Message in a Bottle

03/07/2007

Americans spent more money last year on bottled water than on ipods or movie tickets: $15 Billion. A journey into the economics--and psychology--of an unlikely business boom. And what it says about our culture of indulgence.

The largest bottled-water factory in North America is located on the outskirts of Hollis Maine. In the back of the plant stretches the staging area for finished product: 24 million bottles of Poland Spring water.

As far as the eye can see there are double-stacked pallets packed with half-pint bottles half-liters liters Aquapods for school lunches and 2.5-gallon jugs for the refrigerator.

Really it is a lake of Poland Spring water conveniently celled off in plastic extending across 6 acres 8 feet high. A week ago the lake was still underground; within five days it will all be gone to supermarkets and convenience stores across the Northeast replaced by another lake's worth of bottles.

Looking at the piles of water you can have only one thought: Americans sure are thirsty.