Kristin Stroup, energy specialist in the Africa Energy Department of the World Bank, told WaterWideWeb, “The 35 kilowatt micro-hydropower plant in Yandohun was built in the 1970’s. During its few years of operation, it contributed significantly to the local community, and facilitated operation of a 24-hour health-care facility there that served many surrounding communities.”

Yandohun is a village of 2,000 people in the remote area of Lofa County in northwestern Liberia. The micro-hydropower plant that generated power for the community was in part constructed and operated by local residents. The micro-hydropower plant was the sole source of reliable energy for the community since Yandohun is outside of the electrical grid of the capital city of Monrovia.

With financing from the Dutch Trustfund under its AFREA program,  the World Bank is launching a rehabilitation project for Yandohun’s micro-hydropower plant. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012.

“Rehabilitation of the plant at 60 kilowatts will allow for meeting basic needs and will also allow for improved educational facilities, including adult education which is extremely important in the post-conflict setting,” continued Stroup.

In Yandohun, the capacity to manage an improved micro-hydropower facility already exists since community members who operated the first hydropower plant still live there. Thus, the World Bank is investing in the community’s existing skill sets while implementing a low-cost renewable energy approach. “The community has a very strong organizational structure and cooperative approach, including rebuilding the town hall with pooled funds and labor,” noted Stroup.

Agricultural production is significant to the local economy of Yanhodun. Rice farming, milling, cultivation of coffee and cocoa are all part of the agricultural output of the area. Mechanized processes powered by the future micro-hydropower facility have the potential to increase revenues generated by the sale of agricultural products by local farmers.

World Bank funding for the energy plant includes hands-on training for additional local community members who will learn to manage and operate the facility. Engaging local residents in the development process and use of local natural resources empowers the community.  Dependability on foreign assistance for medium and long-term progress is diminished, which is especially crucial to post-conflict settings as well.

“The micro-hydropower plant rehabilitation project at Yandohun is part of the World Bank’s commitment to the expansion of energy access in rural areas and an emphasis on renewable, sustainable technologies as part of a least-cost expansion plan,” Stroup added.  

The pilot operation in Yandohun offers a prime example of how an investment in a renewable energy source can truly revitalize a community that was once destroyed by war. Before encounters with rebel troops, Yandohun had operational educational facilities, a health facility, and a thriving fish farm.

Decreasing rates of poverty, improving access to healthcare, and promoting childhood and adult education is implicated in the successful rehabilitation of Yandohun’s hydropower facility. Solutions to Liberia’s systemic post-conflict issues should be cost-effective and environmentally sustainable.

Technology transfer and capacity building in rural communities that are not in close proximity to the capital city of Monrovia are crucial to including all levels of Liberia’s population in the energy plan. “Using hydropower for the benefit of communities should facilitate the sustainable development of a key piece of Liberia’s rural electrification agenda,” concluded Stroup.

The photo above is of school children in Liberia. It is a UN Photo taken by John Issac.

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The photograph to the top right is a magnificent shot of Mento’s hand sprinkled with droplets of water from the Nile River in Africa. As Mento dips his hand into the water of the world’s longest river, one asks, “Will there come a day, when every hand of every member of the African Diaspora can feel the gentle rush of the Nile River?”

This photograph reminded Mento of the famous poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by renowned African-American poet, Langston Hughes. In the poem, Hughes reflects on his intimate familiarity with the River Euphrates in Asia, The Nile River in Africa, and the Mississippi River in the United States.

Throughout the work, Hughes alludes to the African-American experience with respect to rivers. At the conclusion of the poem, Hughes writes, “My soul has grown deep like the rivers.” Mentos’ life parallels the poem by Hughes. He was born in Ghana, along the west coast of Africa. Now, he resides in New York City, close to the historic Hudson River.

Mento is well acquainted with the flow of rivers and water. He knows life along the banks of rivers in different parts of the world. And his photography is evidence of that.

