Susan G. Komen, Fracking and “Pink Sh*t”
What the frack? A pink fracking drill bit.
This week Susan G. Komen announced a partnership with Baker Hughes, a massive oilfield service company that operates in 90 countries. Throughout the month of October, Baker Hughes will “do their bit” in the fight against breast cancer by selling pink fracking drill bits.
While I fully support efforts to raise awareness of breast cancer, as a long-time consumer and environmental activist, I simply can’t abide such blatant pinkwashing, particularly when it willfully ignores the very obvious connection between fracking and breast cancer.
Our newest report, “The Urgent Case for a Ban on Fracking,” reveals that the practice of fracking utilizes over 100 dangerous chemicals known to cause life-threatening illnesses. Exposure to at least one of these chemicals, benzene, has been confirmed to increase people’s risk of developing cancer. And fracking waste can’t just be thrown into a dump or landfill with the rest of the trash. It’s highly toxic, often radioactive, and can easily seep into the atmosphere and water. In a handful of incidents, oil and gas companies have injected fracking fluids or wastes very close to, if not directly into, underground sources of drinking water.
If fracking is so dangerous, and if the corporations that do it are knowingly releasing dangerous chemicals into the environment, why on earth would the world’s largest breast cancer nonprofit think it’s a good idea to go into a partnership with them? This completely goes against the organization’s mission to “end breast cancer forever.”
To be honest, Susan G. Komen’s relationship with Baker Hughes is the cherry on top of a chemical-laden, toxic sundae. From pink water bottles containing BPAs to pink buckets of KFC containing carcinogenic ingredients, Susan G. Komen has made it clear they are prioritizing their pink bottom line over people they’re supposed to be helping.
Ultimately, the national nonprofit Breast Cancer Action summed this debacle up best in a recent press release:
“Breast Cancer Action today thanked Susan G. Komen and Baker Hughes for partnering on the most ludicrous piece of pink sh*t they’ve seen all year – 1,000 shiny pink drill bits. BCAction hailed this partnership as the most egregious example of “pinkwashing” they’ve ever seen and heartily lauded Komen and Baker Hughes for doing their bit to increase women’s risk of breast cancer with their toxic fracking chemicals.”
We concur.
How much of the mountain of donated money goes to anything remotely connected to helping the victims of breast cancer? One report I read said 20 %. Let’s see some numbers! And what the hell does the G stand for? Gullible?
It’s always a good idea to check ratings for charities. I do so through charitywatch and charitynavigator, both of which have websites. A good guideline, is that a charity should give 80%+ to the cause (i.e. to program expenses) and 20% max to admin/fundraising.
According to charitynavigator, Susan B. Komen For the Cure gives 82% to programs and spends 18% on admin/fundraising.
However, overall, on a scale of 1-100, they are rated 81 vs. other comparable charities at 94-98.
Plus, their founder/CEO (Nancy Brinker) makes $560K/yr, and their President makes $606K/yr. That’s excessive, if you ask me!
Don’t take my word for it, check it out here:
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4509#.VEFzlyhiEUs
a scary thing occurred to me as a result of this development. If the justification is that funds are going to research and a “cure,” are these funds ultimately supporting large pharmaceutical companies who will further profit from sale of drugs. Apparently Susan G. Komen Foundation has less priority related to prevention of breast cancer in the first place. Certainly this has influenced where I will give in the future and start looking generally for nonprofits such as Food and Water Watch that serve prevention.
I had contacted the S G Komen foundation once to ask why they are not supporting Dr Burzynski and his fantastic and highly attacked cancer treatments (they actually work!) and received a reply to the extend that any one who wants money from them needs to apply for it. Your guess is as good as mine who applies for funds….
Just like any other big organization who is calling for a cure, if there were one they would have to close their doors and their cushy lives would come to an end (at least for a while – until they find some other ponzi- scheme)
Why do they team with fracking? it gets them more money!
Any one who really wants to stop cancer would start by outlawing all the known cancer causing chemicals – but there is not money in that!
Absolutely stunning they are this blantany selling us lies.
This is a joke right?! You people are unbelievable!! Teaming with a fracking company!!!!! you should be working to ban fracking!!!!!
When I first saw Sandra Steingraber’s article on the 8th, I did think it was a joke! I had to start the article over! We talked about it with so many people at the Frackdown on Saturday. Shock, disbelief and disgust! I wonder what Susan Komen would think of this latest stunt? If I can, I avoid buying anything with a pink ribbon.
So sad. That drill bit looks like a huge pink TUMOR. Talk about a wolf in she eps clothing.
Besides pushing a fundraising perfume called “Promise Me” which contained the ingredient toluene, a toxic chemical found in gasoline and a superfund site contaminant — Susan G. Komen seems to have also sold herself to my power company National Grid, which is being taken to court for price gouging in the dead of winter 2014, and burns mountaintop removal coal. She’s a gal who really gets around… must say.