CONGRATULATIONS TO OREGON FOR MAJOR PEOPLES’ VICTORY IN DEFENDING THEIR WATER FROM NESTLE’. Chalk up one for the people as a massive grassroots effort to protect local water resources defeats Nestle’ in a lopsided referendum victory in Hood River, Oregon. If you are not familiar with Nestle’s’ elitist attitude please watch this You Tube video (6:04) in which detached CEO Peter Brabeck explains why water should be removed from the Commons and be privatized. Jim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfy6LL-8sTg
“The issue that brought conservatives and progressives together in this way was clear-cut: keeping Nestlé Waters North America from building a water bottling plant and extracting over 118 million gallons annually from a spring in a small, rural community 45 miles east of Portland…
“When Primary Day came, Oregon voters in Hood River County passed a first-of-its-kind ballot measure that bans the production and transportation of large-scale commercial bottled water within the county. The measure succeeded by an overwhelming majority of voters — 68.8 percent voted in favor — and effectively ended Nestlé’s attempts to operate within the community…
“At this point, opponents of Nestlé’s project felt they had no other choice but to put the issue to a vote. The ballot initiative was started by Cascade Locks residents who were fed up with the local and state leaders who seemed impervious to their concerns.
“‘We were frustrated by Nestlé’s tactics such as working on the local and state officials and currying their favor,’ said Aurora del Val, the campaign director for the Local Water Alliance, the community group formed to pass the ballot measure. ‘Meanwhile, the citizens, our questions and our concerns, weren’t listened to in a real meaningful way. That’s what led us to this moment.'”