"Bad Boy" by Les Mento

In the photograph to the left, Mento captures a boy fishing in Ghana. The picture is taken in black and white versus color like the other photos that Mento provides. Ironically, the boy’s shirt reads “Bad Boy”. But one looks at this picture and sees everything but a bad boy. The youth’s hands are full of fishing equipment. Waves crash in the distance. But, there are no fish in his hands.

Life along this river is very different than life along other rivers. For this young boy, the water is a source of food and most likely income as well. This picture shows the importance of the water on life for the young boy. Is his fishing journey just beginning or is he returning home? Mento leaves viewers with innumerable questions with this intriguing photograph.

The photograph to the bottom right was taken from Mento’s collection of photos from a recent visit to Ghana. Waves crash onto the shores of a sandy beach. There’s a single set of footprints in the sand and one wonders who walked along this beautiful beach? Was he or she tempted to swim in the beautiful ocean? Or did he or she prefer to leave the majestic beauty of the ocean tide undisturbed?

"Ghana" by Les Mento

The work of Les Mento touches upon history and modern life along the world’s rivers. His creative references to literature and culture engage viewers on an artistic excursion that surpass a mere glimpse at a still image. Mento draws parallels between history, art, and culture in his work. With a click of his camera, onlookers sojourn from the shores of the Nile River, to the coastline of Ghana and back again.

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Sustainable development is a buzz word in the international non-profit sphere. Bringing clean water to communities who once lived without the precious resource is a rung on the ladder of infrastructural development. But if the well breaks, how is the well building process a marker of development or truly sustainable?

Erin Kraft is the Program Coordinator of New Global Citizens International (NGCI) that partners with Sustainable Resources Ltd. (SRL) on the Malawi Well Repair Project (MWRP). MWRP services wells that have been abandoned and are unusable in Malawi, Africa. MWRP is one of the few programs of its kind that works to fix water wells that are faulty or defective in Malawian villages.

In a telephone interview, Kraft told WaterWideWeb, “Well-intentioned organizations go into countries in Africa and build wells. Some of these wells costs up to $30,000.00, but after they break, they are unusable and the money invested in the project is wasted”.

When water wells break, a typical solution is to build another well in place of the broken one. Dr. Jan Snyder is an Engineering Educator, President of Sustainable Resources Ltd and cofounding member of MWRP. In a telephone interview, Snyder told WaterWideWeb, “In Malawi, I would bet that there are over 10,000 wells that aren’t serviced.”

The population of Malawi is approximately 14 million people. Ninety-five percent of the population lives in the bush. Each well provides roughly 200 to 300 villagers with clean water. If over 10,000 wells aren’t serviced, that means 2 to 3 million people are without clean water as a result of broken water wells.

Snyder found that replacing the donut shaped rubber part that rubs against the pipe casing to create water flow is the simple yet overlooked solution to broken wells. Snyder’s solution only costs $5.00 USD per well. He plans to take his technology on the road with the MWRP.

The framework of the MWRP is based upon the participation of local community members. MWRP will train local community residents in well maintenance and repair. After receiving the proper training, those individuals will then launch small businesses and offer to service broken wells in nearby villages.

The end result of MWRP is capacity building through local entrepreneurship. The ability to supply water for rural communities then lies within the community itself. Citizens are empowered economically through small business entrepreneurship and are trained in a skill set that can be shared with other groups.

The MWRP presents a novel, low cost solution to rectify a developmental effort that was rendered unsuccessful. MWRP offers a remedial response to an underlying problem that hinders the progress of vulnerable communities.

When asked if there was a standard for well building, Snyder replied, “I don’t know of any guidelines of well building or maintenance in Malawi or other parts of Africa.” In Malawi and other developing countries, guidelines for digging wells and maintaining them properly aren’t established, or if they are, they are not adhered to.

“After three to five years, the rubber pieces in the water well wear out”, Snyder explained. Essentially, water wells need to be maintained regularly to ensure that all the parts function properly. Standards for building wells and regulations on maintenance and water quality must be instituted to achieve the ultimate goal of water well projects, which is to provide a sustainable water source to vulnerable communities.

