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Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
51–60 of 144 posts
Re: Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
#52As this thread will ultimately will end up discussing the corporate evil that Nestlé apparently is, I want to, for the sake of the discussion, point out the reasonableness of the CEOs statement regarding water as a human right: He argues water should have a market value so that it is treated more like a resource that should be well managed. Of course a state can also do this and in my opinion should, but of course as…
And I don't get exactly what it means to declare water a human right. There are certainly people in the world not getting the clean water they need. But how do you solve this? You set up an international agency to acquire water for them. But where do you get the funding for this agency? If it really is a _human_ right, is this agency above local laws? What are the restrictions on this agency? Can this agency ban the…
We have to end this system based on profits and create other institutions based on rights and how to achieve those rights for everyone. Capitalism has failed!
Re: Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
And I don't get exactly what it means to declare water a human right. There are certainly people in the world not getting the clean water they need. But how do you solve this? You set up an international agency to acquire water for them. But where do you get the funding for this agency? If it really is a _human_ right, is this agency above local laws? What are the restrictions on this agency? Can this agency ban the…
Exactly. I often hear this whole "water a human right" argument from the left and when asked about what would change they really can't answer that. I think everyone knows how water is essential for the human life but declaring it a human right won't change anything. After all what would we do the next day after making it a human right?! Send the US Army to Malawi bearing Super Soakers?
Capitalist institutions like the US Army can't deliver what the human needs, only another social system can deliver it.
Re: Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
#54As this thread will ultimately will end up discussing the corporate evil that Nestlé apparently is, I want to, for the sake of the discussion, point out the reasonableness of the CEOs statement regarding water as a human right: He argues water should have a market value so that it is treated more like a resource that should be well managed. Of course a state can also do this and in my opinion should, but of course as…
He might have a point on water, but... Where are his statements on their practices regarding infant formula, the use of child slavery for chocolate, the use of general slavery in their seafood production in Thailand, and the intimidation of workers who wish to unionize in India?
He only cares about the profits.
Re: Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
#55Earlier quoted context omitted.
And I don't get exactly what it means to declare water a human right. There are certainly people in the world not getting the clean water they need. But how do you solve this? You set up an international agency to acquire water for them. But where do you get the funding for this agency? If it really is a _human_ right, is this agency above local laws? What are the restrictions on this agency? Can this agency ban the…
Exactly. I often hear this whole "water a human right" argument from the left and when asked about what would change they really can't answer that. I think everyone knows how water is essential for the human life but declaring it a human right won't change anything. After all what would we do the next day after making it a human right?! Send the US Army to Malawi bearing Super Soakers?
Hopefully to avoid situations like Bolivia's where their water system was privatized (in a move that was mandated by the World Bank), and the private company increased water to $20/m for people who made on average $100/m. That company went so far as to send in paramilitaries to intimidate anyone who collected rainwater.
Re: Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
#56Nestlé has been one company I've consciously put effort into "not" buying products from, due to their track record concerning their formula in Africa (and other similar issues). That said, they are a beast and I probably buy a lot of Nestlé products without even knowing it. I still buy Nestlé Holloween candy for kids during the holiday, and I definitely eat my fair share of Butterfingers and Kit Kat's.
That said, I'll most likely pass up Blue Bottle now even though their affogatos are amazing.
Re: Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
I personally distinguish between 1)Human Rights, 2) rights as a member of a specific society, and 3) simply things that are "right" to do for peoples in the moral sense. 1. Something that can't be taken away by someone else. 2. A contract between an individual and the country/state with which they are a citizen. In return for paying taxes and following laws, they can expect services, utilities, military, education, e…
If you do that you're using words differently than many other people, the UN included. By your definition the right to a fair trial isn't a human right (which isn't a particularly widely held opinion).
But even still, the right to a fair trial is an explicit check on someone (i.e. the government) doing something bad to you (e.g. imprisoning you).
Positive rights are very much a real thing, but they're very different from negative rights, and they have very different implementation issues.
Re: Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
#58There's always Verve... https://www.vervecoffee.com
There is! But not within walking distance of my office, unfortunately (I'm in L.A.). Blue Bottle is just down the street, and Stumptown is just too far to realistically walk to on a short coffee break-type timetable.
So this news is a little disappointing, but I'm hopeful nothing at my local cafe will drastically change for at least the next several months. I am, however, curious to see what impact this will have on the bean and roast quality.
Re: Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
#59As this thread will ultimately will end up discussing the corporate evil that Nestlé apparently is, I want to, for the sake of the discussion, point out the reasonableness of the CEOs statement regarding water as a human right: He argues water should have a market value so that it is treated more like a resource that should be well managed. Of course a state can also do this and in my opinion should, but of course as…
> He argues water should have a market value so that it is treated more like a resource that should be well managed. They could start with themselves. They pay $200/year to suck 130M gallons of Michigan water, and fight attempts to charge a fair rate for it. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/12/why_nestle_pays_...
Where does that article say they have fought attempts to charge for it?
What that article says is some environmental law experts claim it would likely be fought, and a statement by Nestle saying they are ready to discuss an amount if the state wants to. The fight it talks about is about a cap on the quantity of water, not on a price.
Re: Nestlé Takes Majority Stake in Blue Bottle
#60As this thread will ultimately will end up discussing the corporate evil that Nestlé apparently is, I want to, for the sake of the discussion, point out the reasonableness of the CEOs statement regarding water as a human right: He argues water should have a market value so that it is treated more like a resource that should be well managed. Of course a state can also do this and in my opinion should, but of course as…
Yes, but that doesn't address the terrible terrible things Nestle did with formula in the 3rd world:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestl%C3%A9_boycott#Baby_milk_...