With the relatively recent trend toward becoming “ecofriendly,” bottled water often becomes a topic of interest. Simply put, bottled water = waste. In fact, it produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste annually. Furthermore, producing that plastic requires up to 47 million gallons of oil per year. And in the end, 80 percent of these plastic bottles are thrown away–not recycled (though, the actual process of recycling requires large amounts of energy). The likely prospect of a future in which majority of the plastic produced is still drifting around somewhere does not paint a pretty picture.
Yet, I think many people are indeed aware that bottled water is not environmentally friendly (whether they choose to act upon that awareness is, of course, a different story). But how many people realize how much a bottled water company can affect its local citizens and communities?
In a recent issue of Mother Jones magazine, Anna Lenzer looks into FIJI Water and the story behind its elitist, “untouched” water. Lenzer touches upon the contrast between the brand’s image and the conditions in Fiji: “‘We are Fiji,’ declare Fiji Water posters across the island, and the slogan is almost eerily accurate: The reality of Fiji, the country, has been eclipsed by the glistening brand of Fiji, the water.”
She goes on to discuss the water problems that face the island, which include:
…crumbling pipes, a lack of adequate wells, dysfunctional or flooded water treatment plants, and droughts that are expected to get worse with climate change. Half the country has at times relied on emergency water supplies, with rations as low as four gallons a week per family; dirty water has led to outbreaks of typhoid and parasitic infections. Patients have reportedly had to cart their own water to hospitals, and schoolchildren complain about their pipes spewing shells, leaves, and frogs. Some Fijians have taken to smashing open fire hydrants and bribing water truck drivers for a regular supply.
FIJI Water responded to Lenzer’s article stating, “We strongly disagree with the author’s premise that because we are in business in Fiji somehow that legitimizes a military dictatorship…As an active member of the Fiji community, FIJI Water is committed to enabling positive change by means of social investment, capacity building, and sustainable development.”
Though Lenzer lauds FIJI’s donations to water access projects, she says the military regime “clearly benefits from the company’s global branding campaign characterizing Fiji as a ‘paradise’ where there is ‘no word for stress.’” In fact, Fiji’s tourism campaigns use the bottled water in their promotions.
I found it quite interesting to see how closely intertwined the bottled water company and military regime are. And how much this one company affects Fiji’s economy.