Water-borne disease are a leading killer in developing nations and women and girls are forced to travel long distances in search of clean water if their well no long functions properly. Poverty, public health and economic growth are fundamentally linked to clean water.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations are organized to eradicate extreme poverty, improve maternal health, combat disease, and promote gender equality of women and girls. The aforementioned goals are directly linked to water access.

Digging new wells should no longer be a viable option if a well that requires repairs could supply water. The amount of resources in time, materials, and financial support are wasted when new water well building takes precedence over rehabilitating pre-existing wells.

Opting to build a new well diverts funds that could be used for advancement in economics, public health, and responsible use of resources. Development happens at the local level if infrastructure improves after the initial relief effort was implemented.

When communities can safely rely on existing water wells that can be repaired and maintained locally,  reliance on external relief will be less commonplace and development that is indeed sustainable will become a reality.

Please watch this video of well repair work in Malawi by Sustainable Resources Ltd: Nntchisi Well Repair in Malawi

The African Water Facility (AWF) is an organization launched in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AFDB) that finances and promotes sustainability projects to render water accessible to local population and therefore ameliorate their living conditions.  The AWF serves as a catalyzing force that collects all investments in order to render them profitable towards sustainable actions and projects for the water sector in Africa. The mission of this organization is to ‘” improve the enabling environment and strengthen water resources management in Africa by attracting the massive and appropriate investments necessary to achieve national and regional water objectives” (Source: http://www.africanwaterfacility.org/en/about-us/mission-and-mandate/). In addition, this organization’s mandate comprises the target of investments for infrastructure development projects, raising awareness about water issues, supporting the River Basin Organizations and establishing a method to evaluate the projects and their developments. The Governing Council of the AWF, comprised of thirteen members, establishes the general policies guiding the focus and direction of the organization. In addition, the council proposes areas of intervention and reviews the previous annual reports.

An interesting project approved by the AWF is the Formulation of Burundi’s Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Plan, supported by the AWF.  The goals of this project are to reduce poverty, consequently improving the well-being of the populations and “conserving vital natural resources through enhanced water governance” (Source: http://www.africanwaterfacility.org/fileadmin/uploads/awf/projects-activities/BURUND_IWRM_PLAN_APPRAISAL_RPT_FINAL.PDF). Despite popular belief, Burundi has abundant water resources, yet the problem arises due to a dramatically uneven distribution amongst the population. With the fervent increase for water, tension is escalatingin the country. In 1989, a National Commission of Water and Energy was created, yet this structure has stopped function since 1992. Since then, no other national structure to control water has been developed. The AWF has recognized the need to make an urgent change and therefore has accepted to sponsor part of the project.

Of course financing such projects wouldn’t be possible without the help of valuable partners like the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the World Water Council or the Global Water Partnership. The IUNC, one of the world’s largest conservation network that an equitable use of water as a fundamental vital resources. The NEPAD focuses on all the challenges facing the African continent, from poverty to social marginalization; the organization seek projects and sustainable interventions that can enhance the general well-being of the continent.

With so many actors involved, coordination and communication become the two fundamental milestones that can determine the success or failure of a long-term sustainable development project. Water is probably the most precious resource on earth and should be accessible to every human being as a right instead of being a privilege for a small minority. The African Water Facility is working in order to extend that privilege to those who need it the most.

In order to better comprehend issues like water shortage or water pollution, it is fundamentall to consider production processes since water problems are often connected to a country’s economy. Faced with a serious water crisis, countries like Australia try to monitor national water plans in order to reduce water consumption as much as possible while still providing the needed water supply for the survival and well-being of the population. Before trying to elaborate a plan in order to control or change the water demand amongst the population, state officials should start by looking at the essence of the actual demand. For this reason, “national water use statistics should be extended in order to include full national water footprint accounts since this broadens the basis for the formulation of a national water plan” (Source: http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/NationalWaterFootprint). In order for a national water project to be sustainable on the long term, a government needs to establish coherent national policies in all sectors involve. For instance, it is useless to establish a water plan it agriculture policies are not modified to respect the same coherent direction.

