Amherst Life Blog

Welcome to the Amherst Life Blog! Here we will be posting information on activities, events, arts, community concerns, local business, and a variety of other topics related to life in Amherst, Massachusetts. If you are new to the area and looking for housing, please check out our other blog too ------------>> Amherst Housing Blog ::. http://amhersthousing.blogspot.com/

Monday, May 07, 2007

English 112 Writes Back!

Coca-Cola, world wide human rights violations, and exclusive vending contracts with UMass... What does this spell? A group writing project for students in College Writing 112 at UMass-Amherst! For the past few weeks the 'Bartlett Crew' (as the instructor calls this group of talented writers...) has been researching claims made against Coca-Cola, investigating the nature of UMass’s dealings with Coke, and gathering the data into a series of collective writing pieces. The goal is simple: make the community aware of Coke’s activities, put on the pressure through the written word, and demand action from university officials. Writing under a group name which represents the first two initials of each member of the class (“Craig Molton Jenkins”), several students brought together the research into a unified essay and have been kind enough to post them on the Amherst Life Blog. We fully support your call to action and sincerely thank you for bringing our attention to this inhumane contract!

POP LOSES ITS FIZZ: THE INTERNATIONAL CORRUPTION OF
COCA COLA

By: "Craig Molton Jenkins"


Sold in more then two-hundred countries, the juggernaut corporation Coca Cola has become an international icon. Developed in the late 19th century, the company has expanded into a corporate entity. It is affluent in the sales of carbonated drinks, and advertised as an American symbol. Ironically, Coke has been affiliated with some foul play as violators of human rights, and perpetrators of environmental degradation. Both legislators and the public media are keeping hush about this public outcry. If the public does not prevent this massive industry from their unethical practices, their international abuse will have detrimental repercussions.

India is suffering enormously due to the crimes Coca-Cola is committing against humanity. More than half of India’s population lives below the poverty line, and seventy percent of citizens make a living through agriculture. Due to the usurpation of water in their wells, there has been devastating impacts on the agriculture system, leaving the country in an economic trough. Farmer’s that live in rural communities are given Coca-Cola’s toxic waste as fertilizer for their crop from local facilities. In many cases, people have had long term exposure to this toxic waste, and report living in a “public health nightmare.” Coca-Cola’s bottling industry in India is depleting their water supply, by polluting the groundwater and soil around their facilities. Contaminated water contains high concentrations of chloride and bacteria, which have influenced medical concerns including, scabs, eye abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal problems. Being in severe debt, the government can not financially support facilities which could filter contaminated water from the public, thus catalyzing environmental degradation. Pesticides, including DDT, are being sold in beverages to the public, with concentrations thirty times higher than European Union standards. India is not the only nation primarily affected by the unethical treatment of the notorious industry. Other countries, including Columbia, are suffering the abuse of this corporate tirade.

Recent controversy has accused the Coca Cola industry for the mistreatment, as well as numerous murders of Union workers in Columbia. Within factories across the country, paramilitary officers are intimidating, kidnapping, and assassinating Union leaders, as they defend their right for equal labor laws. Workers are not only being handed miniscule wages, but are also enduring labor conditions below international health standards. Unionization advocates are being incarcerated on a daily basis, with a total of 213 murdered. Employment has also dropped from 1300 to 450, in attempts to keep wages low and to stifle Union proliferation. While families live in a constant state of reprisal, the Coca Cola industry is martyring “communism” as an excuse for labor conditions. In 2001, a lawsuit was filed against the Coca-Cola industry, condemning them and anti-union partners for killing and torturing Union workers within the company. Coke denies such allegations but many organizations, including the International Labor Rights Fund, are investigating company grounds, in an effort to improve working conditions and raise wages. Public institutions are also reacting to this violence, as students across the nation voice their opinion about this concerning issue.

After the U.S labor groups filed a lawsuit against Coca Cola, the anti-Coke campaign made headway, raising eyebrows of affiliated administrations nation wide. With increasing violations of human rights in other countries, major universities bearing stern contracts with Coca-Cola, began to react. Over 130 universities have launched Anti-Coke campaigns and ninety have declined their contracts with the company, despite financial loss. Some of these universities include University of Michigan, New York University, and Rutgers- being one of Coke's largest contracts. Since no college wants to lower their reputation by showing support to an "immoral and corrupted" company, many have decided it was best to eliminate contracts with Coke, and withdrawal support for its products. This includes a discontinuation in sales of popular beverages including Sprite, Power-ade, MinuteMaid, and Desani.

