NEW YORK — "You really have to wonder at the utter stupidity and the irresponsibility sometimes of American consumers," Salt Lake City Mayor Ross "Rocky" Anderson said. "These false needs are provided, and too often we just fall in line with what Madison Avenue comes up with to market these unnecessary products."

Anderson's point about "the wasteful and reckless consumerism in this country" itself may not be too original, but not many prominent officeholders come right out and condemn it in such forceful terms. What makes Anderson stand apart is that he is a refreshingly liberal politician, both in words and deeds. He has pursued high goals in minority rights and environmental protection and succeeded in them. What may be a little surprising is the product he chose for the condemnation: bottled water.

The rise in popularity of bottled water in the United States in the past three decades has been nothing less than amazing. Before the mid-1970s it was something you might order in a high-end restaurant. But, no, come to think of it, in such places it wasn't called bottled water but by the exact brand names, such as Perrier.