Pepsi sets new challenge: get more eco-friendly

PURCHASE, N.Y. PepsiCo today announced the launch of two new Web sites, PepsiEcoChallenge.com and PepsiRecycling.com, which are geared towards promoting environmental awareness and urging users to become more active in sustainability efforts.

At PepsiEcoChallenge.com, three categories—energy, water and packaging—detail things that people can do every day to lessen their carbon footprint. The site urges people to lower water consumption by 20 percent, reduce the use of electricity by 20 percent and lessen dependence on fuels by 25 percent before the year 2015.

At PepsiRecycling.com, visitors are invited to take the Pepsi Recycling Challenge and promise to recycle more beverage cans and bottles. Site viewers can also register to enter different sweepstakes contests with prizes ranging from T-shirts and bicycles to Smart Cars. Furthermore, every Pepsi Stuff point entered in sweepstakes on the site will equal a $0.10-cent contribution to Keep America Beautiful.

“The Eco Challenge theme draws on our heritage with the Pepsi Challenge,” vice president of marketing for PepsiCo North America, Victor Melendez, said in a statement. “As the Web site points out, today’s challenge goes beyond the cola wars. The Eco Challenge is about protecting our planet's resources for generations to come—a challenge that cuts across brands, companies, industries and even continents.”