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Written By Sara Seloheim
Thirsty for some genuine, naturally filtered Rocky Mountain spring water direct
from Colorado's San Juan Mountains? Well, by the time the snow melts and warm weather rolls around, you won't ever be parched again. This summer, Ouray-based company BIOTA, Brands of America, Inc. introduces its pristine bottled spring water called BIOTA.

"When you drink BIOTA you will be drinking from the only bottle in the world that is truly earth-friendly," says BIOTA Chief Executive Officer David Zutler. "BIOTA will be the first bottled water company in the world that uses bottles made from PLA, a revolutionary form of plastic created entirely from corn." Zutler's vision was to market his product in an earth-friendly bottle that wouldn't contaminate the environment. He researched options and in 1996, found the University of Nebraska exploring the viability of manufacturing plastic from corn.

Zutler continued monitoring the substance's development and in 2002, learned Minnesota's Cargill Dow had turned his vision into reality. They had perfected a durable plastic product (PLA) derived entirely from corn, which when composted in a commercial setting, biodegrades within two months.

PLA was test marketed in a cooperative effort between Cargill Dow and Wild Oats grocery stores. Results were overwhelmingly successful, confirming that average consumers support nature-friendly products when available. Conversely, according to a recent Associated Press article, 93 billion petroleum-based (PET) non-biodegradable, plastic water bottles are disposed in America's landfills each year.

But enough about the bottles because as exceptional as they are, the BIOTA spring water inside them is equally extraordinary. "This mountain spring [where the water is drawn from] is unique in Colorado and the world," explains Zutler. "The spring is a truly protected source with water that's been naturally filtered for nearly 100 years." I