Despite some of the students’ public outcry, and the actions of other major universities across the country, the University of Massachusetts and Coca-Cola continue to share an exclusive relationship dating back a few years. The India Resource center sent UMass a firm letter encouraging them to diverge from a renewal of this contract due to unethical treatment of India’s workers and an extraction of water resources. With these allegations of human rights violations in such places as Colombia and India, a number of universities have terminated their contracts with Coca-Cola, or put them on hold. However, UMass has not, extending a previous contract with the soft-drink corporation in 2005 for another five years, a contract which enables Coca-Cola exclusive soft-drink selling rights across the entire campus with few exceptions. Details of this contract include the company offering $350,000 a year as well as $250,000 more in one-time contributions. Furthermore, about $286,000 of the $350,000 will go to athletic sponsorships, the Mullins Center, the Fine Arts Center, the Alumni Association, UMass magazine, and the Sports Management program. Additionally, campus vending machine prices under the contract have risen from $1.10 to $1.25 for a 20 oz. Coca-Cola product.

As we approach a new semester, our administration is experiencing an encroaching dilemma. Should our university’s legislators sever their contract with Coca Cola, and lose millions in expenditures for corporately funded programs, or should they support a conglomeration advocating human rights violations, and corrupting our environment internationally? Already universities throughout the United States are sacrificing their expenditures to prevent international suffrage. Legislators on our campus are being gagged by financial dependency on Coca Cola, thus leaving students in the dark. It is time now to voice our outcry, and prevent our school from supporting these public acts of violence! Money is of little importance, when the lives of people across the globe are experiencing corporate affliction and environmental destruction.


Listen to the Cries, Hear the Voices, and Act Out
By: "Craig Molton Jenkins"


Large corporations are killing our world, and the Universities are finally starting to speak up; some of them. Many large corporations have been connected with Universities for years. Coca-Cola, being one of the largest corporations, is no exception. But the quality of the company’s morals has been questioned in recent years, with allegations of human right violations and the polluting of important water sources. These are things that can not be overlooked. But for some reason there are Universities that continue to share a contract with this company who has no right to be selling products after the many lives they have violated.

India is suffering enormously due to the crimes Coca-Cola is committing against their humanity. Sadly, more than half of India’s population already lives below the poverty line, and 70 percent of Indians make a living through agriculture, but because of Coca-Cola these people have lost their livelihood. Farmers in the Indian communities are given Coca-Cola’s toxic waste as fertilizer. Indians have had long term exposure to this toxic waste and are living in a “public health nightmare”. Coca-Cola’s bottling industry in India is causing severe water shortages across India; also they are polluting the groundwater and soil around their facilities. Contaminated water is high with chloride and bueleria, which have led to scabs, eye abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal problems. Last but not least, Coca-Cola is selling drinks with high levels of pesticides in India. These pesticides, including DDT, have appeared in drinks with toxin levels up to 30 times higher than European Union standards allow.

Another community that has been deeply affected by Coca-Cola is that of Columbia. Their issue is that of union workers and the violations that Coca-Cola has portrayed onto this country. Coca-Cola’s been paying these workers less than minimal and treating them like animals, sometimes resulting in death. These allegations have been concealed, but unfortunately for them word is getting out. Coke is being accused of using paramilitary groups to intimidate, beat, kidnap and kill union leaders. Rebellious workers demanding respect and high wages have been kidnapped and murdered. A total of 213 union leaders have been murdered while the number of workers has dropped from 1300 to 450 in the past seven years. This is an attempt to keep wages low and to stifle unions. In 2001, a lawsuit was filed against the Coca-Cola industry stating that they, along with their anti-union partners, were threatening and killing union organizers. Coke denies such allegations but many organizations, such as the International Labor Rights Fund, are looking to improve working conditions, higher wages, and make a safer environment for everyone involved. The spreading word has caused a lot of problems for this company, including, on a very large scale, the Universities that they share contracts with.

Coca-Cola has had contracts with many different colleges across the world. It is a huge corporation that everyone has heard about. In 2001 the campaign against Coca-Cola began, after the U.S labor groups filed a lawsuit against them. With increasing violations of human rights in these other countries, the students at some of these major Universities began to speak up. This awareness is slowly spreading, both nationally and worldwide. Over 130 Universities have launched Anti-Coke campaigns and 90 Universities have eliminated their contracts. Some of those Universities include Rutgers, University of Michigan, and New York University, with Rutgers being one of Coke's largest contracts. Since no college wants to lower their reputation by showing support to an "immoral and corrupted" company, many have decided it is best to eliminate contracts with coke and to stop selling its products; which include popular drinks like Sprite, PowerAde and Minute Maid.

