken valve at Linda Drive in Murrysville was reported at approximately 1:30 a.m. Monday.
While a wider area may have experienced pressure fluctuations initially, the precautionary advisory area was isolated by closing some valves to isolate the smallest possible number of customers.
Two consecutive negative bacterial test are required over two days before a precautionary boil water advisory can be lifted."

City schools test water-fountain filtration system.
The Baltimore City Public Schools is testing a pilot program to install new water fountains and filter systems in schools.
The district is testing the waters with a pilot program that will run from August through December and will eventually help the district save money.
In 2007, Baltimore school officials said no one should drink the water from fountains because of concerns over lead contamination.
In 2007, bottled water cost the city $339,621, and this year, the projected cost is $525,000.
Water at the sites will be tested before and after the systems are installed, and it will be compared to bottled water.
Scroggins said he believes the district is getting one of the best filtration systems available.
"It helps to reduce and eliminate lead, minerals, microbials, anything that can be hazardous to students or staff drinking it," Scroggins said.
Ruth Ann Norton, president and CEO of the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, an organization that works to stop lead poisoning, said this is a move that is long overdue.
"We’re glad they are taking action; however, we think they should shrink the trial period for what is known, sound technology and move this forward for every child," Norton said.

Making Sparkling Water Great Again.
The company changed its image.
“We are proud to provoke a necessary conversation about the catastrophic damages caused by the plastic beverage industry giants.” Birnbaum, CEO of SodaStream, is capitalizing on a spectacularly successful rebranding of his business.
From declining sales two, three years ago, SoftStream is now enjoying mid-teen growth rates in all its major markets.
Management even claims that SodaStream customers drink more water than non-owners.
The business model is furthermore based on strong recurrent sales.
Once a machine is installed, customers can keep bubbles flowing by swapping their empty cylinder for a full one.
Most people do not have a sparkling water machine on their kitchen counter.
SodaStream Germany will continue to lead the way and is expected to reach a 20% penetration of households.
Kold, an at-home soda machine, never took off.