The story of Fiji Water, as detailed in a startling investigative piece in Mother Jones magazine this month, seems familiar. Leafing through the story, I found myself trying to remember where I'd read this tale before; like an old melody at the back of my brain, it hovered, just beyond memory.

 

 

 

Suddenly it came to me: it's Dole, it's United Fruit, it's West Indies Sugar Corporation, it's the old, old story. A company located in a lush, tropical location with a totalitarian government that welcomes foreign interests with deep pockets. It doesn't tax them, gives them access to the country's most precious natural resources, and stands by with heavy artillery in hand, protecting them while they strip the country.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the country's citizens struggle with terrible poverty, hunger and squalid conditions. The only part of the story that Fiji Water has not yet repeated is the inevitable depletion of the resource -- in this case, a 17-mile-long aquifer to which Fiji Water has "near-exclusive access" -- and the subsequent abandonment of the country.

 

 

 

What makes this story so difficult to swallow is how eagerly the U.S. seems to have embraced Fiji's co-owners Stewart and Lynda Resnick. On this side of the Pacific, the pair cheerfully line the pockets of any political figure in sight (they supported both McCain and Obama in the past election) while selling Fiji's best, cleanest water at a huge profit. On the other side of the ocean, the people of Fiji suffer under terrible water conditions that have led to outbreaks of typhoid and parasitic infections.

 

 

 

It appears that America adores the Resnicks: Lynda brags that she knows "everyone in the world, every mogul, every movie star." These relationships have proven handy, as the Resnicks have reaped $1.5 million a year in water subsidies for their almond, pistachio and pomegranate crops in the U.S.

 

 

 

These agricultural water subsidies must be viewed in context: the stress from travelling to pollinate the almond "monoculture" crops like the ones the Resnicks grow, along with the pesticides they sell, are considered to be some of the major reasons that bees are succumbing to colony collapse disorder. And the Resnicks control an enormous amount of California water infrastructure that was built by public funds. They have a 48 percent interest in the Kern Water Bank, which was meant to collect water from aqueducts and the Kern River and to redistribute this water in times of drought.

 

 

 

The Resnicks and their Paramount Farms and Paramount Citrus could use the water to irrigate their fields (which are already subsidized by the government), or they could sell it to municipalities. According to critics, the Resnicks are "trying to 'game' the water market the way Enron gamed the energy market."

 

 

 

So the Resnicks are not known for their even-handedness with politicians or water, and their practices in the U.S. are not the greenest of all possible greens. In fact, they could share responsibility for many of our environmental woes. They could have a hand in California's future water shortages, during which they could profit gloriously. All the while, they are loudly and proudly marketing Fiji Water as the most environmentally friendly bottled water company in the world.

 

 

 

This, of course, is not saying much. Bottled water is notorious for its position in top five lists of "what not to do" for the planet. One day, future civilizations will look back on this decade and wonder in disbelief why it was that we pumped water out of one part of the planet, encased it in plastic, then encased it again for shipping, and spent many many non-renewable resources to bring it to another part of the planet where clean water was already plentiful. It's patently ridiculous.

 

 

 

The story is disturbing because of the truths it tells us about ourselves and our society. It's not just the water thing. It's the marketing. Lynda Resnick has been repeatedly described as a marketing genius for her ability to transform Fiji Water into a must-have accessory for environmentally-conscious celebrities and politicians, despite its heavy use of plastic and questionable commitment to environmentally sustainable practices. And oh, we are drinking the marketing at far greater rates than we are drinking the water. Our celebrities both enormous (Obama, Paris, and their ilk) and minor (the geekarati at the SXSW festival) can't live without it. So neither can we. Whatever celebrities sell us? YUM. Damn the consequences.

 

 

 

It's troubling, at the end of the story, that the company is not, as Anna Lenzer writes in her follow-up to the story (after Fiji Water spokesman Rob Six defended his company) doing anything about the military junta now controlling Fiji. "A UN official . . . in a recent commentary . . . singled out Fiji Water as the one company with enough leverage to force the junta to budge."

 

 

 

The commentary, by the way, was titled "Why Obama should stop drinking Fiji water."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link was way too long to post outside of this.

 

 

 

This is kind of suprising. Are the world's politics so corrupt that this happens? The second to last paragraph really caught my attention... simply because it's so TRUE.

I've never heard of this water before but tbh I don't support any sort of 'bottled water'. Except Volvic strawberry touch of fruits, that water is damn gorgeous.

 

 

 

I've never understood why people would buy a bottle of water for £1 at my school when there was a water cooler with free water next to it :? I'll take tap water thank you very much.

To the question of political corruption: Yes. Every politician looks out for his own interests and how to line his own pockets with money. Obama wasn't some tool of change, and McCain, while said to be the same-old, was no better nor worse. Obama's done some good stuff, but money rules all in our world.

