30 Comments

This is my shocked face. Dealt with enough oil companies through the years that they're usually at the top of my "evil" list, but Coke puts them all to shame.

The thing is, if Trump had not won the presidency again and doubled down on nominating even worse minions than last time, Coke probably wouldn't have decided to renege on their promise. Coke's just the first (and coincidentally the worst) but over the next few years, there will be more reneging on climate/environmental promises, and it makes me heartsick. It's increasingly clear that tiny plastic particles can be found everywhere, in the environment, in our bodies, even at the bottom of the ocean. If climate change doesn't kill us off, plastics may just do it...

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The key thing is that plastics are made from fossil fuels. So the oil and gas companies are desperate to keep plastics manufacturing going as green energy production (e.g., wind, solar, batteries) replaces some oil and natural gas.

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Good point. None of this exists in a vacuum.

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boycott them, I've havent bought any Exxon gas since the leak in alaska, hobby lobby, carl's jr, chick fil a, power of the purse!!!

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I avoid Exxon filling stations like the plague (I never shopped at the other places you mentioned.)

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AMEN, sister❣️

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Sodas are a disaster for our society. Almost all of them are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, which fosters obesity and ultimately, diabetes by stoking hunger and craving for sweets. The calories are not only empty but dangerous to health. Then, second, there is the worsening plastic catastrophe we live with, affecting life on land and the health of marine organisms. Plastics break down into minuscule particles that we breathe in, drink and eat. These tiny nanometer particles are now found throughout our bodies, and those of other living organisms, even in the amniotic fluid of fetuses, and most recently, in our brains. I do not buy foods that come in plastic jars or bottles. There are still enough peanut butter and mayo brands that use glass jars. I don't drink soda, but I've seen that a few brands of soda are sweetened with sucrose (table sugar - less of a threat to health, though we don't need much of it) and contained in glass bottles or aluminum cans. If you must drink soda, check for these socially responsible brands: Stewarts and Wild Bill's. Look on line for more.

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I haven't bought coke products since the 60's. What's their magic? I don't buy Exxon because of their evasion of polluting harm in West Africa. We can fight with our feet!

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After reading this, my comment to my wife was, "Good old Hightower, what would we do without him?" And the answer is obvious: DO SOMETHING.

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The Coca-Cola company could easily cut plastic waste by simply making available for retail purchase the same flavored syrups that they sell to fast-food restaurants. Anybody with experience of making home-brew beer (it's fun, it's easy, and cheap, if you get the right equipment) can then crank out as much home-brew Coca-Cola as they wish to consume, using recyclable glass bottles, of course. Not only do you cut scads of plastic pollution, you can embark on an enjoyable hobby--brewing for pleasure. Yes, you can use the "diet" flavor and add your own organic non-caloric sweetener. The sugar used in fermentation gets used up making all those bubbles. The carbon dioxide you manufacture is derived from renewable resources. And you use your own water, not some "mystery water" used by Coca Cola. Oh, did I mention that you might get a buzz from your home brew? No need to add rum to make rum-and-Coca-Cola.

Teetotalers can purchase home carbonation equipment that uses industrial produced recycled carbon dioxide (purchased from hydroponics supply houses) and avoid the by-product alcohol from home brewing.

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Wow ~ cool info!

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I looked on line and you can mail-order genuine Coca Cola syrup to be mixed with five equal volumes of water. This is the same syrup used by restaurants. Add some champagne yeast and some additional non-caloric sweetener (like stevia) and ferment at moderate temperature (like body temperature). An aquarium heater is helpful if you are making many gallons. You need to add sweetener because the yeast converts most of the sugar in the Coca Cola syrup to alcohol and carbon dioxide. If you want to bottle the brew, I suggest purchasing a beer saccharometer from a home brewing supplier. You need to bottle when there is just enough sugar left in the batch to produce the fizz in the bottle (like making champagne). This takes some experience; you don't want the bottles to explode from too much fizz. This is exactly the identical procedure for brewing home-brew beer. I've done it using root beer syrup. If you don't want to ferment using yeast, then there are home seltzer-making devices that you can purchase. No added sweetener is needed with the seltzer devices. Truly desperate people with access to Dry Ice simply use that as the source of carbon dioxide. Measuring just the right amount of Dry Ice is tricky. Don't try to bottle if you use Dry Ice--it's too dangerous.

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Thanks, Jim, for filling in the details for us. We have been opposed to Coke in plastic bottles for some time - now we will never buy ANY of their products. Profit over people and planet - not surprised, are we? Shame on our hometown sugary drink maker. Do you happen to know what companies are using better practices?

Happy Advent from Atlanta, y'all! And don't forget to recycle the things you can.

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Boycott is our only option. I've been fighting Coca Cola for a long time. Not always successfully. Our individual donations don't seem to matter. It's the aggregate that causes the problem. But each individual makes up the aggregate!!!

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All CEO"s of unpopular proposals or perceived unpopular things should start watching their backs , the little people are getting tired of it.

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Be conscious:Coca cola knows that this next administration will not attempt to get them to comply with their public pledge but what will get them to comply is boycotting coke.When their profits)$$$) take a hit, they will take heed.

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People need to vote with their pocket book. I also warn that buying coke in aluminum cans is not a healthy choice. You get a little dose of aluminum with your coke - hope you have a perfect working gut to keep it out of your brain. Not good for you, drink water but you need a good filter system. Chlorine and fluoride are halogens and sit on the iodine receptor sites, also go into your bones (wonder why so many knee and hip surgeries) Hard to navigate - need clean water, air and food and medicine.

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As a child, I loved Coca-Cola. Such a sweet treat. As an adult, I became less enamored of it. Now as a senior, I avoid it completely. As an investor, Coca-Cola is not even on my watch list. My interest died some time ago, never to be resurrected. That's their problem. But I doubt if they are paying attention. Tough toenails. There's your awwwww..... for the day.

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Jim, thank you so much. I am diagnosed with Interstitial Lung Disease. A recent medical research article said ILD is directly linked to microplastics floating around in everything. Screw Coca Cola. Remember the jingle" "We'd like to buy the World a Coke and keep you company". Well I'd like to shove a plastic bottle "where the sun don't shine" as they say, on every "officer" of Big Coke. Is there a single corporation that doesn't screw the general non-shareholder public?? God, it is all so depressing.

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Very sorry about your ILD. Sending

you "r'fuah shleimah, healing energy in Hebrew. Please be well and feel good❣️

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Plastic needs to be eliminated but will replace it? So easy and practical despite indestructible. I’m not a scientist so have no idea trish Dayan

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Hemp & bamboo are 2 options.

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Its sad you can't believe anyone's promises. If they say why would I lie they have a reason to lie to you. The people that say trust me can't be trusted, the more they say trust me the less you can believe their b.s.as far as a cow pie drops

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"DDC" = "Don't Drink Coke!"

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