The water footprint of a nation can be defined as the total amount of water used to produce the goods and services consumed by the population of that nation. Considering that many goods that are consumed in a country are produced abroad, the water footprint of a nation is made out of the internal water footprint (water used inside the country) and the external water footprint (water used to produce a good abroad). In addition, there are three categories that can be found in a nation’s water footprint. The first is the blue water footprint, “the volume of freshwater that evaporated from the global blue water resources”. Second comes the green water footprint, “the volume of freshwater evaporate from the global green water resources (rainwater)” and finally the grey water foot print, “the volume of polluted water, calculated as the volume that is required to dilute pollutants to such an extent that the quality of the water remains about agreed water quality standards” (Source: http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/NationalWaterAccountingFramework). Governments need to start by reducing the water footprint of their own structures and offices, in order to demonstrate the good example, so they can later work closely with industries in order to promote transparency and the need to raise social awareness amongst citizens.

Professor and expert, tell us that the  water footprint indicator permits “the attention to shift to the role of consumers and large food processors and retailers that process and sell final consumer goods” (Source: http://www.exploringgeopolitics.org/Interview_Hoekstra_Arjen_Virtual_Water_National_Footprints_Global_Economy_Value_Price_Pollution_Depletion_Management_Environment_Intensive_Exports_Imports.html). He puts the emphasis on the fact that each individual consumer and every company can have a tremendous impact on problems such as water depletion or pollution. He also reminds us that American citizens should make the biggest effort since the USA has the largest national footprint, per head it is double the world average! The main reason is due to the fact that Americans consume a lot of highly water-intensive goods, like meat. On the contrary, developing countries have a high water footprint not due to their large water consumption but because their agriculture methods are tremendously inefficient leading to a great waste of water.

So far, except for various debates and propositions, water remains a public resource, without any real market rules to establish trade price. Yet, it is important not to take it for granted because even if it seems endless and accessible water does have a very high value.  Treating water like it has no value leads to scarcity and other serious problems. Establishing a national water footprint is only the first step towards a more responsible and self-conscious attitude. The first step towards putting an end to the most avoidable natural crisis we could face.

This particular water comes from a simple hydrogeological model that is explained on the company’s website: “water is mineralized through contact with the rocks and is heated by geothermal gradient until reaching the spring, where it has the balanced composition of S. Pellegrino mineral water” (Source: http://www.sanpellegrino.com/index.html). As early as the 12^th century the Sanpellegrino sparkly water was used for its apparent healthy properties.  In 1842, the town decided to sell the spring to Ester Palazzolo with the condition that a part of the share would be given to the local citizens so they could have access to the water free of charge.  With thousands of bottles selling around the world, the Italian brand decided to put together mineral water and Sicilian oranges and invented a new soft drink called “Aranciata”. In 1999, the brand became the latest new addition to Nestlé’s bottled water empire. According to San Pellegrino’s latest quality report, the water that comes from the sources is always tested as it enters the plant in order to comply with international standards and with Nestlé own requisites. It appears that “quality first” is the motto of this luxury water bottle as the product is “screened for over 200 possible contaminants annually, even more than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Italian Health Authorities require” (Source: http://www.nestle-watersna.com/pdf/SP_BWQR.pdf).

