Ikea's tap runs dry

Being of Scandinavian descent, I appreciate Ikea's approach to selling furniture. Every aspect of furnishing a home - from manufacturing to shipping to the retail stores themselves - has been thoroughly examined in the effort to bring good design to the masses at low cost. Sure, I've been let down a few times by quality issues, like the folding chair that wouldn't unfold, but for the price I paid I could hardly complain. It's like getting Wal-Mart's Every Day Low Prices without the Every Day Low Standards.

And those meatballs! With the gravy and lingonberry sludge, I just can't help myself.

The Woodbridge, Virginia Ikea has become a recreational destination for us. It's only a short drive from home, and the boys actually nag us to go. Without family nearby, Småland (their supervised children's play area) offers our only respite from parenthood that doesn't cost $10-12 an hour. There was that one day we both called in sick after we dropped the kids off at preschool, but we really were sick, so that hardly counts. We don't have any room left in the house for even the smallest disposable housewares, but sometimes we'll just browse the labyrinthine floors and dream about being able to afford something that doesn't come packed into a flat box.

But this past weekend Ikea disappointed me. We went to the Ikea Cafe for a bite to eat before setting the boys free in Småland, and as I had done on prior visits, I grabbed a glass for some icewater. When I told the cashier that it wasn't for a soft drink, however, she informed me that my only options were soft drinks or bottled water. So I could buy something that's bad for my health, or something that's bad for the environment. Chagrined, I decided to take one for Kermit and headed for the lingonberry juice. When in Rome, you know. Or Stockholm.

Right there next to the lingonberry juice fountain was the Dispenser Formerly Known as Water, now stripped of its label and actuating lever. They didn't replace the water with another drink - they just disabled the water dispenser.

I would hardly consider myself an enviro-nazi (I've only seen Al Gore's movie once, figuring he would argue that repeated viewing would just waste energy), but I can't help finding this offensive. I didn't really want lingonberry juice. But I really really didn't want to send yet another unnecessary plastic bottle into the ecosystem. Even if Ikea recycles, energy and materials are still invested in the process, and it's better not to consume them at all. Reduce comes before Re-use and Recycle, doesn't it?

I can only assume that Ikea is attempting to pad its bottom line by closing a gap in its Cafe revenue, requiring customers to pay for any and all beverages. But is this the right way to do it? According to the New York Times, even upscale restaurants are switching from bottled water to tap water for environmental reasons. Whatever benefit they reap is surely outweighed by the bad karma.

Is a simple glass of water really too much to ask for?