Hi. I wanted to talk a bit about a recent lecture I went to at the local university. John Perkins, author of "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" among other books came to State University of New York at New Paltz a week or so back. He was hosted by the economics club, so stuck with the political / financial topics, but also talked from the viewpoint of his second lifetime as indigenous shaman. Though he talked about very discouraging topics of black ops and corporate takeover of the entire world, he has a really uplifting and motivating message (particularly to the college aged kids who were in the audience). He basically said that we are the ones in power. The corporations are driven by sales, and that if enough people started abstaining from buying products from corporations that acted against our values, that their behaviors would have to change, for their own survival. Not only abstain from making the purchase, but to tell that company that you have done so, and why. (For instance: Hello, CEO of Nike, I am spending my $125 sneaker allowance with Reebok because your sneakers are made using slave labor, and I don't agree with that practice. Too bad, 'cause I like your new line of sneakers. Oh, and I'm telling my friends, too.)
He was so sure we had the power in numbers to make a difference. Since then, I'm trying to be more conscious of the consumer choices I make. I invite you to join me, if you haven't beaten me to the punch already. I'd also like to learn about particularly GOOD companies that you believe in and go out of your way to buy from. Here are a few of mine... Trader Joe's, Patagonia, Sunoco (in lieu of Mobil - lesser of two evils sort of thing), Alchemy of Sol, Tom's of Maine, some local stores (versus bigger chain stores).
I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of this stuff. Also, if there are companies that you avoid, I'd really like to hear why that is.
Much love and light,
Kathy
Kathy,
You might want to look into the "National Green Pages" (http://www.greenamericatoday.org/pubs/greenpages/) They're all about buying green and friendly. If you join they'll send you a hardcopy catalog.
Also, be sure to switch your money to a good local bank or credit union, if you haven't done that already. That's an enormously powerfu measure to take. Katherine Austin Fitts has the scoop on that (see http://solari.com/archive/banks/) Remember, it's the huge international bankers that want to scare us all into accepting a world government run by them (call it an oligarchy of the financial-corporate elite). These beserk spoiled little boys have been allowed to put their hands into the cookie jar for far too long.
Fitts' website is at http://solari.com/ , and it's a great resource for all kinds of things. Of particlar interest is the "Coming Clean" link at the far right (where clean banking is a not-so-obvious feature). Once George H.W. Bush's assistant Housing Secretary (before she realized what a predatory racket government had become), she has disowned both parties. In fact, she was one of the first to figure out what happened on 9/11, and wrote an accusatory open letter to Condoeeza Rice. She's very, very bright and has dedicated herself to educating people in practical ways to change the world. A good person, a great mind.
As for gasoline, I buy Citgo whenever possible. It's owned by the state of Venezuela. Whatever you may think of the politics of Hugo Chavez, I believe that the profits of Citgo help the common people of Venezuela directly. You can do your own research if you like. (I generally use the U.S. govt. propaganda macine as a good indicator: whatever they say about something or someone, the opposite is probably true.) ...But I agree that Sunoco is probably a better choice than Exxon-Mobil. Maybe Hess would be better yet. Not sure about that.
I also buy locally whenever I can (not in big chains that have local outlets, but locally-owned businesses.) Why send money to some huge corporate office somewhere in the world; put it into circulation where you live. (Fitts talks a lot about this, too.) It sometimes costs me a bit more at the local hardware store, but I'll buy it there rather than go to Home Depot or Walmart. Also online. Why buy it online if you can buy it locally?
And by the way, local CSA farms are a great way to go, too. (CSA = community supported agriculture, or "subscription farm".) Locally grown organic food can't be beat, and it's a lot cheper from a CSA. Of course, food from own own gardens is even cheaper.
Thanks, Bob! Good links!
I know I have seen a site that actually rated corporations and documented all kinds of stuff that the companies have done - pollution and dumping (illegal stuff), lawsuits pending and historical, labor relations stuff... I just can't remember it. I thought I found it through Sierra Club, but can't find it now. I'll keep looking and post it if I can find it.
