Generous or Not: Ethos Water

About Generous or Not

Many companies promise to make a charitable donation with each purchase. But how much do they give?, Are they really doing good, or are these just cynical ploys to capture our money? How do you know if the companies are GenerousOrNot? That’s what we’re here for.

If companies want to promise that our purchases will do good in the world, we think they should say exactly what they’ll do. What percent of sales, what percent of profits, or what amount per purchase? We did the research. Read on to find the info you need. If you know of other offers for us to list, please email us at submit@GenerousOrNot.org

Of course, when you buy merchandise from a company that donates some small percentage to a nonprofit, well, only that small percentage of your money is helping make the world a better place.

Further, many of our friends have enough fruitcakes, picture frames and pen & pencil sets. They just don't want more stuff, even if some portion does go to charity. A better way to honor them and to do a lot more good might be to make a donation in their name.

A new website, www.ChangingThePresent.org, makes it easy and meaningful. You can choose not just what nonprofit to support, but exactly what you want to accomplish, e.g., an hour of a cancer researcher’s time, books for children, drugs for AIDS patients, shelter for the homeless, computers for schools, polio vaccines, meals for the homebound elderly, acres of the rainforest, etc. Wish lists, registries and personalized printed greeting cards make it even better and easier.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we could capture for nonprofits even a little bit of the $250 billion that Americans spend each year on birthday, wedding, and holiday gifts.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Ethos Water

Product: Ethos Water
Founded in 2002 by Peter Thum and Jonathan Greenblatt, Ethos Water was is a way to help raise awareness and support efforts to address the world water crisis. The staggering scale of this crisis cannot be overstated. The magnitude of the problem dwarfs other global health issues; nearly 20 percent of the world’s population lacks access to safe drinking water. Ethos Water’s mission is to help children around the world get clean drinking water through the support of water projects.

Ethos Water comes from protected and sustainable natural springs in the Palomar Mountain range in Southern California and the Pocono Valley in western Pennsylvania. Local sourcing strategies allow the brand to offer bottled water with a diminished impact by reducing the depletion of any single water source and by decreasing the transportation impacts of shipping water long distances. As Ethos Water distribution expands to other markets, it will continue to explore new springs that meet this environmental criteria.

Starbucks announced that five cents from the sale of each bottle of Ethos Water will support Starbucks goal of donating $10 million over the next five years to non-profit organizations that are helping to alleviate the world water crisis. Through the Starbucks Foundation, the Company will direct funds from its sale of Ethos Water to support humanitarian water projects around the world via relationships with a variety of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The cost of any particular water project varies based on many factors including its scope and local environment. Water projects range from digging wells to creating comprehensive infrastructure and training. In some regions, approximately $25 would enable access to an adequate amount of clean water for one person.

At its core, Starbucks hopes that Ethos Water will educate and empower a growing global community of compassionate people to help alleviate the world water crisis.

Company explanation:http://www.starbucks.com/csrnewsletter/fall05/csrCommSociety.asp

Donation: 5 cents per bottle

Nonprofit beneficiary: Various non-profits

Use of funds: Non-profit organizations that are helping to alleviate the world water crisis.

When: Over the next 5 years

About Generous or Not

Monday, November 13, 2006

Ethos Water

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