Introducing Kashi’s Plant-it-Forward program: One Share = $1
I don’t really know what else to add. There you have it!
Kashi Canada has partnered with Evergreen in the Plant-it-Forward (#PlantItForward) initiative. Their goal is to build and support 18 urban gardens across Canada so people have access to “real food”. Kashi will donate $1 for every share up to a maximum of $50,000 to go towards the program. Well if you look at the views they’ve already gone beyond their goal which is great news! However if you still feel the message of encouraging Canadians to grow their own food a valuable one, by all means, please continue to spread the word in whichever way you feel comfortable.
To further the initiative, Kashi is also including free vegetable seed packs on specially marked boxes of their products. Well hey now, that’s a pretty useful “cereal box prize”.
I know some people think “why don’t they just donate the $50, 000 without making people share the video”, and I get it. It’s pretty much assumed right off the bat that they are going to donate the $50, 000 regardless, but it is a business and $50, 000 is $50, 000 no matter how you look at it. It is a very generous donation towards a good cause.
It is also not just businesses but human nature to sometimes do things out of benefit and I would not fault people for that. For example, are you still going to share the video even though they’ve reached their maximum donation? It’s still a strong message even given the advertising, no? Food for thought.
Anyway, good initiatives and corporate social responsibility deserve acknowledgement so I am sharing the video. It’s an easy way to support a good deed, although full disclosure, I am working together with Kashi to spread the word about the Plant-it-Forward program.
It might seem a bit contradictory that I would support this initiative considering I just wrote an article called “The downside to farming downtown” (the cons of urban agriculture). I was playing devil’s advocate and I did start by saying “I’m not against urban agriculture”. That being said, there are pros and cons to urban agriculture and I’m hoping Plant-it-Forward will lead to more pros.
I also don’t have a GMO-free diet, and few do, so I can’t preach what I don’t practice. That being said, there should be a focus around product and farming safety and not only on organic.
Kashi is actually striving to eliminate GMOs from their product line. They currently have 10 products that are Non-GMO Project Certified, and they have pledged to have half their food GMO free by the end of 2015. It might only be half, but it is an increase and a step in the right direction. There is measurable effort. See here for more about their commitment.
“I’ll believe it when it happens” might cross your mind, but I support Evergreen, the Plant-it-Forward initiative and Kashi’s role in this. I look forward to seeing Plant-it-Forward blossom and if it encourages people to be more aware of where food comes from, then I can get on board. Even better would be if this encourages other companies to follow suit!
