by NNN Contributor Jerry Noel

Last week, the owners of Local 121, Trinity Brewhouse, the Hot Club, Benders Caffe, and The Garden Grille all announced their commitment to stop selling bottled water. They have signed on to a national campaign called "Think Outside the Bottle." 

Also, Mayor Cicilline introduced city plans to stop spending taxpayer dollars on bottled water. "Bottled water sends the wrong message about our public water systems," he said. "Our tap water is among the best in the world and to keep it that way we need to continue to invest in it, not in generating mountains of plastic bottle waste."

“Restaurants like ours have always showcased the highest standards of cuisine and new culinary innovations,” said Josh Miller, a State Senator who has been a champion for the environment. He owns three of the bottled-water-free restaurants, Local 121, Trinity, and the Hot Club.  “By not serving bottled water, we are also modeling best practices when it comes to protecting the natural environment and resources that we rely on for our business.”

What you can do -- patronize these restaurants, and thank them for their efforts! And do what you can at home to cut down on plastic waste.