Save our Planet – Tell Nestlé Waters’ CEO to stop violating public laws

Story of Stuff Project

Nestlé’s CEO says he cares what Story of Stuff Community members think.
Let’s tell him loud and clear: stop violating public laws to privatize our water!

TAKE ACTION!

Dear Reader,

When we announced that we were suing to stop Nestle from taking water in California’s San Bernardino National Forest during the drought, even Time Magazine couldn’t wait to get its hands on the story.

Now the US Forest Service’s deadline to respond to our lawsuit is less than two weeks away, and Nestlé is getting nervous. Initially, the CEO of Nestlé Waters North America, Tim Brown, was unfazed by public criticism of his California operations. Last summer, when a journalist asked Brown if he would stop bottling water during California’s record-breaking drought, he replied that he would increase it if he could. But outcry from The Story of Stuff Project’s global community of over one million members has begun to change his tune.

Following our petition calling on Nestlé to cease taking water from public lands altogether, Nestlé’s CEO responded to us directly:

“The feedback and constructive criticism that Nestlé gets from groups like Story of Stuff is important, even when we disagree. In fact, we have used input like this on many occasions globally to adapt our operations… One thing I would appreciate is some perspective on how we might do it better in the eyes of your constituents.”

Nestlé hoped to schedule a private meeting with our staff. But the truth is that the problems in San Bernardino are part of a larger pattern of Nestlé’s repeated disregard for public laws and resources. To ensure Nestlé receives the message that it’s time to change the way it does business everywhere, we think that Nestlé’s CEO deserves to hear from the public directly.

Will you join us in e-mailing Nestlé Waters North American CEO Tim Brown to demand accountability today?

Our demands for Nestle are simple:

  • Stop bottling water from the San Bernardino National Forest and other protected lands
  • Withdraw from all sites where communities are protesting the privatization of their water, including Cascade Locks OR, Kunkletown PA, Mt. Shasta, CA, Fryeburg, ME, and Vancouver, BC
  • Pay to cleanup the waste generated by polluting plastic products. Stop pushing the cost of cleanup onto taxpayers.

The water that Nestlé has taken from the San Bernardino National Forest since its permit expired is estimated at over 1,838,451,342 gallons. This water would cost a regular California citizen millions of dollars. Yet Nestlé has paid the government a fraction of that cost to bottle the public’s resources. The lawsuit filed by The Story of Stuff Project, Center for Biological Diversity and Courage Campaign has gotten Nestle’s attention in California, but public action is what will result in lasting, global change.

Join us now in responding to Nestlé CEO’s request for input, by sending him an e-mail explaining why you think water should be a public resource, NOT a source for private profits.

Thank you for all you do!
Emma Cape, Campaigns Manager, on behalf of The Story of Stuff team