In an online poll conducted by The Canberra Times, the majority 63 per cent supported such a ban.

Since NSW Premier Nathan Rees called for a moratorium on all state departments and agencies buying plastic-packed water and the small Southern Highlands town of Bundanoon voting to remove it from local businesses altogether other state governments have begun cautiously looking at options to reduce the use of plastic bottles, if not complete bans.

Rees fell foul of locked-in water supplier contracts - which run well into 2011 - soon after his well-publicised announcement and pundits were quick to label the move as a tokenistic gesture designed to curry public favour and boost his ''green credential''.

In other words, a stunt.

But criticism of the ban has cut both ways, with Rees also being damned for not going far enough - ignoring the glaring issue that millions of soft drink bottles have an enormous environmental impact, both in production and waste cycles.

In a week where climate change was thrust once more on the global stage as world leaders wrestled over emission targets, the support behind the ''ban bottled water campaign'' could be viewed as a small sample of how people are tired of rhetoric and seemingly impossible ''aspirational'' targets; an example of grassroots steps that reflect the now-jaded catchcry think global, act local.

The ACT Greens have called on the Stanhope Government to follow Rees' lead and are to be congratulated for at least considering the option.

Labor has said it has no plans to follow suit, while the Liberal Party declined to respond when asked its standpoint.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times