Stefano Agostini, the president and chief executive officer of Sanpellegrino presents environmental sustainability as one of the main objectives of the company as he declares that the company’s mission is “that of guaranteeing water a future of quality” (Source: http://www.bpcommunication.net/risorse/sanpellegrino.pdf). According to the company’s statements, the firm is involved in various programs of water conservation in order to protect their water sources and to render them sustainable on the longest term possible. Sanpellegrino states the importance of protecting water sources and its surrounding ecosystems. In order to be coherent with the green values advocated by the Italian brand, the company promotes water and education programs for young children in order to raise awareness at an early age about the importance of water conservation. The brand is a promoter and partner of the WET project (Water Education for Teachers) that aims at educating the little and the old about responsible principles of water consumption. In addition, San Pellegrino says that in the last four years, they have reduced by 48% the total water volume they use in the production process. “To reduce the environmental impact, San Pellegrino is investing in rail transport  and also adheres to CONAI the National Packaging Consortium for the disposal and recycling of containers and is developing a careful reduction plan of materials for the packaging of its products” (Source: http://www.bpcommunication.net/risorse/sanpellegrino.pdf). While the company’s website tells us it is working hard at diminishing its packaging waste, it fails to give additional details, concrete actions and examples to illustrate how the brand is really achieving these environmental friendly goals. While details on the company’s concrete actions in regards to green productions processes seem to be somewhat lacking, Sanpellegrino presents a much clearer picture of its involvement in Africa on a water friendly project.

Working with the AMREF (African Medical and Research Foundation), the Italian brand has sponsored the construction of a well in Makueni, Kenya and its working with the local population in order to enable a water management training to “teach the local population the proper hygiene and the proper health practices to be adopted” (Source: http://www.sanpellegrino.com/index.html). According to its website it appears that the company is committed to a long-term partnership with AMREF in order to help bring quality water to those who need it the most. With the current controversy against the negative effects of plastic bottled water on the environment, giant companies like Sanpellegrino quickly realized that a strong corporate social responsibility is necessary to the survival of their firm and can only increase the brand’s equity.

The first and perhaps most important Millennium Development Goal is the need to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. 27% of the world’s poverty and 36% of the hunger are causes directly related to access to quality water. (Source: http://www.unsgab.org/docs/mdgs/mdgs-ref02.pdf). All other millennium goals such as improving maternal health or reducing child mortality are all in great part directly related to the problem of water scarcity or water pollution issues.  If one third of the MDGs depend on water the WHO and UNICEF have come to the realization that in order to even have a minimum of hope to reach the stated goals if they come up with a parallel plan in order to take care of  the issue of water quality, scarcity and access.

The report presents the situation up to know in order to assess the present situation and the future steps to be taken in the future.  According to current statistics “2.6 billion people do not use improved sanitation which means that less than two thirds of the world population has access to clean-water facilities” (Source: http://www.unwater.org/downloads/JMP_report_2010.pdf). Nonetheless, a considerable effort and improvement has been obtained in Northern Africa, South-eastern Asia and Estern Asia, while the situation appears to be somewhat standing still. Yet, the areas needing more help are being taken care of considering that out of the 2.6 billion people, 72% of them live in Asia. While statistics seem quite positive, indeed 87% of the world population and 84% of individuals in developing countries are getting access to water through improved sources of drinking-water, there still remains about 884 million people in the rest of the world who fail to have access to clean water facilities. “Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for over a third of that number, and is lagging behind in progress towards the MDG target with only 60% of the population using improved sources of drinking-water” (Source: http://www.unwater.org/downloads/JMP_report_2010.pdf ). At this rate, the MDG targets will be missed my approximately 13 points unless humongous efforts are made to ameliorate the situation.  In addition, Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from great socioeconomic disparities that also impact on access to improved sanitation. The richest part of the population has somewhat of an improved access to drinking-water sources and to sanitation facilities. The poorest 20% of the population is “around 16 times more likely to practice open defecation than the richest quintile” (Source: http://www.unwater.org/downloads/JMP_report_2010.pdf).

Open air defecation is a serious problem that takes places in many reality of the world, causing the spread of disease and epidemics.  Since the urbanization of many countries like India or China an increasing number of people in urban zones defecate in the open. Yet, an improvement as been made since the report states that a decline in open defecation rates has occurred in all regions of the world.

