Desktop Activist Tucson : Nestlé sucking California dry

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Tell the California Water Board to stop Nestlé’s illegal water grab during drought

Nestlé is illegally sucking millions of gallons of water out of the San Bernardino National Forest -- while wildfires are burning out of control across California.

One of California’s wildfires has just been declared the 'largest in state's history', with thousands of firefighters struggling to bring an area bigger than New York state under control. The drought-stricken state has had the worst start to the fire season in a decade. Yet Nestlé continues to draws millions of gallons of water illegally from the San Bernardino National Forest -- and sells it for millions in profits

The California Water Board can stop it though. Tell it to enforce its directive to stop Nestlé’s illegal water grab.

The California Water Board has directed Nestlé to limit its water-taking to what it is legally permitted to draw. Instead, Nestlé is taking almost 10 times that amount -- often over 60 million gallons a year.

The Water Board has the power to enforce its directive and stop Nestlé’s illegal water grab. And it opposes Nestlé just as much as we do. A huge wave of support for the Water Board right now could be what it needs to finally stop Nestlé from stealing California’s precious water.

Tell the California Water Board to stop Nestlé’s illegal water grab in California.

For all the water Nestlé takes from the San Bernardino National Forest it pays a laughable $624 a year. Then it sells the water for millions in profit -- while sucking the state dry.

This water is critical for Strawberry Creek -- home to 71 species of threatened wildlife -- which is running ever drier as Nestlé steals the water for its own greedy profiteering.

California’s wildfires are getting worse every year and are compounded by the dry conditions killing off large amounts of vegetation. California’s water is a precious resource that helps to mitigate the effects of drought and wildfire and must be protected not stolen by multi-billion dollar corporation.

SumOfUs has been fighting Nestlé - and winning. Earlier this year, when Nestlé sued a small township in Michigan, thousands of SumOfUs members like you chipped in and raised $50,000 USD so the township could fight for its water. Together we have the power to take on greedy corporations like Nestlé and protect our water for future generations.

SIGN THE PETITION

- SumOfUs

More information:

California Water Board Directs Nestlé to Immediately Cease Unauthorized Use of California’s Water, Story of Stuff, January 2018
California fire explodes in size, is now largest in state history, CNN, 07 August 2018

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Tell the US Forest Service to stop letting Nestlé suck California dry

It’s unbelievable: Nestlé has been pumping up to 162 million gallons of water every year out of California’s San Bernadino National Forest on a permit that expired 30 years ago.

In December, there was a glimmer of hope -- the California Water Board ruled that Nestlé must cease its unauthorized use of the water it’s been drawing. But, Nestlé never stopped. It is continuing to take water from this critical ecosystem, and the US Forest Service is doing nothing to enforce the ruling.

The Water Board gave Nestlé 60 days to present a plan on how its going to stop pumping -- and the time is almost up. A huge outcry now, coinciding with Nestlé’s deadline, will pressure the US Forest Service to follow through on its responsibilities to protect these precious waters from Nestlé’s greed.

Will you please join me in signing the petition to tell the US Forest Service to stop letting Nestlé take water from San Bernadino National Forest?

Nestlé is making billions of dollars every a year on bottling water that it pays next to nothing for. And it has proven time and again that it’s willing to do whatever it takes to make more money -- including allegedly defying court rulings and taking hundreds of millions of gallons from a drought-stricken area.

California just came out of a historic five-year drought last April and, not even one year later, all the signs point towards another devastating drought year. And this coming after some of the largest and most dangerous wildfires in Californian history that destroyed over 1.3 million acres of land.

Because of these droughts, over 5,000 Californians have had their wells run dry, while the rest of the state is under mandatory conservation. Meanwhile, Nestlé walks away with water on an expired permit and sells it for profit.

The evidence from the Water Board’s 20-month investigation is clear: Nestlé has no right to be taking the majority of the water that it does.

The US Forest Service must take action now. A huge outcry now could be the pressure they need to make the right decision and protect California’s water from Nestlé’s greed.

SumOfUs has been fighting, and winning, against Nestlé’s greedy water grabs all over the world. Over 284,000 caring members like you signed a petition to call on Nestlé to stop taking California’s water during one of the worst drought years on record, and over 34,000 of you sent a message directly to the Forest Service to stop Nestlé sucking California dry.

And, in Oregon the voices of over 250,000 caring members like you, along with the pressure of amazing local activists stopped Nestlé from setting up shop in Cascade Locks.

And right now, SumOfUs members are helping play a critical role in funding Osceola township’s legal battle against Nestlé to protect its water. This tiny township would likely have gone bankrupt without our help. We know we have the people power to prevent Nestlé from sucking California dry.

Please join me in signing the petition to tell the US Forest Service to stop letting Nestlé suck California dry.