Many of us have been inspired to reduce our impact on the environment. Few, however, have gone as far as former reporter and documentary filmmaker Reed Paget. An American journalist covering the launch of the United Nation’s Global Compact in 2001, Paget was deeply impressed by this environmental initiative’s call to “use capitalism to change the world.” What better mechanism is there for change, thought Paget, than business, with its wide financial and entrepreneurial resources and its risk-taking mindset?

1. Belu Water gives all its profits away and bills its product as the first carbon-neutral bottled water and the first to come in corn bottles. Do you think its levels of eco-consciousness and social responsibility set a realistic model of environmental performance for other manufacturing companies? Why or why not?
2. Why does Belu Water produce a saleable product instead of just asking the public to donate money for clean-water projects?
3. Do you agree with Reed Paget that business is ideally suited to “change the world”? Why or why not?