In order to monitor a project of such humongous endeavor, local and national government need to work closely with the WHO and UNICEF in order to collaborate and facilitated the monitoring of the water standards at a global level. Over the past years, the Joint Monitoring Program has worked in close partnership with a variety of pilot countries in order to better understand how to adopt common water monitoring measures to better coordinate and harmonize research approaches in order to maximizes the authenticity of the results. This report is crucial in order to have a stabile starting base for the long-term development of the millennium goals, but also serves as a data report for the future work of NGOs and charities that are implementing strategies to reduce the water crisis around the world.

If you are curious and simply want to try out something new this summer, you should always have an expert near by or someone to give you a helping hand considering that launching your kite can be quite tricky and even dangerous if swimmers are in the water near by.  Most kitesurfers like to practice this sport along ocean shores but it can also be practiced on larger lakes or rivers.  The idea of using a kite seems like a brand new idea, yet “ the art of Kitesurfing” dates back to the 13^th Century Chinese when it was used as a simple mode of transportation” (Source: http://www.kitesurfingnow.com/kitesurfing-facts/history-of-kitesurfing.shtml). In the 19^th century, George Pocock, an English  schoolteacher with a passion for the sky, innovated the basic kite design by increasing the size of the kite in order to use them as “glide carts on land and ships on the water” (Source: http://www.kitesurfingnow.com/kitesurfing-facts/history-of-kitesurfing.shtml).  Despite the fact that its birth dates as far as the 13^th Century, in the 1990’s this sport became world-know once surfers and wake boarders of the Hawaiian coast of Maui discovered its beauty. This sport’s popularity increased at an escalading speed in the last years so much that kite surfing school have opened everywhere and spread in all continents of the world from America to Africa.  For a complete list of all the schools based on country and location, you can consult: http://kitesurfingschool.org/schools.htm in order to chose the nearest one.

GUST- Extreme Sailing in Africa

Founded in 2005, GUST magazine is the quintessential platform for all kite surfers and water lovers of the world. A South African publication, GUST organizes custom made sporting events. If you are interested in their services or want to remain up to date with all the extreme water sports you can find out more at http://www.gustmagazine.com/what-is-gust-magazine/). GUST is much more than a simple but magazine about kiteboardings, but also an edgy lifestyle and communications brand that promotes wind sports and the gorgeous coasts of Africa all over the world with unique coverage, interviews and interactive videos.

According to GUST’s magazine publisher and editor Janet Lightbody, the role of the media and communication is crucial in order to promote this sport around the world as an adventurous yet also a safe and responsible. This young editor takes her job very seriously, and says: “we have an important role to market kiting in a sustainable way in order to grow and attract new comers into the sport” (Source: http://www.ikiteboarding.com/kiteboarding/articles/janet-lightbody-an-interview-with-gusts-leading-lady.aspx). This magazine is not a conventional sports magazine; it is proud to be based in Africa and even more proud to engage into a lateral campain of touristic promotion, showing off the greatest beach and site to visit.

Kite surfing equipment

According to your location and budget, kite surfing manufactures like Flexifoil,  Flysurfer, Gaastra Kiteboarding or Liquid Force will all provide you with innovative quality equipment based on the latest cutting edge technologies. As you might have experienced on your own, kite surfing equipment is quite expensive; from the board to the kite without forgetting the lines and bar, the whole equipment can easily add up to more than a thousand dollars.  If you don’t have that kind of money, don’t panic, with some good will and a lot of motivation some cheaper alternatives are available. First of all, you can buy second hand kite surfing equipment at http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/used.htm. If you have a passion for craftsmanship you can also make your own kite or transform your old surfboard into a kite board!

Kitesurfing is an amazing outdoors exercise workout for you whole body that reminds us that, if treated with respect, the ocean can become a real playground for all of us.  This sport has gained rapid and increasing visibility in the last 20 years thanks to marketing initiatives like GUST magazine. The adrenaline rush of flying over the ocean cannot be put into words, you need to experience for yourself! Meanwhile have a look at this amazing video from “ExtremeElementsTV“! (Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYBK-wo7BSU).

