Talk:Fiji Water

This page can use some more material I think. Considering that Fiji water is becoming a somewhat of a cultural icon for "snob" water or whatever. Personally I think this water is pretty good in comparison to other bottled water. So I am guessing in the future the article can include a section of testimonials of the general public and the opposing critisisms that this is just a scam. —the preceding unsigned comment is by 69.231.252.17 (talk • contribs) 09:50, 7 November 2005

I agree. The only good information I could find is its appearance in the film Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic. I couldn't find any news articles to support this as cultural icon, although I agree. - Stoph 00:55, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

I'm sure that their site also has some info that could be used. Splamo 00:52, 20 March 2006 (UTC)

Possible location of the bottling plant

According to a post at the Google Earth Community [1], the bottling plant is at 17.448026°S 177.983258°E / -17.448026; 177.983258. --ChrisRuvolo (t) 23:51, 19 February 2007 (UTC)

An interesting article about the environmental impact of FIJI water (perhaps someone could mention this in the article?):

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/07/02/what_it_takes_to_bri.html

Includes a link to the original source: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/117/features-message-in-a-bottle.html

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=2214760

http://consumerist.com/consumer/conspicuous-consumption/its-easier-for-you-to-drink-fiji-water-than-it-is-for-most-people-from-fiji-274507.php

Implications of Fiji Water to Fiji

Viti Water, Fiji Water's wholly owned subsiderary, like many companies, pays taxes to the government. In this case, the current government of Fiji is a brutal, repressive military government. As of this writing, it is engaged in a battle with FIRCA (Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Service), who is attempting to levy even higher taxes on it to support the military government (search 'Frank Bainimarama').

The US export market, thanks to Fiji Water, is the only source of foreign exchange in the country which has not 'tanked' since the military siezed control of the government.

Second, it is ironic that few people in Fiji have water! In the urban areas, the water distribution system is old and plagued with repeated breakdowns. In some areas, the water is brought in daily by tank trucks and people fill their water jugs with the tanked water hoping that it will last until the next day. School closures due to water shortages are far from rare.

The water that the residents of Fiji drink is almost always from catchment systems, rather than artesian springs. In the rural areas, typhoid, as well as other diseases spread via water are far from rare, as there is rarely any sewage treatment. In addition, the catchment fields are often contaminated by human, pig, and chicken feces.

The sources that I'm citing are my eyes looking out my front door--Fijibusinessman (talk) 17:01, 25 February 2008 (UTC)

NOTE: When you add content to talk pages and Wikipedia pages that have open discussion, you should sign your posts by typing four tildes ( ~~~~ ) at the end of your comment. You may also click on the signature button located above the edit window. This will automatically insert a signature with your name and the time you posted the comment. This information is useful because other editors will be able to tell who said what, and when. --Mikecraig 01:50, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

What is this?

"But while Americans are able to get Fiji Water every day, Fiji's own people can't get any thenselves."

I'm sorry, but just seeing that thrown carelessly into the middle of the page blows my mind. Quite honestly, it's a nonissue; Fiji's poor wouldn't be able to afford to tap into the artesian, so what is the point of this statement? To make people feel guilty for purchasing Fiji water? It doesn't belong.

Keep things related to the company and, if you want, its effects on the Fiji economy. Just be sure to keep the social commentary crusading out of the article. 24.3.61.3 (talk) 21:11, 4 May 2008 (UTC)

Deletion of section containing criticism of Fiji Water

Major deletions such as the one by User:Television rules the nation of the entire section containing criticism of Fiji Water should be discussed on this page before any action is being taken. For the time being, I restored the criticism section.--Mschiffler (talk) 14:16, 10 September 2008 (UTC)

Really? Ok, let me get the crayons out and start drawing pictures...

"Fiji Water has been criticized for the environmental costs embedded in each bottle."

Criticized by whom? The scientific community? Nope. Only a couple blogs and wikipedia. Credible refs should be provided so the section looks like a professional entry instead of this amature attempt to sway opinions.

"The production plant runs on diesel fuel, 24 hours a day."

How do you know? How do you know they don't use bio diesel? What kind of studies have been found to back the implication that they should be criticized? Pablo or other bloggers best guess?

"The high-grade plastic used to make the bottles is transported from China to Fiji, and then (full of water) to the United States and other countries."

What kind of BS is this? They produce their own bottles at the site.

"A 1 liter bottle of Fiji Water contaminates 6.74 liters of water to stretch-blow mold the plastic, burns fossil fuel to transport plastics from China and full bottles to the country of sale, and produces 0.25 kg of greenhouse emissions, based on the U.S. as the country of sale."

More BS. This statement is backed by a blog entry ref. To make matters worse, the blog entry is a best guess attempt at what the numbers are without any factual data what-so-ever. The laughable part is that stretch blow molding uses air and re-circulating water systems that must be held at a specific temperature. So stating that 6.74 liters of water is used to "stretch-blow mold" as if the water is used once and then dumped indicates how scientifically inept this section is.

"Recently, the company has taken efforts to curtail its carbon footprint in the hopes of becoming carbon negative through reduced product emissions, increased usage of renewable energy, and the offsetting of remaining emissions by 120%, starting in 2008. In addition, the company plans to reduce the size of its packaging by at least 20% for 2010, as well as exploring opportunities to spur on recycling."

Well gezuz, that doesn't warrant an environmental criticism section.

"Trade with Fiji has also been criticized due to the country's military dictatorship. In 2008, Fiji's interim Prime Minister and coup leader Frank Bainimarama announced election delays and that it would pull out of the Pacific Island Forum in Niue, where Bainimarama would have met with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark."

What the hell does this have to do with fiji water company. This section belongs in the Fiji (country) section.

Thanks for wasting my time. All I wanted to know is if they are located in Fiji or not. Now ban me (someone) and go watch TV. The end. Television rules the nation (talk) 10:50, 16 September 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for taking the time to specify where you disagree with the criticism. I checked the references provided in the article. They actually provide detailed and specific information to back up the figures they have. Of course, they still could be wrong. For example, I don't know anything about stretch-blow molds. So you may be right on this, or maybe not. If you know for sure that some of the statements are wrong - such as the statement that plastic bottles are imported from China, while you write that they are manufactured on site in Fiji - than you need to back your statement up with a reference. Of course no one would think about banning you. It is always good to have statements challenged to see if they can withstand the criticism. But, in this case, the arguments that you provided so far do not, in my view, warrant any modifications of the criticism section.--Mschiffler (talk) 04:25, 21 September 2008 (UTC)

Applied the changes

After someone blanked the Discussion page, I renewed it, read the criticism of the "controversy" section and edited it appropriately. The "Trade with Fiji" paragraph mentioned absolutely nothing about Fiji Water and was moved to the Fiji article under "Economy". Please continue the good work documenting Fiji's world trade issues there.

Please, respect that Wikipedia is not a rant site. 96.229.61.118 (talk) 21:46, 29 March 2009 (UTC)