tagged w/ Nestle
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Global food giant Nestle says it has taken a major step to end child labour on cocoa farms supplying its factories.The firm, one of the world's largest chocolate producers, says it is going to work with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) on tackling the problem.
link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15930981Global food giant Nestle says it has taken a major step to end child labour on cocoa... more
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Chef Jamie Gwen’s ideas to make your Halloween celebrations fun for guests of all ages. Make delicious food and drinks and tips to entertain adults while also making the kids happy. Let Chef Jamie help you celebrate your fright night right!Chef Jamie Gwen’s ideas to make your Halloween celebrations fun for guests of... more
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Corporations carry out some of the most horrific human rights abuses of modern times, but it is increasingly difficult to hold them to account. Economic globalization and the rise of transnational corporate power have created a favorable climate for corporate human rights abusers, which are governed principally by the codes of supply and demand and show genuine loyalty only to their stockholders. http://www.makeahistory.com/index.php/recent-news/43017-some-of-the-qmost-wantedq-corporate-human-rights-violatorsCorporations carry out some of the most horrific human rights abuses of modern times,... more
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worrg
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4 months ago
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the UN ain't are friend we need a democratic UN that is not run by multi-national corporations like Nestle. The UN is helping these mega monsters to take owner ship of water... what next air?the UN ain't are friend we need a democratic UN that is not run by multi-national... more
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short film i did about 2 brothers in America helping farmers in Chiapas organize and bring their organically grown coffee to market. The brothers are equal partners with the largely Indigenous farmers, and are offering an alternative to the poverty and desperation that the multi national coffee corps have subjected them to for years. The brothers are also offering their coffee at deep discount to non profit organizations to assist in fund raising efforts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toKuaI4AUv0&feature=channel_video_titleshort film i did about 2 brothers in America helping farmers in Chiapas organize and... more
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By Sarah Laskow, Media Consortium Blogger
Maybe it’s time for environmentalists prioritize do-it-yourself climate fixes instead of looking to politicians. There are all sorts of options, including, for those dedicated enough, switching to an insect-based diet, as Change.org reports.
But in the private sector, inventors, corporations, and small businesses — farmers in particular — are finding more palatable ways to scale down their environmental impact. In short, politicians aren’t the only ones with the power to make high-profile statements and strong choices on climate change.
No solar on the White House
Environmental crusader Bill McKibben had already given up on Congress; now the White House has disappointed, too. McKibben and other leaders in the climate change movement are eschewing lobbying on legislation in favor of pushing for more visible, direct action on climate issues. To that end, McKibben, along with three students, asked the White House last week to reinstall one of Jimmy Carter’s solar panels on the roof. The answer was no.
McKibben describes the Obama administration’s response to his request as “uncool…Asked to do something easy and symbolic to rekindle a little of the joy that had turned out so many of us as volunteers for Obama in 2008, they point blank said no,” according to Truthout.
The administration officials that they met with, though, wanted to make sure that the climate activists knew something was being done to improve the country’s environment. They touted the president’s initiative to green the federal government—federal buildings in particular. One official, McKibben says, spoke more than once about a Portland, Ore., building that would soon have a “green curtain,” likely a hanging garden.
It’s not that McKibben disapproved. “Actually, it’s kind of great,” he wrote. “Still, I doubt many people are going to build their own vegetated fins.”
The talking cure
That’s the ultimate question: What will people build on their own? Solar panels could be one answer, although they haven’t quite caught on yet. There are all sorts of technologies, though, that could help us minimize our carbon footprint. Grist’s Ashley Braun checks out one new idea: drawing energy from sound waves:
Using that standby found in sunscreen, zinc oxide, to turn sound waves into electricity, these scientists have heard the bells of success starting to ring in their ears. Similar to other technologies aimed at harvesting energy from walking or dancing, this concept could also turn the roar of traffic into the hum of low-carbon electrons. How sweet the sound of renewable energy.
Scientists are considering using this technology in cell phones, creating, ideally, a device that would never have be plugged in, assuming, of course, that its owner used it frequently enough, and used it as a phone, rather than an e-mail/web-surfing/GPS device.
Go private?
Another option for climate reformers could be focusing on the private sector. Corporations have gotten the message that consumers buy green products, and more are churning out sustainable, climate-friendly offerings.
Care2’s Emily Logan points to Nestle, eBay, and Sunny D as three companies that have heard the green gospel. Nestle is investing in sustainable coffee; eBay is pushing out reusable shipping boxes; and Sunny D, the beverage company, met its zero-waste goal three years ahead of schedule.
“Of course, like most large corporations who are making efforts toward sustainability, some of these companies have a long way to go,” Logan writes. “But giving credit where credit is due is increasingly important when it comes to the environment.”
