The Globe and Mail newspaper reports today that at the launch of Waste Reduction Week, hundreds of schoolchildren were given souvenir bags containing bottled water from Nestlé.
To their great credit, the students reacted badly to the Nestlé promotion (Nestlé Waters Canada sponsors the Waste Reduction Week). They wrote to both the recycling council, the corporate sponsors and to the two Ontario government ministers attending the event.
As one student noted:
"Isn’t it strange to talk about not wasting when you gave us a water bottle to waste?"
Meanwhile, although a Liberal MPP’s private members’ bill to ban bottled-water sales was defeated, the City of Toronto is considering whether to ban the sale bottled water in city facilities and the Toronto District School Board is considering banning their sale on school property.
A useful reminder to companies that if your message doesn’t match your actions, people may reject both.
(Image source: Green Union)
3 Comments
Due to the beating they’ve taken the past couple years from environmentalists and small town activists trying to retain control of local water supplies, Nestle Waters of North America is working overtime to bolster their “green” credentials, when there’s little green about bottled water.
The bad given to the children probably should have contained a reusable water bottle, which obviously is NOT a fit with Nestle’s corporate PR program.
Thanks for a great post!
I’m glad one of the students noted that there was a disconnect there!
Some months ago, STAR*&^%S ran a promotion at their point of sale; buy a bottle of water to save children world wide. I nearly hurled my lunch.