A Real Message In A Bottle - h2ope

“Clean water has replaced climate change as the number one environmental issue,” says Ruthanna Terreri, a woman on a mission to help resolve the world’s water crisis.

The Madison resident is founder and president of The Hope Water Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3 directing all of the proceeds from sales of its H2ope The World’s Kindest Water™ products to organizations working on solutions to the problem worldwide. Yes, Terreri is taking on the water crisis by selling … water!

Her newbie venture, h2ope bottled water, is billed as The World’s Kindest Water™. The eco-friendly bevs have just arrived at selected stores in Connecticut and will soon be found online as well.  National and international distribution is on the to-do list.

A precious resources that we take for granted

"I'm an environmentalist, my issue has always been focused on water.  It is such a precious resource that we take for granted,” says Terreri.

“The supplies we have are getting increasingly stressed due to overpopulation, climate change, pollution, etc.,” she says. “It's an issue that is sneaking up on us.”

This issue, Terreri believes, is at a crisis stage.  To prevent the situation from worsening, she believes in awareness and education. “What better way to accomplish this than using a product with an established market.  It's kind of a water for water approach.”

Proceeds go towards access to safe and clean water

Her Madison-based nonprofit is the first and only bottled water producer in the US to direct all of the proceeds to ensure access to safe and clean water. Says Terreri, “we are committed to becoming the first major consumer brand that, through its sales, tackles the most compelling issue of our time: clean water.”

Even more unique, unlike h2ope’s competitors, the bottle is 100 percent biodegradable and recyclable (made with 25 percent recycled plastic). 

“There are 153 million bottled water drinkers in America alone who spend $20 billion dollars a year on bottled water. Imagine the impact of this group choosing h2ope verses another brand -- what money we could raise -- funds desperately needed and more,” she points out. 

Water you can't drink

Although most Americans enjoy safe water, not all do. From Appalachia to Texas and even right here in the Nutmeg State, many can’t drink the water that comes out of their faucets. 

“We have less drinkable water than we think, supplies are drying up, and the population is growing,” says the bottler.

Prior to this, Terreri was a producer of public service campaigns and concerts and did special cause-related marketing partnerships, primarily for environmental groups. Most recently, she was a photographer.

For the greater good

"I’m really connected to my work and have to fulfill something – something for the greater good, it’s who I am," she said. 

The idea came about when she picked up a bottle of Ethos water in , researched the product and said to herself it was good but knew she could do even better – "something that gives 100 percent rather than 5 cents of every bottle and that people are making millions of dollars off of," she explains.   

How, though, does one persuade customers to switch from their favorite bottled water, particularly with so many competitors on the shelves?

Encouraging a switch

"With bottled water there’s not a lot of loyalty so that’s an opportunity in itself," says Terreri. "It depends on the consumer. If they’re price-driven we probably can’t compete with them because we’ll never be as cheap as Poland Spring or Aquafina," she admits.  

However, those who buy FIJI water, for example, might be apt to switch.

“It’s the same quality but it’s from America and made in America,” she points out. 

It took two years to develop the h2ope brand. Terreri quips, “How hard could it be to put water in a bottle?”  First, they had to wait until technology caught up – “meaning we didn't or couldn't go to market with a traditional PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle because plastic bottles, of course, are contributing to the issue.”

Biodegradable, recyclable bottles

They found a natural organic enzyme that, when added to the PET, would not only make it biodegradable but recyclable as well.

“Then the cherry is that we made the bottle with 25 percent recycled plastic.  We believe our bottle is the most environmentally conscious bottle on the market today.”

"We don’t want to encourage people to buy bottled water but we’re realists and it’s a market that already exists," she says. "This idea goes after 153 million people – a big market – and gives them what they already buy." 

Whole family of products planned

Terreri adds, "It gives them a quality product and, once we have them, we educate them." 

While there are no plans to market flavored waters, products of different sizes and refillable canteens are planned.

"The whole idea is to have a whole family of products so whenever someone reaches for something to quench their thirst there's a bottle of water or a canteen or a pitcher with a filter," she says. 

The organization is supporting groups in the US including Earthjustice, Clean Water Fund and National Resources Defense Council. Internationally, support goes to Water for People and charity: water.

The World’s Kindest Water™, h2ope bottled water can be found in stores on the entire shoreline and in New Haven and Hartford counties as well as online at www.worldskindestwater.org starting on May 15.  In Madison, the product can be found at , , , , the Little League concessions, and soon at  and .