Jerry, you got some splainin to do
By:Safia Malin
California is facing one of the most historic and devastating droughts of all time. This is the fourth consecutive year in which the conditions of the drought have been either been stagnant or have worsened. The situation in California has become so severe that the Governor of California, Jerry Brown, had to declare a state of emergency. However, there seem to be some discrepancies in who is being regulated.
The state has attempted to address water shortages by implementing new restrictions on individuals and corporations (restaurants, schools, golf courses etc.) operating out of California. One fascinating restriction the state introduced was the regulation on the upkeep of personal lawns at home. Many officials from California have recommended that Californians should let their lawns die. The government has even imposed hefty fines for those who defy the rules. As a result, drought shaming has been rampant in the Golden State because of numerous constant offenders, especially celebrities, as individuals have tried to take action themselves. (We see you, Jennifer Lopez.)
Different industries have received different regulations (or lack thereof) as well. Golf courses and, even, cemeteries need to be careful about watering their lawns. The rules are incredibly specific too. For example, the state has told restaurants that they shouldn’t be serving water to customers without a formal request. (I’m more of an iced tea girl, anyway.)
But such regulations are being handed down unevenly and there are multiple other industries that should be forced to be smarter about their water use, if you ask me. Consider this: it takes a gallon of water to produce one almond. Yes you heard it right; ONE almond requires ONE whole gallon of water. In case you didn’t know, 80% of the country’s almond supply comes from California. Additionally, 80% of the overall water use in California is at the hands of the agricultural industry. While we are sharing facts, let me give you a couple more. California is the lead producer in almost all crops in all of the United States. And yet, Governor Brown is not imposing any regulations on farms. One company in particular has really stood out from the rest: Nestle.
Nestle is a company most commonly known for their Nescafe products, water products (including Arrowhead and Pure Life), and their world famous Kit Kat Bars. Nestle came under fire from the public for continuing to bottle water in California even though the state has roughly a year’s worth of drinking water left, period according to countless sources. So Nestle is continuing to bottle water, sell some in California, and export the vast majority to other places. For further proof about the kind of people we are dealing with, I present you with a paraphrased quote from the CEO of Nestle, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe: water is NOT a human right. In addition to these statements and the impact of Nestle’s practices, many citizens publicly responded.
Hundreds of average citizens launched a boycott against Nestle. A petition to call for the immediate end to Nestlé’s bottled water industry in California garnered a little over 150,000 signatures. Countless more of those people took to the Nestle Waters North America plant to protest. The protest even got the company to shut down for a day because of blocked entrances and large crowds of people.
With all of this negative backlash, there is seemingly no explanation for why Nestle is being so stubborn. Or better yet, why the big government officials haven’t resorted to more serious measures against them. As stated by the company themselves, Nestle is the second largest provider of bottled water. Nestle is more concerned with growing their pockets instead of practicing more conservationist methods. “It’s clear that Nestle has no intention of voluntarily halting its dangerous water bottling practices. It’s time for state water regulators to step in,” said Erin Diaz from Corporate Accountability International, who is also in charge of the “Think Outside the Bottle” campaign.
California is in a very difficult position. As we enter the cooler seasons of the year, California is livin’ on a prayer. (Sorry, I had to). Governor Brown should be taking a firmer stance against farmers and companies like Nestle, who seem to be prospering while the rest of the state is suffering. The protest at Nestlé’s plant, however, reaffirmed the power we the people possess. What are we waiting for?