 

 

 

I've never had Fiji water, though. We just go to these little water stands called Windmills and get water, it's mostly from local sources like the Ogallala. The Fiji thing sounds like the same old song and dance. Corporate politics.

 

 

 

And if I go to SXSW next year, will I be called a geekarati? Because that's a wierd word I don't want to be called.

Fiji water, mmm mmm good! I'm gonna go buy some!

My sig says it all :thumbsup:

To the question of political corruption: Yes. Every politician looks out for his own interests and how to line his own pockets with money.

 

 

 

Hey :(

 

I want to go into politics.

 

 

 

My sig says it all :thumbsup:

 

 

 

Your sig doesn't say anything. It's a bunch of senseless text and a picture of a bottle of water. There is no deeper philosophical meaning to your signature.

How much does that stuff cost?

 

If it costs more, there'd better be a damn good reason to get it over regular water.

I never liked Fiji water. Whats wrong with Arrowhead? I prefer an Arizona Drink hands down to anything else.

 

 

 

Also is it me or have we been seeing alot of these, "just copy and paste article here and link news website" threads? And I don't mean to offend but Sarge I've been noticing you just making threads of Articles.

My sig says it all :thumbsup:

 

 

 

Your sig doesn't say anything. It's a bunch of senseless text and a picture of a bottle of water. There is no deeper philosophical meaning to your signature.

 

I thought you said you wanted to be a politician. To be a politician you have to think bigger! Of course his sig says it all, it has a picture in it of fiji water, and everyone knows a picture's worth a thousand words! :P

 

 

 

I don't like big business. I could go into a cliche rant about the big business caring only about profits and not about customers, and environmentally friendliness and human rights, but saying all that on an internet forum won't change anything, and I don't feel like writing it anyway.

 

 

 

I drink tap water. The only time I drink bottled water is when no other alternative is available.

I never liked Fiji water. Whats wrong with Arrowhead? I prefer an Arizona Drink hands down to anything else.

 

 

 

Also is it me or have we been seeing alot of these, "just copy and paste article here and link news website" threads? And I don't mean to offend but Sarge I've been noticing you just making threads of Articles.

 

It's the natural flow of OT.

 

 

 

People post news articles so people think that the forum is getting too full of serious topics & articles.

 

People post light hearted threads to combat the news articles.

 

People think that the forum is getting too light hearted with not enough discussion.

 

People post news articles to combat the light hearted threads.

 

 

 

We're approaching the 'posting news articles & serious discussions stage :)

I never liked Fiji water. Whats wrong with Arrowhead? I prefer an Arizona Drink hands down to anything else.

 

 

 

Also is it me or have we been seeing alot of these, "just copy and paste article here and link news website" threads? And I don't mean to offend but Sarge I've been noticing you just making threads of Articles.

 

It's the natural flow of OT.

 

 

 

People post news articles so people think that the forum is getting too full of serious topics & articles.

 

People post light hearted threads to combat the news articles.

 

People think that the forum is getting too light hearted with not enough discussion.

 

People post news articles to combat the light hearted threads.

 

 

 

We're approaching the 'posting news articles & serious discussions stage :)

 

 

 

You forgot the "Half of OT filled with threads saying how stupid just posting news articles is" stage. Or the even worse "OT is going to the dogs, this is the end AHHHH!" stage. Gods those are annoying.

I've never really understood buying bottled water anywere that you can get tapwater easily. Personally i can't taste any difference. And if i do want something that does taste nice, i'll buy something that is flavoured. I've brought bottled water before, but thats been situations when i couldn't really get to tapwater easily, and bottled water is always cheaper than other drinks.

I LOVE FUJI WATER! It's so full of win and has a really good taste.

 

 

 

I'll just turn a blind eye to this, because it's seriously nothing new.

I never liked Fiji water. Whats wrong with Arrowhead? I prefer an Arizona Drink hands down to anything else.

 

 

 

Also is it me or have we been seeing alot of these, "just copy and paste article here and link news website" threads? And I don't mean to offend but Sarge I've been noticing you just making threads of Articles.

 

It's the natural flow of OT.

 

 

 

People post news articles so people think that the forum is getting too full of serious topics & articles.

 

People post light hearted threads to combat the news articles.

 

People think that the forum is getting too light hearted with not enough discussion.

 

People post news articles to combat the light hearted threads.

 

 

 

We're approaching the 'posting news articles & serious discussions stage :)

 

 

 

You forgot the "Half of OT filled with threads saying how stupid just posting news articles is" stage. Or the even worse "OT is going to the dogs, this is the end AHHHH!" stage. Gods those are annoying.

 

True :lol:

 

 

 

I LOVE FUJI WATER! It's so full of win and has a really good taste.

 

 

 

I'll just turn a blind eye to this, because it's seriously nothing new.

