ethos water

Yet another designer bottled water? Maybe not. This one was just bought by Starbucks to be sold as their "charity effort" "Worldwide"...so they advertise. They are saying that every bottle you buy at Starbucks (700ml) for $1.50 they will donate 5 cents of it to "Helping children get clean water".

I'll bite. I'm a sucker for children. I bought a bottle. It is just spring water from the "Palomar Mountain Range". No extra electrolytes or goodies. The founder, Peter and Jonathan (no last names) had a neat idea: "sell water to give water where it is needed" Then their best idea was selling it to Starbucks. Now if Starbucks could just use a portion of it in each cup of coffee they sell, then you've got something.

"Ethos" in my dictionary is a noun: "the character of values peculiar to specific person, people, culture or movement." from the Greek meaning "character" So Peter and Jonathan chose well from the marketing point of view. We need to care "that most of the world's population must walk a minimum of three hours to collect water"...and then it may not be potable or drinkable without boiling. Sending them water is admirable but will it actually make it to those who desperately need it.

I showed the bottle to my Kuwaiti friend and his reaction was...in many of these 3rd world countries and villages the "War Lords" and polically powerful won't let the donated water or benefits get to those who need it the most without extra money or trade offs. They say they are already distributing water in Ethiopia, Honduras and India. There is a map on their website that pin-points their efforts. By the end of 2006 they want to contribute over $1,000,000. to support "humanitarian water projects"...Who? and How? I'd like Starbucks to answer that. It is a noble goal. Let's just see how successful it purports to be and by whose measurements. Bob