National Parks Traveler

The point about the friends groups is their persistence; they work constantly on behalf of the parks. The Centennial? They know it to be important. But there is no reason for them to wait. If it needs doing, they will try to do it now.

A very interesting opinion piece.  Remember the word opinion here.But it does point up a much larger problem in America.  The kind of tactics spotlighted as alleged abuses by NPS and environmental groups are alive and well and fully employed on the other side as well.

not $80.00 as some of you have assertedJust figured if you were buying a water bottle, you would want to buy Kurt's.

Frank - they are banning the sale, not the possession so it isn't as Orwellian as you fear.  However, it does show how meaningless the ban is. 

Good point, different.  How about banning ALL disposable containers?Not very practical, unfortunately.The idea of a $5 deposit per container is even better now when  you think of all the disposables it could cover.  (edited by request)

Could someone please explain the logic in banning water bottles when other beverages ares sold in plastic bottles?

Find the word 'back country' in any of my commentary in this thread.When I talk about going for a hike it isn't around the parking lot.My point above, which you obliterated in the way of making your point, was that people generally arrive at a park already having a water bottle or three in the car.

harping on a merchant who decides for himself what to sell or not sell.If it were the merchant making the decision - the NPS would not have to "ban" them and I wouldn't have any problem at all - though I would think the merchant foolish.And you are right Rick, no family ever goes into the backcountry unprepaired.  LOL

Just wait until the Medical Marijuana folks "discover" the national parks.

Mike, never said it wasn't within its rights.  Again what is legal is not always the right thing to do.

OK Lee and EC, please take your debate off-line to email or perhaps the telephone.

There are many factors playing into insurance rates.  Primary ones are increased costs of health care and fancier cars that require more expensive repairs.  However, the fact remains that states without mandatory safety belt or motorcycle helmet laws do have higher rates.  It's certainly not attacking anything to point out that "facts" presented by dubious sources may not be valid.  How about a

Nice post Alfred, there are still many trying to educate citizens for the need for conservation, family planning, you name it. It is a tough nut to crack, even the issue of banning plastic water bottles in National Parks is seen as inconvenient or worse.

No none has mentioned the fact that both Lakes Powell and Mead evaporate enough water every day of the summer to supply the needs of Las Vegas or Los Angeles for a day.  In addition, the evaporation leaves behind water so saline by the time it reaches Yuma that farmers find their fields being slowly destroyed by saltation.

EC,Even if that study's conclusion is true, how would blowing up the dam fix the problem?

I previously asked you for any reputable studies that disagree with the basic trends projected in the peer-reviewed paper published in 2008 by scientists at Scripps Institute of Oceanography,

Okay, good people. Let's get back to basics. Whether or not the current drought is being exaccerbated by climate change, a prolonged drought in the Colorado Basin is not unusual. Now 41 years ago, the PBS film "Where Did the Colorado Go?" (NOVA) was predicting the crisis we have today. It's even on You Tube, I believe.