You mean the #pinkwashing drill bits WEREN'T a hoax?

Look, we've all been burned by internet hoaxes. So when something seems too ridiculous to be true, we can only assume it's someone's idea of a joke.

That's what I assumed when I saw this #doingourbit pinkwashing campaign trending. It's a about a drilling services company that is distributing pink drill bits to customers to "raise awareness" about breast cancer.

From EcoWatch:

Susan G. Komen, the largest breast cancer organization in America with more than 100,000 volunteers and partnerships in more than 50 countries, has teamed up with Baker Hughes, one of the world’s largest oilfield service companies with employees in more than 80 countries. Susan G. Komen hands out pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness, and Baker Hughes fracks. So, there you have it: a pink, fracking, drill head.

The post goes on to talk about how fracking causes cancer. Here's some more info on that.

I was still skeptical, so I went to the Baker-Hughes site. Here's their press release:

Last October, during National Breast Cancer Awareness month, Baker Hughes distributed 500 pink drill bits to customers as part of its "Doing Our Bit for the Cure" campaign. This year, the company will paint and distribute a total of 1,000 pink drill bits worldwide. The pink bits serve as a reminder of the importance of supporting research, treatment, screening, and education to help find the cures for this disease, which claims a life every 60 seconds.

And here's their page at Komen.

And here is an actual quote from an industry magazine:

“Our hope is from the water cooler to the rig site to the coffee shop to everywhere, someone gets this information to their spouses, their girlfriends, their daughters so we can create awareness and end this disease forever,” said Bill Debo, director of operations for U.S. land drill bits at Baker Hughes.

Still rubbing my eyes in disbelief, I have Tweeted at both parties asking for confirmation. But in this case, it seems that the truth of pinkwashing is stranger than fiction.