More on Nestle’s Proposed Cascade Locks Bottling Plant
Inevitably, early media coverage of proposed Nestle plants is positive – a reflection of the company’s habit of quietly working to court small towns before the general public is aware of their presence.
In this case, the reporter gets it partially right – Nestle has been having a tough time finding towns willing to partner with it (apparently its reputation precedes it).
Still, the suggests the reception accorded the company has been “anything but hostile” – yet if you read the comments beneath the story (there are 54 of them), an overwhelming majority are hostile to the proposed plant (which will bring 110 trucks per day through the town’s single entrance).
In the reader poll, 84% voted “no” to the Nestle project.
Nestle eyes Columbia Gorge spring to bottle water – OregonLive.com
When it comes to getting rights to bottle spring water in pristine places in the West, Nestle Waters North America has had some tough going of late.Enumclaw, Wash., said no thanks last summer, citing environmental concerns. Nestle dropped attempts in two other Washington towns, Black Diamond and Orting, on logistical grounds.
Scott Learn/The OregonianThe spring that would supply a potential Nestle Waters bottling plant in Cascade Locks pops out at three wooded spots on a hill just above a state of Oregon fish hatchery.And Nestle’s efforts in McCloud, Calif., near Mt. Shasta, have sparked a 6-year battle, with California’s attorney general railing last year at the evils of shipping and selling water in petroleum-based plastic bottles.
But Nestle’s latest proposal for its first Northwest bottling plant is for Cascade Locks, in the verdant Columbia Gorge, where the logistics appear favorable — and the reception has been anything but hostile.
It appears that Nestle Waters of North America no longer has the ability to sneak in under the radar – every project is fast becoming a battle for the Swiss multinational.
5 comments
I tried to post the following comment on the katu website. Could never get it to post as it always timed out. I wonder if they did not want many comments.
“Check out the posts at the blog stopnestlewater.com. They you can find out what Nestle does in small town America. Or watch the trailer at http://www.tappedthemovie.com. Read the preface to the book Water Follies. Read Bottlemania by Elizabeth Royte. See what has been happening in McCloud CA. Read the economic development report that was released on the impacts in McCloud. Here’s the link to the report, http://www.mccloudwatershedcouncil.org/docs/ECONRpt.pdf
And when the towns don’t agree, Nestles changes processes in the small town that have been in place for decades. Still no agreement, then Nestle sues, over and over and over again.
And don’t forget, Nestle Pure Life brand is a flavor profile from Pakistan. Nestle, no matter where they bottle it, strips out the minerals, and builds the flavor profile to that of the original brand.”
A lot of online software automatically sequesters comments containing large numbers of links (assuming its spam). Perhaps that’s what happened.
The discussion on the OregonLive.com site seems more robust, and given that none of us – unlike Nestle – can afford to advocate fulltime, I was focusing my time there.
Frankly, Cascade Locks already appears to be factionalized due to prior land use & business issues, so Nestle is going to have a field day there.
Given that a clear element of their playbook is to split towns into “us” vs “them” groups, they’re already halfway there.
What the big deal the water if not bottled flows into the pacific ocean.
Thoughtful, learned and a really low-quality troll. Fail.
Sign the petition against Nestle’s intent to privatize water in the Pacific Northwest: http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1895.
Leave a Comment