Chapter 9a: Discussion Questions & Activities

Objective: Reflect on your own water use and conservation habits in relation to sustainability and personal responsibility.

Instructions:

1. Self-Reflection Journal Entry:
   • Reflect on your current water use. Describe the proportions of water used for various activities (e.g., bathing, cooking, cleaning).
   • Consider the reasons behind your water use habits. Are they influenced by convenience, cost, environmental impact, or availability?
2. Water Use Survey:
   • Create a list of the types of water-consuming activities you commonly engage in. Next to each item, note if you use any water-saving practices or technologies.
   • Reflect on your willingness to invest in water-efficient technologies or practices. What factors influence your decision to adopt these solutions?
3. Impact Analysis:
   • Research and write a brief summary (200-300 words) on how one aspect of your water use (e.g., shower duration, lawn watering) impacts the environment. Utilize resources provided in the textbook or from credible online sources.
4. Future Considerations:
   • Based on what you’ve learned in this chapter and your reflections, outline any changes you might consider making to your water use habits to support sustainability. Explain your reasoning.

Objective: Identify and critically analyze instances of greenwashing in water management, enhance media literacy and ethical evaluation skills.

Instructions:

1. Research a drink-related product or brand that has been accused of greenwashing. Possible sources for finding examples include news articles, consumer reports, and sustainability watchdog websites.
   • Some websites include https://www.provenance.org/news-insights/5-food-and-drink-brands-called-out-for-greenwashing-and-the-lessons-we-can-learn, https://blogs.stlawu.edu/greenwashingcritiques/green-products/bottled-water/#:~:text=Fiji%20water%20is%20another%20campaign,its%20%E2%80%9Cenvironmentally%20conscious%E2%80%9D%20product.&text=Media%20skews%20the%20way%20we,bombarded%20with%20advertisements%20and%20commercials.
   • Some businesses to research include Dasani, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Evian, Poland Spring, Fiji Water, etc. If you find more than one, pick a water-related example.
2. Gather information on the product’s marketing claims related to sustainability (e.g., “eco-friendly,” “all-natural,” “sustainable,” “water-neutral”).
3. Analyze company marketing claims by researching the actual practices  behind the product. Consider the following aspects:
   • Does the company provide evidence to support its claims? Are there any independent verifications?
   • How transparent is the company about its sourcing, production processes, and environmental impact?
   • Are there contradictions between the company’s claims and its known practices or third-party reports?
4. Prepare a brief report detailing the findings, focusing on why the claim was perceived as greenwashing.
5. Create a presentation summarizing the research and analysis. Include visual aids such as screenshots of marketing materials, comparison charts, and any relevant certifications or lack thereof. Discuss the potential impact of such greenwashing on consumers and the environment.
6. Facilitate a class discussion on the common themes and tactics observed in greenwashing practices. Propose strategies that consumers can use to avoid being misled by greenwashing.

Objective: Identify and critically analyze organizations’ efforts to preserve and provide clean water, improve professional communication skills by evaluating real life examples, enhance media literacy and ethical evaluation skills, evaluate the announcement for how it was communicated, the content of the announcement, its effectiveness, and the credibility of the commitment.

Instructions:

