[Issue 062] Ditch bottled water, starting with this company...
Over the weekend I watched this short AJ+ video about the latest on Nestle's deal with the state of Michigan to pump and bottle millions of gallons of water. Despite clear opposition, the state recently approved the company's request to pump even more water for the cost of only $200.
PER YEAR.
Angry because we're talking about the same state where residents in Flint were drinking water with dangerous levels of lead and recently told that they will no longer be receiving free bottled water. Oh, and don't forget, some have even faced foreclosure for not paying their ridiculously high water bills.
Angry because not only is it shitty that this company is making so much money in exchange for so little to the community it's benefiting from, but it's making profit on something that's harming our planet.
If you want to learn more, watch the video and check out this Bloomberg article from last fall that provides more context on Nestle's business in Michigan.
And if you want to take action, don't just stop buying Nestle's water, save the environment while you're at it and stop buying bottled water period.
Here are 3 reasons why:
- Current demand for bottled water is the equivalent of 20,000 bottles being purchased every second, and that is expected to soar in the coming years. This far outpaces our ability to recycle.
- Between 5m and 13m tonnes of plastic leaks into the oceans each year to be ingested by sea birds, fish and other organisms. By 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish.
- Scientists recently calculated that people who eat seafood ingest up to 11,000 tiny pieces of plastic every year.
So let's all try to be a part of the solution as best we can. Get yourself a reusable water bottle to carry around and a water filter at home, if you need one.
In the process, just maybe we can keep Nestle from profiting off of some of the most vulnerable communities.
Deal? Deal.
❤️
Nikita
Source for more context on the 3 reasons above: Guardian
In brighter news, IT'S LGBT Pride Month!!!! 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
Filed under "things that make me happy," this article about Sephora's new beauty classes for the trans and non-binary community makes me smile. They are all free and will be hosted by transgender Sephora employees.
Quick excerpt:
Besides in-store classes at 150 locations, there will be a series of video tutorials on Sephora’s various YouTube channels led by Sephora’s trans Beauty Advisors. Topics will cover color correction, smoothing the skin, and other topics suggested during focus groups with trans members of the community. If you’re an ally hoping to help support the program yourself, there’s a specific product line you can pick up next purchase that directly funds the programming. The SEPHORA COLLECTION Retractable Brush ($24.50, in store and online) and the Sephora Stands FEARLESS lipstick ($12.50, in store and online) both directly fund the community programming.
Read the full article via Them.
The Parkland Students Led America Beyond Thoughts and Prayers-- and They’re Just Getting Started. After the school shooting in Parkland, FL this group of students have dedicated themselves to reforming gun legislation, organizing one of the largest marches in US history and pushing companies to take action. They recently organized die-in protests against Publix after the company contributed to the campaign for a Florida candidate Adam Putnam who called himself a “proud NRA sellout.” // FAST COMPANY
How Can They Walk Away With Millions and Leave Workers With Zero?: Toys R Us Workers Say They Deserve Severance. Toys R Us is not paying severance to its 30,000 workers who are losing their job as the retailer shuts down, however, they have already given millions of dollars to executives in the forms of bonuses before they filed for bankruptcy. Workers have begun meeting with lawmakers in New Jersey to start the push for severance pay, and they are also calling for new regulations on leverage buyouts. // WASHINGTON POST
All-Male Job Shortlists Banned By Accountancy Giant PwC. After a recent pay gap report showed that men earned 43.8% more than their female counterparts within its company, accountancy giant PwC has decided to ban all-male shortlists for jobs in the UK in an attempt to increase the number of women in senior roles. // BBC
Lowe’s Is Making Managers Sign Arbitration Agreements If They Want Their Bonuses. After a supreme court ruling that allows companies to require employees to sign contracts that limit them to arbitration in case of complaints against the company, salaried managers and assistant managers at Lowe’s are being required to enter arbitration agreements under the threat of losing their bonuses. If they sign the contract, managers agree they won't take Lowes to court or join in class-action lawsuits. If they don't sign, they won't be able to participate in the 2018 Managers Bonus Program. // HUFFINGTON POST
Walmart Offers Some Of Its Workers A New Perk: Subsidized College. America's largest private employer is now offering its 1.4 million employees the chance to obtain a bachelor's degree in business or supply-chain management. The only qualifications are that they must have worked at the company at least 90 days, and Walmart will accept both part-time and full-time workers. // CBS
↳ Also, this piece by Vox is pretty interesting: Walmart’s too-good-to-be-true “$1 a day” college tuition plan, explained
“The trans and nonbinary community is a beloved part of our community and we want to be allies. That’s the point of all our programming: Whether you’re entering the workforce or questioning your gender, that’s a major life transition. We want to be there for you.”
— Corrie Conrad, Head of Social Impact and Sustainability at Sephora