Pink Washing by Sparkletts Bottled Water

I came across a very interesting (and quite disturbing) article today on The Huffington Post. The article; "Pink Washing, The Dangers of Bottled Water," by Lisa Kaas Boyle, reveals a new form of "washing" that I had never heard of before. Pink washing, or falsely promoting your company through breast cancer awareness and charity, is being used by the company Sparkletts who sells and distributes bottled water. The company displays huge pink ribbons on the sides of their trucks as well as on their website, while also linking their brand with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer charity. The catch? Sparkletts' plastic bottles contains chemicals that actually promote breast cancer growth as well as interfere with chemotherapy. Here is an excerpt:

"Sparkletts' bottles are made with a known hormone disrupter, Bishenol-A (BPA), that is suspected to cause breast cancer and prostate cancer, among other diseases. A recent study -- partially funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure -- even finds that BPA interferes with chemotherapy used to treat breast cancer."

I find it very ironic that a company who promotes cancer awareness sells a product that is suspected to help cause the disease itself. Its bad enough that you sell a product that is that poor for the enviornment and people alike, let alone hide it behind a huge PR stunt that tells the consumer you are taking steps to cure the disease. Much like greenwashing, companies are trying to improve their image through pinkwashing while in reality do very little to help the said cause.

Here is a link to a site called "Think Before You Pink" that goes more in depth about pinkwashing and how individuals can help decide if a company truly supports a cause, or is simply trying to improve their brand image.