 

But isn't water supposed to just taste like... water? :? I really don't think that turning a blind eye is the right thing to do. I really really don't get the idea of buying water when it's free from a tap at home =/

Well, Lubbock pours in fluoride by the gallon, but it has a nasty reputation for how bad its water is. It doesn't even use wells for some ridiculous reason, it pumps 80% of its water from nasty lakes that people here use for recreation. I liked the water from our well back when I lived in the country, it was good even though it yellowed my teeth. But Lubbock water tastes and smells worse, and [bleep]s your teeth up bad.

I never liked Fiji water. Whats wrong with Arrowhead? I prefer an Arizona Drink hands down to anything else.

 

 

 

You wouldn't prefer AZ's water to anything else. Nastiest water you'll ever drink.

I never liked Fiji water. Whats wrong with Arrowhead? I prefer an Arizona Drink hands down to anything else.

 

 

 

You wouldn't prefer AZ's water to anything else. Nastiest water you'll ever drink.

 

 

 

You should try some of the water in Mexico. Yumm :uhh:

I have a complete and utter disdain for people who buy bottled water, there truly is a sucker born every day. Unless your tap water comes out of black then there is no excuse to not drink tap water in a first world nation. Even if your tap water is poor it can be boiled to get rid of additives in advance is it bothers you that much. £1 for 750ml bottle of water really is ridiculous as well, I refuse to pay that for such a basic thing I'd rather stay thirsty on principle.

People post news articles so people think that the forum is getting too full of serious topics & articles.

 

People post light hearted threads to combat the news articles.

 

People think that the forum is getting too light hearted with not enough discussion.

 

People post news articles to combat the light hearted threads.

 

 

 

We're approaching the 'posting news articles & serious discussions stage :)

 

Or, you know, everyone just whines a lot. Don't put the smiley in. It makes you look intellectually arrogant.

I never liked Fiji water. Whats wrong with Arrowhead? I prefer an Arizona Drink hands down to anything else.

 

 

 

You wouldn't prefer AZ's water to anything else. Nastiest water you'll ever drink.

 

 

 

You should try some of the water in Mexico. Yumm :uhh:

 

 

 

I've heard to many horror stories about Mexico's water. :ohnoes:

I LOVE FUJI WATER! It's so full of win and has a really good taste.

 

 

 

I'll just turn a blind eye to this, because it's seriously nothing new.

 

But isn't water supposed to just taste like... water? :? I really don't think that turning a blind eye is the right thing to do. I really really don't get the idea of buying water when it's free from a tap at home =/

 

Fuji Water has a different taste to it. I barley buy it because of its price though.

 

 

 

I do drink tap water though, I love having the Great Lakes around me, it makes it even cleaner tap water than most states have.

I LOVE FUJI WATER! It's so full of win and has a really good taste.

 

 

 

I'll just turn a blind eye to this, because it's seriously nothing new.

 

But isn't water supposed to just taste like... water? :? I really don't think that turning a blind eye is the right thing to do. I really really don't get the idea of buying water when it's free from a tap at home =/

 

Fuji Water has a different taste to it. I barley buy it because of its price though.

 

 

 

I do drink tap water though, I love having the Great Lakes around me, it makes it even cleaner tap water than most states have.

 

How much does a bottle of that stuff cost?

Also is it me or have we been seeing alot of these, "just copy and paste article here and link news website" threads? And I don't mean to offend but Sarge I've been noticing you just making threads of Articles.

 

No offense taken :P But how else would I be able to clarify stuff? "Oh hey guys I just heard that WoW is coming to game consoles!@!" There's no proof there, so I use the copypasta plus link because it's just easier to give proof and such :P. Plus I don't generally like starting threads because... I don't know what to say in the OP usually :? but this story and the other one caught my attention.

I LOVE FUJI WATER! It's so full of win and has a really good taste.

 

 

 

I'll just turn a blind eye to this, because it's seriously nothing new.

 

But isn't water supposed to just taste like... water? :? I really don't think that turning a blind eye is the right thing to do. I really really don't get the idea of buying water when it's free from a tap at home =/

 

Fuji Water has a different taste to it. I barley buy it because of its price though.

 

 

 

I do drink tap water though, I love having the Great Lakes around me, it makes it even cleaner tap water than most states have.

 

Sometimes people need to buy water. When I lived in Oklahoma there were so many toxins in the tap water.

I LOVE FUJI WATER! It's so full of win and has a really good taste.

 

 

 

I'll just turn a blind eye to this, because it's seriously nothing new.

 

But isn't water supposed to just taste like... water? :? I really don't think that turning a blind eye is the right thing to do. I really really don't get the idea of buying water when it's free from a tap at home =/

 

Fuji Water has a different taste to it. I barley buy it because of its price though.

 

 

 

I do drink tap water though, I love having the Great Lakes around me, it makes it even cleaner tap water than most states have.

 

How much does a bottle of that stuff cost?

 

Shoot I just notice I keep saying Fuji water. :wall:

 

 

 

The bottle of Fiji water that I usually would buy costs around 2 bucks.