Goodrich-Ice Mountain brand bottled water is getting no love from Goodrich; not after 8-year-old Noah Cottrell got through with them.
Noah says his beef with the bottled water company began when his parents told him the water put into those bottles came from our Great Lakes, depleting natural resources and endangering wildlife.
It’s a claim Deb Muchmore, spokesperson for Nestl? Waters North America of Wilkes Barre, Pa. denies.
Muchmore says the company is not directly funneling water from the Great Lakes, but rather from wells and ground water near Big Rapids, Mich. However, she does acknowledge that indirectly, that water may come from the Great Lakes, but argues that any water drawn from the state has an indirect connection to the Great Lakes.
Muchmore said she is familiar with the accusation that her company depletes the natural resources of the Great Lakes, and attributes it largely to a misperception on the part of the public regarding the amount of water used by bottled water producers, and a general distrust of large corporations.
The process used by Ice Mountain is ‘not any different than any other agricultural well in the state…to suggest that it’s some how drawing Great Lakes water in any way different from a number of water users in the state would be inaccurate,? said Muchmore. ‘Essentially it’s no different than literally thousands of water users in the state.?
‘Our water withdrawl and water use is environmentally safe and sustainable,? said Muchmore. ‘We’re very proud of putting into the marketplace a product that people enjoy, that is healthy for them , and is good for their overall well being.?
But the Cottrell family see things differently.
‘My husband was working on the other side of the state which is were the problem was more prevalent,? said Debbie Contrell, Noah’s mom. ‘When he came home he just said ‘as a family we’ll make our own little protest.??
Parents Paul and Debbie Contrell, along with Noah and younger brother Aaron began their boycott of the product, though Debbie says she didn’t think much would come from it.
‘I thought to myself ‘one tiny little family isn’t going to make an impact,?? said Debbie.
But Noah took what his parents had said to heart, and went to work convincing others. His quest to educate the student body of Oaktree Elementary School took him to give a presentation to the student council, including its president, 11- year-old Kelsey Neumann.
‘I thought it was a really good presentation and people should know if they’re draining the great lakes,? said Neumann.
Student council advisor Kelly Alford, a third grade teacher at Oaktree, was almost immediately won over by Noah’s conviction.
‘I was extremely impressed that a third grader would have such a passion for something,? said Alford.
To Alford, one of the most surprising aspects of Noah’s presentation was his ability to captivate an audience she knew to be easily distracted.
‘If you can get 60 kids to be quiet then it must be really thought provoking,? laughed Alford.
Under the guidance of Alford, the students decided to make their presentation to Goodrich Area Schools Board of Education trustees Jeff Engleman and Timothy Zirnhelt, superintendent Kimberly Hart, Oaktree Principal Elizabeth Wallberg and food service director Jean Kish.
It would seem those in attendance were equally impressed; Ice Mountain was announced as a product no longer supported by the district at the Jan.22 school board meeting.
Small bottles of Ice Mountain were for sale in the Acorn Cafe located in the Oarktree elementary school cafeteria. The product has since been replaced with Absopure water which is available for 50 cents per bottle.