You are what you eat
The farm sector is one private industry that deserves more scrutiny and pressure. Recall that agriculture interests ran one of the most successful campaigns to be exempted from the cap-and-trade bill, when it was working its way through the House. Even among liberals, the industry has its defenders: local, sustainable agriculture just won’t work to feed the masses, the argument goes.
The problem with that line of reasoning is that we still haven’t seen how large sustainable farms can grow. Take Joel Salatin, the crusading farmer made famous by Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Salatin has been running a successful operation, Polyface Farm, for years while relying on organic and sustainable methods. As David E. Gumport reports at Chelsea Green, Salatin’s farm has only grown:
Standing in front of a group of about 50 romping pigs, [Salatin] proudly revealed that Polyface has hit the the $2 million annual sales level, while sticking to Salatin’s policy of not shipping food outside a 100-mile radius. The effect, he says, has been to strengthen local businesses–everything from a local breakfast diner serving visitors to his farm to local feed and supply companies.
Salatin is convinced his methods can be used to feed the entire population. What’s certain is that there is room for more of this sort of growth in the agricultural system.
Here, too, would-be reformers run back into politicians: Salatin’s food safety practices are not exactly FDA-approved, and to reseed his methods elsewhere, the government would need to relax safety standards for smaller, alternatives operations.
But for now, this sort of effort, and others outside of Washington seem to be making the largest impact.
This post features links to the best independent, progressive reporting about the environment by members of The Media Consortium. It is free to reprint. Visit the Mulch for a complete list of articles on environmental issues, or follow us on Twitter. And for the best progressive reporting on critical economy, health care and immigration issues, check out The Audit, The Pulse, and The Diaspora. This is a project of The Media Consortium, a network of leading independent media outlets.By Sarah Laskow, Media Consortium Blogger
Maybe it’s time for... more
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Before hitting the road this summer, don’t forget to pack the essentials to keep your family fed, comfortable and entertained! Dana Hilmer, The Lifestyle Mom, shares some tips. Video from Nestlé, Wyndham Hotel Group, Pampers, Disney Digital Books.com and Tetris Online Inc.Before hitting the road this summer, don’t forget to pack the essentials to keep... more
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http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20005101-36.html
Sometimes these things might actually work: An aggressive, meant-to-shock Facebook and YouTube campaign on behalf of environmental group Greenpeace has caused food conglomerate Nestle to modify its policies regarding the use of palm oil.
IN THE PHOTO: An activist wearing an orangutan mask protesting at Nestle’s Jakarta offices. Nestle dropped Sinar Mas as a supplier amid Greenpeace accusations that the palm oil producer was contributing to deforestation. (EPA Photo)
Nestle announced early on Monday that it has partnered with The Forest Trust, a non-profit group that helps businesses develop practices that harvest forests sustainably, to tackle the social and environmental impacts of its corporate supply chain by severing ties to companies that contribute to deforestation. The first issue addressed will be its use of palm oil--the harvesting of which has been connected to the loss of rainforests and the animal species that inhabit them, as well as greenhouse gas emissions.
Greenpeace considers this a major victory: Two months ago, the environmental group targeted Nestle's use of palm oil with a purposely unsettling video that compared eating Kit-Kat bars to snacking on the bloodied appendages of orangutans. When Nestle lobbied to have the video removed from YouTube, Greenpeace turned its force up a notch and encouraged supporters to start posting comments in protest on Nestle's Facebook fan page and to change their profile photos to modified versions of the Nestle logo (i.e. "Killer" instead of Kit-Kat"). The whole thing turned into a particularly ugly social-media mess for Nestle when the manager of the Facebook fan page started getting argumentative and rude. The commenters grew even more vocal, even after the page manager apologized.
Nestle's Monday announcement makes no mention of the digital smackdown that pressured it into making this change, but Greenpeace has been quick to highlight the role of social media as well as more traditional forms of grassroots lobbying.
"With nearly 1.5 million views of our Kit Kat advert, over 200,000 emails sent, hundreds of phone calls and countless Facebook comments, you made it clear to Nestle that it had to address the problems with the palm oil and paper products it buys," read a Monday release from Greenpeace's U.K. division. "Greenpeace campaigners have met several times with Nestle executives to discuss the problems with sourcing of palm oil and paper products. It certainly seemed like things were moving forward in these discussions. But we didn't expect Nestle to come up with such a comprehensive 'zero deforestation' policy so quickly."
Nestle says it had already set a goal to make its palm oil products 100 percent sustainable by 2015. Right now, it's at 18 percent.