1. Research an organization that announces water stewardship. It can be one from the following options or one on your own. [Mazzoni, M. (2019). 7 Companies leading their industries in water stewardship. https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2019/7-companies-leading-their-industries-water-stewardship/82911]
   • Marks & Spencer – M&S revised its sustainable business transformation initiative, Plan A, two years ago with Plan A 2025. By 2020, the U.K. department store business would establish water stewardship initiatives for the most material and at-risk watersheds in its food, apparel, and home supply chains.
   • Marriott International; hospitality company Marriott International’s Sustainability and Social Impact Goals entered phase two in 2017. The framework pledges to lower water intensity by 15% by 2025 to ensure substantial progress toward the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 6 for clean water.
   • Kimberly Clark – K-Clark and Deltares, an independent center for applied water research, created an online dashboard in 2017 to display water shortage threats for whole watersheds. WaterLOUPE categorizes water consumption by industrial, agricultural, and domestic users. The Colombian tissue mill firm first employed WaterLOUPE to assess water concerns in the river basin. It offered the technology to community and government officials in the Western Cape region of South Africa, which is still recuperating from a huge water shortage that kept residents waiting last year.
   • Ford Motor Co. – Ford is the first carmaker to join the Business Alliance for Water and Climate’s Improve Water Security project. Companies must monitor and disclose water consumption via CDP (previously the Carbon Disclosure Project) and reduce water impact in their direct operations and value chain. The manufacturer met these promises and earned great reviews from partners.
   • General Mills – General Mills studied 41 watersheds in its worldwide supply chain in 2016 and chose eight for stewardship. The corporation aims to “see activation of a watershed plan by 2025” in all eight priority watersheds.
   • Microsoft – Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus is one of the first net-zero potable water tech campuses in the world, according to water program manager Paul Fleming, who noted in a blog post that all non-drinking water comes from rainfall or recycled water. Microsoft leads the IT sector in operational water conservation and uses its technology to help others save. The $50 million AI for Earth program will give community organizations that address environmental issues artificial intelligence tools, with 20% of grantees working on water-related projects last year, according to the company.
   • P&G – P&G’s charity Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) initiative delivered 15 billion liters of safe drinking water this week, achieving its 2020 target ahead of time. Now accelerating, P&G wants to supply 25 billion liters—more than 100 billion glasses of water—globally by 2025. While celebrating its own milestone, the global packaged products firm teamed with National Geographic to honor other “Water Champions” on World Water Day.
   • Pick one of the companies with Water Reduction Pledges:
     • Starbucks
     • GAP
     • Microsoft
     • Meta
     • Pepsi-Co
     • Intel
     • Mars
     • Kraft Heinz
     • Merck
2. Locate the announcement regarding the organization’s water stewardship initiative. Visit the company’s official website, social media platforms, press releases, or news articles.
3. Describe how the announcement was communicated. Was it through a website update, a press release, social media, or another method? Provide specific details about the medium used.
4. Summarize what was said in the announcement. What are the key points of the water stewardship initiative? Include details such as goals, timelines, and specific actions the organization plans to take.
5. Critique what made the announcement effective or ineffective. Consider aspects like clarity, engagement, transparency, and the use of data or testimonials.
6. Discuss whether the commitment made by the organization is believable or not Consider past actions, reputation, and the feasibility of the company’s goals.
7. Compile your findings into a well-structured evaluation. Your evaluation should include the following sections in at least three paragraphs:
   • Introduction: Briefly introduce the organization and the water stewardship initiative.
   • Communication Method: Describe how the announcement was communicated.
   • Content Summary: Summarize the key points of the announcement.
   • Effectiveness Assessment: Discuss what made the announcement effective or ineffective.
   • Credibility Evaluation: Evaluate whether the commitment is believable and explain why or why not.
   • Conclusion: Summarize your overall assessment and provide any recommendations for improvement.
8. Exchange your evaluation with a classmate and provide peer feedback with the following rubric. If time allows, have one person share their evaluation and the company’s example with the class:

Objective: critically examine recent incidents where companies have caused water pollution, focusing on how these organizations communicated the environmental damage to the public; analyze the effectiveness of corporate communication using the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) or the 4 R’s of Crisis Communication (Regret, Responsibility, Reform, and Recovery); gain insights into corporate ethics, crisis communication strategies, and the impact of such actions on public trust and environmental sustainability.

Instructions:

1. Select a Case Study: Choose one of the water pollution incidents listed below or research an event where a company was implicated in contaminating water sources and had to manage public communication.
2. Conduct Research: Investigate the details of the selected case, focusing on the events, the company’s actions, communication strategies, and the outcomes. Utilize credible sources such as news articles, official reports, and academic journals.
3. Analyze the Case (A): Address the discussion questions provided, reflecting on the ethical, environmental, and communication aspects of the incident.
4. Analyze the Crisis Communication Strategy (B): Apply one of the following structured approaches to evaluate the company’s communication response:
   • o Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) – Identify whether the company used denial, diminishing, or rebuilding strategies. Read more here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/palgrave.crr.1550049
   • o The 4 R’s of Crisis Communication: Regret, Responsibility, Reform, and Recovery. Did the company follow these steps? Which one could be improved and how? Read more here: https://provercoffee.com/2019/03/04/4-rs-crisis/
5. Engage with Your Peers: Respond to at least one classmate with thoughtful insights, additional information, respectful counterarguments, or questions.
6. Apply Critical Thinking: Consider the broader impact of such incidents on society, the environment, and corporate practices.

