Boycott List (more to come)

So as you have probably already noticed, I am a fairly socially conscience person. It isn't enough just to write about the problems. There needs to be solutions, the purpose of this blog being to spur development of solutions. Yet, I am the first to admit that coming up with solutions is the most difficult part of social, political and economic change.

The west has become misinformed, uninformed and most tragically, apathetic. Capitalism as it is practiced today forces us to look at our own wealth over that of others. I hear over and over again others say they don't even want to hear about the problems that plague our world, our lifestyle. Generally, people have a tough time hearing criticism at the best of times, let alone criticism about how they have been living their lives for years, especially since that is the way that our world has educated them how to live and has promoted it as the "right way."

Well, if you have one iota of social consciousness, I am here to help. After all, every great hike still requires that we take one step at a time to reach our destination.

I have compiled a list of companies that should be boycotted for a variety of reasons, and websites that can offer further information as to the reasons one should boycott them. I hope that you look beyond brand names and see the real consequences of our consumeristic tendencies, and our willingness to believe everything we see in the media, even if it is only a paid advertisement.

I know as much as anyone how difficult this can be. I have two small children that I have to feed and dress. It isn't always to make the right choices, or even informed decisions about the products we buy and use due to the lack of "real" information about how the product is manufactured and produced. This list is here to help you make socially conscious and healthier decisions.

It also requires that you invest some of your own time. Local markets are a great place to find organically grown food and handmade items and toys. Generally it is the person who has produced the items that sell them, and you are supported your local community and market as well.

BOYCOTT LIST

Household Products:

Unilever

Food Products:
Nestle
Unilever
McDonald's
Starbucks
PhilipMorris/Kraft Foods
Coca Cola

Pharmiceuticals:

Pfizer

Agriculture:

Monsanto**

Oil Companies:
Exxon-Mobile
Chevron-Texico
BP Energy
Shell

Clothing:
Adidas
Nike

Hi-tech products:
Fujistu Siemens
Acer

Supercentres:
Walmart

Tobacco Products:
Conscientious Consuming website has a comprehensive list of tobacco companies and their non-tobacco products and labels.

Other products:
Firestone

Corporate Accountability International has an excellent site that looks into companies and their dishonest, and inhumane practices all in search of the almighty dollar.

Global Exchange has a set of guidelines to help us as consumers buy sweatshop free items.

Never Enough, has a plethera of articles on our "consume MORE" attitude.

Ecolinks.net has a detailed list of companies to boycott.

ETAG's (Ethical Trading Action Group) findings on the transparency of 25 companies that sell appariel on the Canadian market in this report.
More information on this report and on labour practices can be found on the Maquila Solidarity website.

COOP America's retailer report card.

Boycott Bush.net has published a comprehensive list of the top 25 Republican donors, the amounts given to the party, and their consumer brands.

BuyBlue.org has a large directory of companies that list any abuses made by the company as well as their political contributions to both the Democratic and Republican parties in the United States.

Open Secrets.org also has a comprehensive list of political party donors.

Here is COOP America's Boycott Organizer's Guide which is very informative about the effectiveness of boycotts and the subsequent results of successful boycotts.

**In researching Monsanto for this list, as they are one of the worst abusers of human rights, I was sent to their privacy policy page. I suggest not going any further than this site considering the content, especially considering this statement:

"Also, you should know that your Personal Information, as well as Visit Information collected at a Monsanto site, may be used by Monsanto security personnel if deemed necessary to protect Monsanto from a threat or other perceived security risk and such information may be shared with law enforcement authorities if appropriate."

As I understand this sort of disclaimer is necessary and even "responsible" for the company to include. But I have paid close attention to the actions of the Monsanto company which leads me to be extremely wary of entering into any of those sites. If they are willing to take a poor farmer to court over wind carrying Monsanto seeds to his land, and wanting him to therefore pay them for it, I put nothing past Monsanto practices. Hell, they have already collected my information as I am most likely deemed a threat to their company due to the fact I have just listed them as a company to boycott.