State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

bottled water

  • Nanoplastics Are All Around (and Inside) Us

    Nanoplastics Are All Around (and Inside) Us

    How are humans exposed to these tiny and ubiquitous plastics? And is there anything we can do about it?

  • Should Universities Ban Bottled Water?

    Should Universities Ban Bottled Water?

    Recently deciding to end the sale of bottled water on its campus, the University of Vermont joins a growing group colleges and universities attempting make more environmentally friendly decisions. Although largely student driven movements, these changes are not always met by acceptance and praise by everyone in the community.

  • Bottled Water – Big Business in Indonesia

    Bottled Water – Big Business in Indonesia

    The movement to challenge the bottled water industry has come a pretty long way in countries like the USA, Australia and Canada. Public education campaigns by organizations like the Council of Canadians, Pacific Institute and Corporate Accountability International, have debunked the myth that bottled water is necessarily cleaner or healthier than tap water, and emphasized…

  • The Fairytale of “Organic” Water

    The Fairytale of “Organic” Water

    Time and time again, marketing teams have proven that people will buy pretty much anything. So many examples exist that the topic was enough for Brooks Jackson to write an entire book about it. One of the more recent flim-flam schemes is selling organic water. Wait a tick, did I just say that? Yes, I…

  • Clean Water for Fiji

    Clean Water for Fiji

    Corporate giant Fiji Water makes millions of dollars every year selling bottled water, but only 47 percent of Fiji Islanders have access to clean drinking water. That may change.

  • Attack of the Warzone Water Bottles

    Attack of the Warzone Water Bottles

    Using bottled water in war zones uses oil and pollutes the environment. But Defense officials are looking to move toward sustainability.

  • Water to Go: The Tapit Water Network

    Water to Go: The Tapit Water Network

    Many of us are already aware of the negative environmental impacts of bottled water and make a practice of carrying our own refillable water bottles. But what do you do when you’re out and about all day with no access to a tap? Tapit has the solution. The Tapit water network is an ever-expanding group…

  • In Support of the Neglected Drinking Fountain

    In Support of the Neglected Drinking Fountain

    The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association built the first public drinking fountain in London in 1859, as an answer to some of the pressing problems of their times. Drinking fountains are also part of the answer to some of our own problems.

  • Beat the Heat, but with Bottled Water?

    Beat the Heat, but with Bottled Water?

    As temperatures in the Northeast finally begin to ease, we can assess the first heat wave of summer 2010. Here in New York, there was remarkably little drama. Through Herculean efforts, ConEd was able to avoid any serious blackouts or brownouts, and thankfully, there were no health emergencies. Neither were there any major heat-induced public…

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More

  • Nanoplastics Are All Around (and Inside) Us

    Nanoplastics Are All Around (and Inside) Us

    How are humans exposed to these tiny and ubiquitous plastics? And is there anything we can do about it?

  • Should Universities Ban Bottled Water?

    Should Universities Ban Bottled Water?

    Recently deciding to end the sale of bottled water on its campus, the University of Vermont joins a growing group colleges and universities attempting make more environmentally friendly decisions. Although largely student driven movements, these changes are not always met by acceptance and praise by everyone in the community.

  • Bottled Water – Big Business in Indonesia

    Bottled Water – Big Business in Indonesia

    The movement to challenge the bottled water industry has come a pretty long way in countries like the USA, Australia and Canada. Public education campaigns by organizations like the Council of Canadians, Pacific Institute and Corporate Accountability International, have debunked the myth that bottled water is necessarily cleaner or healthier than tap water, and emphasized…

  • The Fairytale of “Organic” Water

    The Fairytale of “Organic” Water

    Time and time again, marketing teams have proven that people will buy pretty much anything. So many examples exist that the topic was enough for Brooks Jackson to write an entire book about it. One of the more recent flim-flam schemes is selling organic water. Wait a tick, did I just say that? Yes, I…

  • Clean Water for Fiji

    Clean Water for Fiji

    Corporate giant Fiji Water makes millions of dollars every year selling bottled water, but only 47 percent of Fiji Islanders have access to clean drinking water. That may change.

  • Attack of the Warzone Water Bottles

    Attack of the Warzone Water Bottles

    Using bottled water in war zones uses oil and pollutes the environment. But Defense officials are looking to move toward sustainability.

  • Water to Go: The Tapit Water Network

    Water to Go: The Tapit Water Network

    Many of us are already aware of the negative environmental impacts of bottled water and make a practice of carrying our own refillable water bottles. But what do you do when you’re out and about all day with no access to a tap? Tapit has the solution. The Tapit water network is an ever-expanding group…

  • In Support of the Neglected Drinking Fountain

    In Support of the Neglected Drinking Fountain

    The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association built the first public drinking fountain in London in 1859, as an answer to some of the pressing problems of their times. Drinking fountains are also part of the answer to some of our own problems.

  • Beat the Heat, but with Bottled Water?

    Beat the Heat, but with Bottled Water?

    As temperatures in the Northeast finally begin to ease, we can assess the first heat wave of summer 2010. Here in New York, there was remarkably little drama. Through Herculean efforts, ConEd was able to avoid any serious blackouts or brownouts, and thankfully, there were no health emergencies. Neither were there any major heat-induced public…