MeMe Roth And National Action Against Obesity Reissue Boycott of $700 Million Girl Scout Cookies Stating Civic Organizations Should Not Profit From or Promote Obesity nor Use False "Zero Trans Fat" Label.
New York, NY (PRWEB) February 27, 2008 -- www.actionagainstobesity.com www.MeMeRoth.net -- As America's population of overweight is projected to reach 75% by 2015, and with 30 to 40 percent of today's children projected to develop diet-related diabetes in their lifetimes, National Action Against Obesity (NAAO) called again for a boycott of Girl Scout Cookies.
At issue are three items:
1. Girl Scouts of the USA is a civic organization with a commitment to serve the community. Girl Scouts earn $700 million in annual revenue by flooding the market with 200 million boxes of cookies and a false sense of urgency due to the cookies limited two-month sales window.
2. On average, the Girl Scout Troop making the sale earns only 40 cents out of the $3.50 sales price. Kellogg's-owned Little Brownie Bakers and Canadian-owned Interbake ABC Bakers earn 30% or $210 million. The balance of the money is dispensed among the Girl Scout District Councils.
3. Girl Scouts of the USA promises to cultivate future female entrepreneurs, when in reality the young scouts serve as a volunteer child sales force with a false sales message that Girl Scout Cookies have "zero trans fat." Checking the nutrition label reveals partially-hydrogenated oil to be the second or third ingredient after sugar, depending on the cookie.
"NAAO's stance is pretty simple," said NAAO President MeMe Roth. "America is suffering from the twin public health crises of diabetes and obesity. No civic organization--including the Girl Scouts of the USA--should promote obesity, regardless of how profitable it is. Girl Scouts do not have the same mission statement as Coca-Cola, Kraft or Kellogg's. Girl Scouts' mission is to serve the community. You can't serve the community by selling it more of the very thing making it sick--regardless of how the money will be used. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, churches, synagogues, mosques, schools--all civic organizations must cease from using junk food as a fundraiser."
National Action Against Obesity has met with the Girl Scouts of the USA at their Manhattan headquarters on 5th Avenue and urged the following plan:
- A 5, 10, 15-year transition away from cookies as the Girl Scouts' primary source of fundraising;
- Suggestion to sell-off the valuable brand and create a trust for philanthropic and academic scholarships and grants; and
- Engaging the entrepreneurial spirit of the Girl Scouts to conceive new ideas for fundraising that are health and environment friendly.
Roth suggests making a tax-deductible donation to your local Girl Scout troop and leaving the cookies behind. "The girls and you will benefit far greater if you make a donation they actually can keep and ignore the cookies. Just two Girl Scout Cookies will set you back 150 calories, 11 grams of sugar and 8 grams of fat."
ABOUT NAAO:
Our 2 main goals for 2008 are to 1) Draw attention to the need for daycare centers to be 100% free of junk food. 0-5 year olds deserve environments full of healthy options, not marketing venues for junk food producers. 2) Urge parents and restaurants to refrain from serving Soft Drinks to children. Not only connected to obesity and diabetes, soft drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks are linked to tooth decay, concentration problems and osteoporosis.
On a larger scale, NAAO has 3 main goals...plus 1: Expelling junk food from schools, Eliminating obesity- and disease-accelerating substances from the food supply, and breaking the obesity cycle. The "plus 1" is encouraging exercise across all ages.
www.actionagainstobesity.com
www.MeMeRoth.net
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