Case Study Options:

Select one of the following incidents to analyze. One website is provided, but you may want to find more to answer the questions below:

1. United Utilities’ Sewage Discharges into Windermere (2024): The company released raw sewage into England’s largest lake for over 6,000 hours, averaging 17 hours a day, leading to harmful algae blooms. ​
2. Pennon Group’s Parasite Outbreak in Devon (2025): South West Water, a subsidiary of Pennon Group, experienced a significant parasite outbreak contaminating water supplies in Devon, causing illnesses among residents. ​thetimes.co.uk
3. Thames Water’s Repeated Sewage Spills (2023): Thames Water faced scrutiny for numerous sewage pollution incidents, including a record £20.3 million fine in 2017 for discharging untreated sewage into the River Thames. ​en.wikipedia.org
4. Shell’s Petrochemical Plant Pollution in Pennsylvania (2024): Residents near Shell’s Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex reported environmental and health impacts due to air and water pollution from the plant’s operations. ​theguardian.com
5. Coca-Cola’s Groundwater Depletion in India (Early 2000s): Coca-Cola’s bottling plant in Plachimada, Kerala, was accused of depleting and contaminating local groundwater, leading to prolonged protests and the plant’s eventual closure. ​en.wikipedia.org
6. Tesla’s Environmental Compliance Issues in Texas (2024): Tesla’s factory in Austin faced scrutiny for environmental breaches, including toxic emissions and wastewater violations, raising concerns about the company’s commitment to sustainability. ​wsj.com
7. 3M’s ‘Forever Chemicals’ Controversy (2023): 3M faced lawsuits over the environmental and health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals,’ used in their products. ​
8. W.L. Gore & Associates’ PFAS Pollution in Maryland (2023): The maker of Gore-Tex was sued by the state of Maryland for allegedly polluting the environment with toxic ‘forever chemicals,’ impacting local water sources. ​apnews.com
9. ADCO Constructions’ Runoff Incident in Australia (2023): A building contractor was fined for discharging sediment-laden water from a construction site, threatening the habitat of a critically endangered fish species in Curl Curl Creek. ​dailytelegraph.com.au
10. Orica’s Chemical Leaks in New South Wales (2011-2012): Orica’s chemical plant experienced multiple incidents of mercury and other hazardous leaks, raising public health and environmental concerns. ​en.wikipedia.org

A. Write about the Case You Chose

1. Case Overview:

• Describe the incident: What happened, and which company was involved?​
• Location and timeline: Where and when did the incident occur?​
• Affected parties: Which communities or ecosystems were impacted?​

2. Company Actions and Ethical Considerations:

• Company’s response: How did the company address the incident publicly and internally?​
• Transparency and accountability: Did the company disclose information promptly and take responsibility?​
• Ethical implications: What ethical principles were breached, and how did this affect public trust?​

3. Environmental and Social Impact:

• Short-term effects: What immediate consequences did the incident have on the environment and local communities?​
• Long-term consequences: Are there ongoing environmental or health issues resulting from the incident?​
• Community response: How did affected communities and the general public react?​

4. Legal and Financial Repercussions:

• Regulatory actions: Were there fines, lawsuits, or governmental interventions?​
• Financial impact: How did the incident affect the company’s financial standing?​
• Policy changes: Did this lead to new regulations or changes in industry practices?​

Communication and Crisis Management Discussion in 3-5 complete sentences:

• Communication strategy: How did the company communicate with the public and stakeholders during the crisis?​
• Effectiveness: Was the communication strategy effective in mitigating damage to the company’s reputation?​ Analyze its crisis response using one of the two structured frameworks below.

Option 1: Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)

• • Denial: Did the company deny responsibility or try to shift blame?
  • Diminishing: Did the company attempt to downplay the severity of the incident?
  • Rebuilding: Did the company take responsibility and attempt to repair its reputation?

Option 2: The 4 R’s of Crisis Communication

• • Regret: Did the company express sincere regret for the harm caused?
  • Responsibility: Did the company take clear accountability, or did it shift blame?
  • Reform: What steps did the company take to fix the problem and prevent it from happening again?
  • Recovery: How did the company attempt to rebuild trust with stakeholders and the public?

Reflection and Lessons Learned:

• What could have been done to prevent this incident?​
• How can companies ensure ethical practices concerning environmental stewardship?​
• What are your thoughts on the balance between industrial activities and environmental protection?
• What else do you think about communication and management of water damage?​