A look at the environmental impact of the Nestle corporation, climate change, and what the US government is doing to lead the way.

1. Nestlé,
May We Drink Our Water?

2. The Article in Review
• Nestlé Waters North
America controls 14 brands
of bottled water
• Poland Springs bottles
water out of communities
like Fryeburg, Maine, at up
to 603,000 gallons per day
• Communities in Maine are
in legal disputes with Nestlé
for control over their own
renewable resource

3. Nestlé Waters North America bottled water
brands and locations

4. “
”
Access to clean drinking
water and sanitation is a
human right…
- Nestle.com

5. • Nestlé pumps underground water from many drought
stricken areas in North America
• They operate under contracts signed decades ago
• As population increases, the need for groundwater
resources in each community increases
• Increased water pumping for outside populations
threatens the growth of the local economy
The Business Strategy

6. Isn’t There Enough Water for
Everyone?
• National and International scientists agree: climate change
is happening
• Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer
• Earth’s temperature is +1.4 ºF globally 1900-2000
• Extreme weather changes: more frequent intense rain
and severe heat waves
• Ice caps are melting, causing sea levels to rise
• Ocean temperatures are rising and turning more acidic

7. EPA report:
humans are
mainly the
cause of rising
greenhouse
gases over the
past 150 years

8. Pumping Underground Water has Big
Implications
• Land Subsidence is the shift in land-
surface elevations – mainly caused by
human interference
• Pumping water creates fissures in the
land – large cracks that cause damage
to roads and buildings
• This damage to the Earth is permanent
• Local communities are left struggling
to fix their infrastructures

9. What Does the Future Hold?
• Maine granted a provision
for Nestlé to pump water
for another 45 years
• Nestlé continues to take
advantage of antiquated
water rights laws
• Instead of promoting
sustainable public water
systems, Nestlé is
creating a dependency
on their bottled product

10. In Their Own Words…
Direct from Nestle.com
• “Our commitment: Raise awareness on water conservation
and improve access to water and sanitation across our
value chain.”
• 2015 Objective: Provide access to safe water, sanitation,
and hygiene of an appropriate standard at the
workplace for every Nestlé employee
• 2016 Objective: Provide water, sanitation, and hygiene
projects to 350,000 beneficiaries in local communities
surrounding Nestlé manufacturing communities and
those in the Farmer Connect areas

11. Do the Benefits Outweigh the Cost?
• The Community of Cascade
Locks in Oregon voted 69% in
favor of blocking corporate
giant Nestlé from pumping 100
mil gallons of water annually
from Oxbow Springs
• The plant would have
supplied the community with
50 jobs

12. “
”
When you talk to them about
water…right after they have a drought,
there is not enough misinformation the
opposition can throw at voters to make
them buy it.
In response to the overwhelming decision to block Nestlé from pumping water at Oxbow Springs
– Julia DeGraw, for national watchdog organization,
Food and Water watch

13. “
”
Shipping water outside of our county
seems like poor stewardship, especially
during a time of shortage and
droughts. Our families, farms, and the
fish in our rivers should be our top
priority.
In response to the overwhelming decision to block Nestlé from pumping water at Oxbow Springs
- Michael Barthmus, Hood River County businessman

14. Is Nestle Really to Blame?
• Nestlé’s corporate
responsibility plan is
wordy, with minimal
content
• What do we demand, as a
country, from big
businesses?
• Does our government use
big businesses to deflect
their own responsibility?

15. What the US Government does to help
• Our government has created multiple initiatives and
policies in regards to the environment
• A look through multiple government web site touts the
most recent administration’s dedication to the
environment
• These policies are wordy, with very little substance
• There are no specific examples of how these policies are
protecting the environment from the biggest risks

16. Total US Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Economic Sector, 2014

17. The US in Comparison to Scotland
• Corporate giant Nestlé appears to be “all in” for the
environment across the pond
• Most recently, Nestlé signed a contract to pull half of it’s
energy needs for the UK and Ireland from a Scottish
wind farm
• A search for news articles relating to Nestlé’s
environmental impact in the UK came back positive
articles – the exact opposite of the US

18. Monkey See, Monkey Do
• The way the government treats the environment in the
US is a gateway for all companies operating here
• Scotland’s State of the Environment report clearly
outlines what has been done in the past to improve
environmental conditions, current opportunities, and
plans to improve those numbers
• Scotland’s government has a clearly defined stance on
the environment – they lead the example for all
residents and corporations that wish to thrive in their
community

19. Is it a Fair Comparison?
• Scotland has a smaller
population and land area
• The entire UK is less
square footage than
California
• Is it easier to govern a
smaller area, and is the
governing body more
likely to empathize with
local concerns?

20. The Federal Stronghold Over the States
• The US government owns
1/3 of the country’s land
• Should states be allowed
to govern themselves?
• Can we impact the
environment at the local
level, modeling successful
small countries?

21. “
”
Men Argue.
Nature Acts.
- Voltaire

22. Works Cited
• “Access and Conservation.” Nestle Global, www.nestle.com/cvs/water/access-
conservation?v. Accessed 18 September 2016.
• Germanos, Andrea. “In “Profound Loss for Maine’s Citizens,” Court Oks Sale of
Town’s Water to Nestle”. Common Dreams: Breaking News and Views,
www.commondreams.org/news/2016/05/13/profound-loss-maines-citizens-court-
oks-sale-towns-water-nestle. Accessed 18 September 2016.
• Latham, Mark. “Heat pump firm wins contract to support UK-first solar thermal
network.” The Herald,
www.heraldscotland.com/business/13499844.Heat_pump_firm_wins_contract_to_su
pport_UK_first_solar_network/. Accessed 18 September 2016.
• “Nestlé acclaimed as ‘world leader’ for action to tackle climate change.” Nestlé
Global, www.nestle.com/media/news/climate-change-leadership-cdp Accessed 18
September 2016.
• “Nestlé signs Sanquhar wind farm deal.” BBC News, 22 June 2016,
www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-36586926. Accessed 18
September 2016.

23. Works Cited
• “Nestlé Waters North America bottled water brands and locations.”
Chief Packaging Officer, 10 October 2015,
www.chiefpackagingofficer.com/ask-the-chief-packaging-officer-jim-
markano-nestle-waters-na/. Accessed 18 September 2016.
• “Sources of US Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” US Environmental
Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-
gas-emissions. Accessed 18 September 2016.
• “State of the Environment Report.” Scotland’s Environment, 25 July
2015, www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/get-informed/state-of-the-
environment-summary/. Accessed 18 September 2016.
• “This Oregon County Said ‘No’ to Nestle and Won in a ‘Landslide
Victory’.” EcoWatch, 19 May 2016, www.ecowatch.com/this-oregon-
county-said-no-to-nestle-and-won-in-a-landslide-victory-
1891135271.html. Accessed 18 September 2016.