I choose Sunoco or Hess as Sierra Club gave them a better rating than most other oil companies. I haven't used a Mobil station since Valdez (except one time when I was nearly out of gas and they were the only station for miles).
k
I buy Citgo gas and also try to support local stores when I can. My big beef is people lining up everywhere to buy Dunkin Donuts coffee. They look like such corporate slaves lined up to get their slavery boost. I get the fair trade coffee and make it at home. If I'm on the road and need coffee I try to find a small breakfast shop. I make a lot of food from scratch and try to avoid packaged food at all costs - I find I save a lot of money that way and have the satisfaction of eating something that is better quality. I get a lot of bulk foods through the coop at my local health food store. Also, everyone please be careful to buy fair trade chocolate, if you buy it. There is real life modern day slavery going on in Africa - people go to work on these remote cocoa plantations and the plantation owners won't let them leave.
Kathy
Brian hope BP now rich enough because of Brian to clean up oil spill. Hmmm. "Spill" sound like overturned mop bucket or glass of milk. Should call it oil "Rage". Oil conflagration, Oil stupendiosity, Oilmageddon?
When the disaster was 1st announced, a news outlet claimed a backup blowout preventer was nixed by BP because it would have cost $500K. I haven't heard this since. Anyone? Same old story of US being poorly regulated because of money in political campaigns. Maybe this'll learn 'em.
Here in NC, the BP stations are so EVERYWHERE that you can't swing a dead oil company executive without hitting one.
I've seen two BP's in one intersection. Sunoco, Citco, Amoco, Shell, Mobile, Hess, Exxon are exceedingly rare. Some competition from no-name brand convenience store gas.
Hi, Wendy.
I have to say I really like coffee... I prefer Dunkin Donuts style coffee to Starbucks (just on the difference in roasting, I guess). I HAVE switched to their latte, since there espresso beans are Fair Trade certified. I've also emailed the company and said, "hey, if you can do it with espresso beans, you can do it with ALL your coffee beans". I make my own coffee in the morning, but sometimes I'll have one on the go.
I'm so happy to see that spring is here, and the farmer's markets are back, too. In a 10 mile radius, I can find one active every day of the week. Each year I pledge to do a little better with eating more home cooked meals. We do ok, but there's always room for doing better. We do try to pick locally owned restaurants, too, which probably gives us better food choices, and definitely keeps the money in town. It's such a complex issue...
k
Brian, I remember my father always used to say that the no name gas comes from the same exact tankers as the brand name gas. (I still prefer a "name brand", but there's always the question of which one).
k
Again, Citgo is a good choice becuase its profits actually help people.
Another option for people able/willing to do a little work: Buy a diesel car and run it on used vegetable oil. (That's what I do with one of our two cars.) Any diesel engine will run on vegetable oil. In fact, the inventor, Rudolph Diesel, ran his prototype engine on peanut oil at the 1898 (or 1900?) Worlds Fair. His idea was to free people from the grip of the petroleum industry. But the industry found a way around that, and gave him a very bad time of it.
Anyhow, for those who are inerested, you'll need 1) A diesel powered-car, 2) The installation of a second, heated fuel system (like greasecar.com's unit), and 3) A source of waste vegetable oil, or "WVO" (from a restaurant. They're happy to be rid of it). You have to filter it down to about 5 microns in order to use it as fuel. Or, in some places, there are stations or biodiesel makers where you can buy WVO already filtered. (Biodiesel is not WVO, although it can be made from WVO. It doesn't require a heated fuel system, but it's quite involved to make on your own.)
I've been filtering and using WVO for over 5 years now. It's a great feeling to just drive past those nasty gas stations on virtually free fuel. I feel that I'm voting with my money against the entire petroleum industry.
Kathy,
I agree, I've seen the exact same tankers arrive at both on occasion. Up North in Joisey, they make more of an effort (25 years ago, anyway) to appear to be branded by using tankers with the brand name logo. Gotta keep up that brand loyalty!
Growing up, my dad always bought Esso (oops-I meant Exxon) gas but I came to realize my own cars ran better on just about anything else... I supposed they can cheat us pretty easily with substandard dinosaur pee because it's not like there's a government inspector testing every tanker.
I was so encouraged by John Perkins saying we have the economic power!! I just wish I knew how to boycott Monsanto...