With these allegations, there were also outcries at UMass. The University has a rather large contract with Coca-Cola that originated almost a decade ago. Despite some of the students’ public outcry and the actions of other major universities across the country, UMass and Coca-Cola continue to share this exclusive relationship. The India Resource center sent UMass a strong letter encouraging them to diverge from a renewal of this contract because of damages done to India’s workers and water resources. Umass, however, disregarded their plea, extending a previous contract with the soft-drink corporation in 2005 for another 5 years, a contract which gives Coca-Cola exclusive drink selling rights across the entire campus with few exceptions. Details of this contract include the company offering $350,000 a year as well as $250,000 more in one-time contributions. Although this money has been spread across campus for various funding, campus vending machine prices under the contract have risen from $1.10 to $1.25 for a 20 oz. Coca-Cola product.

The income that UMass has received from Coca-Cola may be important for funding, but by using their corrupt money, we are making a bad name for ourselves. We are supporting suffering by continuing our business with this company, and that is something that our school will never be able to live down. Stop these crimes, listen to the pleas, and let’s help keep our University a good name.


Coke Kills
By: "Craig Molton Jenkins"


The next time you are thirsty, before you take a sip you should ask yourself whether the product you are about to quench your thirst with is owned by Coca-Cola. Why, you might ask? To put it quite clear, it depends on if you mind supporting a company that has violated, violently mistreated, and even killed many innocent lives. Two of Coca-Cola’s bottling industries, one located in India and one in Columbia have done unimaginable damage. Thankfully, people have taken action against Coca-Cola including colleges that have abandoned them in their contracts. But, don’t think this is enough. You can help too. Coca-Cola needs to be stopped!

India is suffering enormously due to the crimes Coca-Cola is committing against their humanity. Sadly, 70 percent of Indians make a living through and depend on agriculture. Farmer’s in the Indian communities are given Coca-Cola’s toxic waste as fertilizer. Indians have had long term exposure to this toxic waste and are living in a “public health nightmare”. Coca-Cola’s bottling industry in India is causing severe water shortages across India; also they are polluting the groundwater and soil around their facilities. Contaminated water is high with chloride and bueleria, which have led to scabs, eye abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal problems. Indians are being forced to drink polluted waters because the only ways in which the groundwater can be cleaned (if it is even possible) is with money, which they clearly do not have. Last but not least, Coca-Cola is selling drinks with high levels of pesticides in India. India is being negatively affected by Coca-Cola in numerous ways, and they aren’t the only ones who are suffering on behalf of Coca-Cola.

Coke is also violating human rights in Columbia as well. They are being accused of using paramilitary groups to intimidate, beat, kidnap and kill union leaders. The laborers of Coke are being paid next to nothing and those workers demanding respect and decent wages have been kidnapped and murdered. A total of 213 union leaders have been murdered and the number of workers has dropped from 1300 to 450 in the past seven years. And Coke does these repulsive deeds in an attempt to keep wages low and to stifle unions. Now most families are living in a constant state of reprisal while Coke is using "communism" as an excuse. Fortunately, people are rising up against Coke including many workers, and communities of both India and Columbia.

The fight against Coca-Cola began in 2001 when the U.S. labor groups filed a lawsuit against them. With increasing violations of human rights in other countries, major universities bearing big contracts with Coca-Cola began to take notice. This awareness is slowly spreading, both nationally and worldwide. Over 130 universities have launched Anti-Coke campaigns and 90 universities have eliminated their contracts. Some of those universities include Rutgers, University of Michigan, and New York University, with Rutgers being one of Coke's largest contracts. Since no college wants to lower their reputation by showing support to an "immoral and corrupted" company many have decided it is best to eliminate their contracts with coke. As students of UMass, you may have noticed that coke products are still on campus here.

Despite some of the students’ public outcry and the actions of other major universities across the country, UMass and Coca-Cola continue to share an exclusive relationship dating back a few years. The India Resource center sent Umass a strong letter encouraging them to diverge from a renewal of this contract because of damages done to India’s workers and water resources. Instead, UMass extended a previous contract with the soft-drink corporation in 2005 for another 5 years, a contract which gives Coca-Cola exclusive soft-drink selling rights across the entire campus with few exceptions. Details of this contract include the company offering $350,000 a year as well as $250,000 more in one-time contributions. Furthermore, about $286,000 of the $350,000 will go to athletic sponsorships, the Mullins Center, the Fine Arts Center, the alumni association, UMass magazine and the Sports Management program. Additionally, campus vending machine prices under the contract have risen from $1.10 to $1.25 for a 20 oz. Coca-Cola product. Since UMass can’t stand up to Coca-Cola, then you have to!

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

The Empire Strikes and English 112 Writes Back!

Over the next few weeks we hope to feature a range of student responses to articles written in the Daily Collegian (the UMass-Amherst newspaper). Please send your responses/letters to amherstlife@yahoo.com! We look forward to reading your work!
-The Amherst Life Crew