Framing the commons: commercial water bottling and local empowerment

Commercial water bottling has become an increasingly controversial topic. Over the past decade the bottled water industry in the United States has witnessed tremendous growth. In 2005 alone bottled water sales in the U.S. were estimated at close to 10 billion dollars (Beverage Marketing Corporation 2005). These record sales are occurring at a time when communities where water bottling is taking place or is primed to take place are beginning to question this commodification. This thesis looks the commodification of water bottling through the lens of a North Florida community where plans for a proposed water-bottling facility are being meet with heavy community opposition. This thesis examines how local residents opposed to this commercialization of spring water are examining new ways in which to preserve the commons. These new methods of preservation involve framing the springscape, a term developed in this research project as a common pool resource to achieve local water security.