So is its partnership with The Forest Trust any more than just posturing? Greenpeace is optimistic. The Forest Trust is "an independent organization we've worked with before (and) will be closely monitoring Nestle's progress," the release from Greenpeace read.http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20005101-36.html
Sometimes these things might... more
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This week, Nestlé's massive shareholder meeting was interrupted by some pissed off orangutans protesting the deforestation of their habitats in Indonesia. Nestlé contracts with companies that are clear-cutting rainforest and setting up palm oil plantations there to obtain palm oil for its products like KitKat bars, PowerBars, Nestlé Quick, etc.
To put this in perspective, Nestle has some 250,000 shareholders, mostly Swiss and American, so crashing their annual shareholder meeting is no small feat!
Nestle, Give the Orangutans a Break!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8kwVU5pujg&feature=player_embedded
It couldn't be any more clear-cut:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToGK3-2tZz8&feature=relatedThis week, Nestlé's massive shareholder meeting was interrupted by some... more
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Nestle has anounced its commitment to using (CSPO) Certified Sustainable Palm Oil, after a campaign and great commercial from Greenpeace( If you have not seen it please do a current member has it up), Although Nestle has stated they no longer use Palm Oil from Sinar Mas, they will still get it from other companies who are ravaging the rainforest all for some of their disgusting little chocolate products.
Nestle is trying to convince themselves and us that they do no harm to the environment, they have posted a letter on their website basically ridding themselves of all blame, check it out its pretty frustrating.
http://www.nestle.com/MediaCenter/NewsandFeatures/AllNewsFeatures/Nestle_commits_to_using+certified_sustainable_palm_oil_by_2015.htmNestle has anounced its commitment to using (CSPO) Certified Sustainable Palm Oil,... more
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Protest could change the palm oil industry and wake the world up to the power of 'social media'.
The online protest over Nestle's use of palm oil linked to deforestation in Indonesia continues unabated over the weekend. One only needed to check-in on the Nestle's Facebook fan page to see that anger and frustration over the company's palm oil sourcing policies, as well as its attempts to censor a Greenpeace video (and comments online), has sparked a social media protest that is noteworthy for its vehemence, its length, and its bringing to light the issue of palm oil and deforestation to a broader public.
While, the ramifications of this protest—and Nestle's inability to handle the situation—will not be completely known for awhile, it could have widespread implications for the palm oil industry (and companies sourcing them). But on a bigger scale, the protest being undertaken on so-called 'social media' sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and Care2, is an indication of the changing way organizations and individuals are showing their displeasure to giant multi-billion dollar corporations.
The palm oil debate widens and intensifies ...
http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0320-hance_socialmedia.htmlProtest could change the palm oil industry and wake the world up to the power of... more
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Video: Nestle's attempt to censor Greenpeace palm oil ad backfires
Jeremy Hance - mongabay.com
March 19, 2010
In a bold online video, the environmental group Greenpeace cleverly links candy-giant Nestle to oil palm-related deforestation and the deaths of orangutans. Cleary angered over the video, Nestle struck back by having it banned from YouTube and replaced with this statement: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A."
However Nestle's reaction to the video only spread it far and wide (see the ad below): social network sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit were all flooded with the ad as well as rising criticism against Nestle—one of the world's largest food producers—including calls for boycotts.
Greenpeace began sustained action against Nestle on Wednesday when they released new evidence that linked Nestle to illegal deforestation in Indonesia through one of its palm oil suppliers, Sinar Mas.
Oil palm plantation in Sumatra, Indonesia. While palm oil plantations may look 'green' studies have shown a drastic reduction in biodiversity and large carbon emissions due to deforestation. "While many companies such as Unilever and Kraft are making efforts to disassociate themselves from the worst practices of the palm oil industry, Nestlé has done diddly squat," the organization wrote in a blog.
The report spurred Nestle to cancel its contract with Sinar Mas—months after Sinar Mas was shown to be involved in illegal deforestation—but the corporation continues to purchase oil palm from Cargill, which is supplied in part by Sinar Mas. For its part, Cargill says it is investigating Greenpeace's allegations and if Sinar Mas is found to be committing illegal deforestation they will drop them.
Nestle has said in a statement: "we share the deep concern about the serious environmental threat to rain forests and peat fields in South East Asia caused by the planting of palm oil plantations." To prove this to its consumer, the company says it is committed to purchasing only sustainable palm oil by 2015. However, critics contend this is too late.
"Not only are these areas key habitat for orangutans, but also crucial carbon stores; the destruction of these areas is a major cause of Indonesia's rocketing carbon emissions,” Greenpeace said in a statement. .
Indonesia is the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gases largely due to large-scale deforestation across the nation. Between 1990 and 2005, Indonesia lost more than 28 million hectares of forest, including 21.7 hectares of virgin forest. The country has declined from 82 percent forest cover in the 1960s to less than half today.