Through the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation (Source: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/foundation_local.html), Coca Cola is working with existing charities to help address Africa’s water situation. “Coca-Cola’s RAIN (Replenish Africa Initiative) project has committed US$30million (£19.5million) to provide schools and communities throughout Africa with safe drinking water. So far, the project has reached 300,000 people in 19 different countries, and over the next six years we expect to give a total of at least two million people access to clean water.” (Source: http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/community/replenishing-africa-during-the-world-cup.html).

For the  2010 FIFA World Cup™,  Coca-Cola is using the occasion to raise funds for RAIN’s

“Water for Schools”  project, including a pledge to donate money every time a player scores a goal. The “Water for Schools” is aimed at providing access to clean water for African Communities.

Coca-Cola has also joined forces with Thames21, London’s leading waterways charity (source: http://www.thames21.org.uk/) to mark the World Water Day 2010 and give employees a chance to improve local environment and community. “A loophole in London’s city regulations means that local councils are not responsible for rubbish on the Thames shoreline, so Thames21 was set up to motivate people to get together and muck in to clean up the riverside. Coca-Cola has been involved with the charity since 2008, helping to preserve the natural beauty of the landscape and create new habitats for wildlife at various sessions during the year.” (Source: http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/environment/thames-21-river-clean-up.html)

According to its website, Coca-Cola is improving its social commitment by helping to improve the communities they serve. Working with  charitable associations gives an added value to the Company and makes consumers  aware that it sees itself beyond just selling beverages worldwide. The London charity works with over 8,000 volunteers each year to remove more than three million liters of litter from London’s waterways. “This is the equivalent of more than 27,000 wheelie bins full of litter” says the river program manager at Thames21. Yet, a smart and realistic consumer that doesn’t live in wonderland, will probably be able to hint at the fact that corporate social responsibility has become a “must” for any company’s marketing strategy.

The Company wants to improve its transparency by providing a tool on the website to see where the can or bottle we drink from is made. (Source: http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/environment/carbon-footprint-calculator-coca-cola.html)

Coca-Cola’s environmental commitments are focused on  areas like water stewardship, sustainable packaging, energy management and climate protection. On  May  14, 2009, it  unveiled a new plastic bottle made partially from plants. “Our goal is to safely return to communities and nature an amount of water equivalent to what we use in all of our beverages and their production. Our goal is to advance a packaging framework in which our packaging is no longer seen as waste, but as a valuable resource for future use, introducing the next step in our sustainability journey”. The “PlantBottle™” is fully recyclable, has a lower reliance on non-renewable resources, and reduces carbon emissions, compared with petroleum-based PET plastic bottles. (Source:www.coca-cola.co.uk/…/live-positively-sustainability.html)

The Company publishes a report on its website to communicate its commitment to sustainability. According to the data from 2007-2008 report ” improvement on the Water Use Total of 4% related to 2006; the Company asserts that it is because of organic growth and acquisition. The water use ratio (efficiency) presents an improvement of 2% related to 2006″ (Source:http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/pdf/SR07_Enviro_33_46.pdf).

While business remains still business on the negative side, this world-know company has been accused of “leaving farms parched and land poisoned in India” ( Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2003/jul/25/water.india). Mass media has accused the company of leaving farmers desperatly hanging after having drained the water that feeds their wells. Coca Cola’s huge demand for water has left the entire village with a situation of water scarcity. Moreover, according to this article, the company has been accused of dumping all its waste on the lands and poising the harvest and all agricultural soils. In response to this situation Coca Cola has declared that the drought his caused by the lack of rainfall and that complains were nourished and mostly presented by extremists protest groups.

The situation in India doesn’t take away any credit from the positive initiative Coca Cola has undertaken for Africa during the World Cup. Yet, it is important for all you readers to keep in mind that  corporations are not NGO’s or charities and their main interest is almost always to keep their profits and reputation high. This comment is not intended to discredit this project but is simply a way to provide a more complete view of the picture.

Coca Cola is making a very clear case for social consciousness. When a company of this stature takes a stand, it is safe to assume that at the end of the day, what is good for the planet can also become something positive for the company’s reputation and therefore for its business.