Challenge Targets Teens with Eco-Friendly Message
DoSomething.org has teamed with Nestlé Waters North America and Olivia Munn for a program to promote eco-friendliness among teens.
The “Green Your School” Challenge is in its fifth year and runs through April 22, a.k.a. Earth Day. Historically, the initiative has pushed for recycling programs, energy saving measures, and other environmental action. This year, in its collaboration with Munn and Nestlé for the “Don’t be Trashy” initiative, they’re telling teens to spread the word about recycling on Facebook and other online spaces.
In exchange for their efforts, teens have the chance to randomly win movie tickets, scholarships, and other prizes. There are also prizes associated with the other programs involved with the initiative.
According to a Pew Research study released in November, 95 percent of teens between the ages of 12 and 17 are on social media. So targeting this demographic with an eco-friendly message is a great idea. (That study is focused on online bullying, and has some pretty interesting numbers on the subject. Info here and here.)
But we would like to highlight the involvement of Nestlé Waters, the company behind Arrowhead, Deer Park, and other bottled water brands. The website homepage calls attention to its products and the company’s stated commitment to reducing its impact on the environment in almost equal measure.
News this week is that the Grand Canyon is banning sales of bottled water inside the park. And the University of Vermont has been added to the list of colleges that are banning bottled water sales on campus. The school says that it’ll invest in water fountains instead. According to one environmental group, 75 percent of water bottles aren’t recycled.
In other words, Nestlé Waters has a vested interest in being concerned about recycling and encouraging it among consumers who continue to grow more concerned about eco-issues, even as it continues to sell products that aren’t recycled and do damage to the environment. We’re just saying.