Deforestation is also the leading cause of biodiversity loss in the region. While orangutans have come to represent the movement against deforestation by oil palm plantations in the same way that polar bears symbolize climate change, Indonesia is home to tens of thousands of other species, many of which are threatened by deforestation.
http://news.mongabay.com/2010/319-hance_nestle.html?utm_campaign=General+news&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_source=SNSanalyticsVideo: Nestle's attempt to censor Greenpeace palm oil ad backfires
Jeremy Hance... more
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Following the release of a new report, Greenpeace activists around the world are taking action to tell Nestle – the largest food and drink company in the world – to stop sourcing palm oil from rainforest destroyers. Send your own message to Nestle and help spread the word!
The new report: “Caught Red Handed: How Nestle’s Use of Palm Oil is Having a Devastating Impact on Rainforest, the Climate and Orangutans” exposes how Nestle’s growing use of palm oil is linked to companies involved in the destruction of forests and peatlands in the Paradise Forest region of Southeast Asia.
The Paradise Forests are one of the most important, but highly threatened, tropical forests on the planet. Boasting world-famous wildlife diversity, the rainforest islands of Paradise are home to critically endangered orangutans, Sumatran tigers, and spectacular birds found no where else on Earth.
But with a world-record breaking deforestation rate, there’s not much time to protect their habitat.
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Tell Nestle to Protect Rainforests!
https://secure3.convio.net/gpeace/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=628&s_src=gpblog
____________________________________________Following the release of a new report, Greenpeace activists around the world are... more
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Dear Nestle's PR department,
Hey! How are you doing? I know that when we highlight the damaging effect your business is having on the Indonesian rainforests, it must be a bit annoying. I hope you understand that we're only trying to get your attention because using unsustainable palm oil in your products is such a very bad thing. You see, we just can't afford to let the Indonesian rainforests go up in smoke to provide land for palm oil plantations.Dear Nestle's PR department,
Hey! How are you doing? I know that when we... more
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The Food and Drug Administration, in a Dec. 4 letter, said Nestle made unauthorized nutrient content claims about Juicy Juice Brain Development Fruit Juice Beverage (Apple), Juicy Juice All-Natural 100% Juice Orange Tangerine and Juicy Juice All-Natural 100% Juice Grape.
(Reuters, 2009, December 23, para. 2)
The FDA said the company, for example, used the statement "no sugar added" on the brain development drink. That type of claim is not permitted for foods intended for children under age 2, the agency's letter said.
(Reuters, 2009, December 23, para. 3)
In a separate Dec. 3 letter, the FDA said Nestle's Boost Kid Essentials Nutritionally Complete Drink, in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors, was promoted as a "medical food" but did not meet requirements for that type of claim.
(Reuters, 2009, December 23, para. 5)
Details at the link:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/34569581?__source=RSS*tag*&par=RSSThe Food and Drug Administration, in a Dec. 4 letter, said Nestle made unauthorized... more
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jmsrmy
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Swiss multinational Nestle says it will stop buying milk from a farm owned by the wife of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe.
(BBC, 2009, October 2, par.1)
Nestle said it had bought milk from farms including Grace Mugabe's Gushungo Dairy Estate to help the country as its dairy industry neared collapse. The move comes after human rights activists had called for a boycott of Nestle products.
(BBC, 2009, October 2, par.2-3)
[more details at the link....]
[IMAGE: javno.com]Swiss multinational Nestle says it will stop buying milk from a farm owned by the wife... more
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jmsrmy
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2 years ago
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That's right, reports the Sacramento News & Review, - Nestle Waters North America has pulled out of its bid to get water from McCloud, near Mt. Shasta and instead is setting up shop in Sacramento. We reported just this year that this area is the #1 most threatened river basin, so why would a water bottling company come here of all places? Is there anything you can do? Click through the jump to find out more.
If you've seen FLOW or any of the other recent documentaries about water rights, you know that one of the (many) problems with bottled water is that local communities are sold on the idea of having cheaper water rates through privatized water and instead end up oftentimes without water. While this program does not include privatizing water, it does give water right to a company, when the rest of the community is under tight water restrictions. Communities looking to fight off big water are in for a serious battle, though recently Flagstaff, AZ gave Nestle Waters the boot, which would essentially do the same thing the company is proposing in Sacramento.
The plan by Nestle Waters North America would allow for the construction of a new bottling facility (to be opened by January 2010 in South Sacramento) plus an estimated usage of 30 million gallons of city water each year. An additional 20 million gallons would be trucked in from "private springs" with no word on where these springs are located. Bottling 50 million gallons of water equals an additional 800 million new plastic water bottles being introduced into the environment.Some city utility departments estimate that it could be much higher - say 78 to 116 million gallons of water each year. In addition, Nestle would be purchasing water at cheap, industrial rates (roughly $1 for every 750 gallons) and then selling the water back at much higher rates per bottle.That's right, reports the Sacramento News & Review, - Nestle Waters North... more
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