WWF Greenwashes Coca-Cola

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As Ronald Reagan loved to remark, "There they go again." WWF, the corporate-funded environmental giant often accused of taking greenbacks in return for greenwashing its corporate benefactors, has a new partner. WWF and the Coca-Cola Company proclaimed a "bold partnership" that has Coke paying WWF US$20 million. WWF touts the deal on its website. A full-page New York Times advertisement announcing the deal is headlined "This is our drop," a phrase that Coke has trademarked. For Coke, $20 million is just a drop in the bucket, a cheap fee for the PR boost from its WWF partnership. Other companies giving money to and receiving the blessings of WWF include Alcoa, Altria Group, Walt Disney Company, and dozens more listed on the WWF website. To understand why Coke might need greenwashing, read our SourceWatch article on Coca-Cola.