Right or commodity: Should government provide safe drinking water to the public, or is water a privilege, to be purchased? If public water districts pride themselves on providing safe drinking water, why do residents of major cities continue to purchase bottled water? Commodities without end: Deceptive marketing has contributed to the fetishization of bottled water, thus leading to the escalating consumption of non-biodegradable plastic. We are examining bottled drinking water as a contributor to global warming, from manufacturing of the plastic used in the bottles to transportation of bottles worldwide, including all fuel and pollution costs.