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Grand Canyon Killed Bottle Ban After Coke Balked

Company is a big donor, and it sells Dasani water

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 10, 2011 12:59 PM CST

(Newser) – Visitors to the Grand Canyon can still bring plastic water bottles into the national park, and they might thank Coca-Cola for the privilege. The New York Times explains: The park came thisclose to instituting a ban this year to cut down on trash. But the top US parks official killed the plan at the last minute after getting an earful from Coke officials. The company is a big donor to the National Parks Foundation—and it also happens to sell bottled water under the Dasani brand.

“That was upsetting news because of what I felt were ethical issues surrounding the idea of being influenced unduly by business,” says the Grand Canyon parks official who first proposed the ban. Federal parks chief Jon Jarvis denies that Coke influenced his decision, though an email shows that he wanted to put the ban on hold until "we have hosted a meeting with the major producers of bottled water."

An aerial view of the Grand Canyon.
An aerial view of the Grand Canyon.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 30 comments
toeser
Nov 14, 2011 8:46 AM CST
We live in a society that continually punishes people that follow the rules because of the few that do not.  Have a $500 fine for littering and ENFORCE it.  Eventually, people would get the message.
bewilderbeast
Nov 11, 2011 1:34 AM CST
How dare an official in charge of nature interfere with Coke's RIGHT to profit!? If Coke want to pave the canyon in plastic they should be allowed to (only proviso: It should be profitable - and Coke should pay as little tax as possible on that profit).
trailmix
Nov 10, 2011 10:11 PM CST
Water is a good thing to have with you in case something goes wrong............. People need to be responsible enough to look for a trash can............. It's a National Park, have some respect.

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