Battling Over Bottled Water



Battling Over Bottled Water

Preamble

This case discusses with the issue which arises as a result of use of ground water, by Ice Mountain plant of Nestle, from a nearby spring. Regardless, the Mayor of Mecosta, Michigan founds the new plant as a project which will turn the economy of Mecosta county; however, people had issues with it. The main reason, as already discussed, was pumping of water from a spring. Nestle started by pumping 130 gallons of water every minute and planned to take this pumping up to 262 million gallons a year. People got awed by this and raised the question that whose water nestle is pumping? They termed Nestlé's objectives of pumping 262 million gallons of water as a huge water grab and demanded the local government to take actions against this issue.

Nestle made a number of efforts to convince the local government; however, scientist opposed by providing evidence that the pumping of water has already lowered the level of water and the streams fed by the Sanctuary Spring from which Nestle pumped water are finding it difficult to generate water. After numerous legislative actions imposed on Nestlé's Ice Mountain Plant; finally, Jennifer Granholm imposed the legislation of suspension of activity at not only Nestlé's plant, but, also at other plants engaged in water pumping in Michigan, till the time the Water Legacy Act is put into practice.

Analysis

Mill's Theory of Utilitarianism

Mill defined justice on the basis of utility. According to Mill a thing, which produces good, is just. In other words, the principle of utility holds that; if actions are promoting happiness they are in the appropriate proportion, and if it situation is opposite; the action is not right; rather it is wrong. If justice is to be argued from the perspective of utility, the rightness of an act is determined by the happiness it creates. Thus, the good is, a hand before the right and the right is dependent upon the good (Lebacqz, 1986).

If Nestlé's case is to be analyzed based on the theory utilitarianism, it can be said that this approach would have termed it as an inappropriate one. This is because; the fundamental aim of utilitarian perspective, i.e. happiness is not fulfilled. People, are concerned about, the future requirements of water. In their and scientists' opinion, if Nestle continued to pump water with the same volume from which it is pumping currently, there would be severe scarcity of water in the state. Thus, Nestlé's is impropriate from the perspective of utility and is inappropriate as it creates nothing but chaos. If dealt with this approach, the pumping plant of Nestle' should have been shut down.

However, it s also important to consider the issues of the theory of Utilitarianism. The approach, which Mills had towards justice, is based on the analysis f the sense of morality. Hence, the most essential part is that, for Mill no theory of justice exists which is separate from the everyday demands of ...