Question

Bottled water is the number one packaged product in the United States, outselling even bottled soda. Only about 30 percent of water bottles are recycled, and most of the rest end up in the ocean, where they break down into microplastics and poison sea life. The only solution to this problem is to ban plastic water bottles. A student is developing a counterclaim to this argument. Which counterclaim is the fairest and most effective? (1 point) If people want bottled water, they should be able to get all they want of it, and not allowing businesses to sell it will hurt them greatly. Soda and juice bottles are actually more harmful to the environment if they are not recycled and banning these as well would not be practical. There are places where tap water is not drinkable, and in these places, bottled water is distributed in emergency situations and is a lifesaver. Bottled water, soda, and juice all contain the chemical dihydrogen oxide, and their bottles are all made with polyethylene terephthalate.

Answer 1

The fairest and most effective counterclaim is: "There are places where tap water is not drinkable, and in these places, bottled water is distributed in emergency situations and is a lifesaver."

This counterclaim addresses a significant concern—that bottled water serves as a critical resource in areas where safe drinking water is not available, highlighting the need for bottled water in emergencies and specific living conditions. It acknowledges the environmental issues while also presenting a practical necessity for bottled water in certain contexts. This adds depth to the argument by emphasizing the importance of accessibility to clean water over solely focusing on environmental impacts.