Better World Shopper

betterworldshopper.org is a site which examines the actions of hundreds of companies in areas such as human rights, the environment, animal protection, community involvement, and social justice and gives them a composite score (A-F) for their social and environmental responsibility. The idea is to give progressive consumers a practical and easy to use source of information on how to tailor their purchasing habits toward companies which promote ethical standards and away from those which promote unethical ones. Instead of being uninformed and passive consumers, they can become informed, socially responsible consumers. With just a little research you can transform yourself into an agent for positive social change.

The concept is known as “voting with your dollars”. With each puchase you make, you are essentially casting a “vote” in support of that company, and by extension you are casting a vote of support for the policies that company follows. If someone votes for progressive political candidates at the polls, but then goes out to purchase a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese at Walmart with their Citibank credit card, then they are giving a level of support to negative values which far exceeds their progressive political involvement. In that example they are part of the problem. Far better for them to support progressive political candidates at the polls and then purchase a box of Amy’s macaroni and cheese at Trader Joe’s with their Wainright Bank credit card. In that example they would be voting for progressive change with both their ballot and their dollars.

betterworldshopper lists ten things that you can change that will make the biggest difference for people and the planet. If you want to change your spending habits, but don’t know where to start, this is a general guide:

1.Banking
2. Gasoline
3. Supermarket
4. Retail Stores
5. Car
6. Seafood
7. Chocolate
8. Coffee
9. Credit Card
10. Cleaning Products

So, starting at no. 1, we can examine their rating for banks ( http://betterworldshopper.org/r-banks.html ) We can see that several banks get an ‘A+’ rating (ShoreBank, University Bank, VanCity Credit Union, etc.), all the way down the list to the ‘F’ rating (Citibank, Bank of America). The biggest impact a progressive consumer can have is to take their money out of Citibank, or Bank of America, and move it some place else. This is what my wife and I have done. We recently took a large chunk of our savings out of Bank of America and put it into our local credit union. A couple years ago I cancelled my Citibank Visa card and got a Wainright Bank Visa card. I would wager that those two actions alone will have a greater progressive impact than all my previous political votes combined.

Based on betterworldshopper’s analysis, the 20 worst companies in the world are listed below. Progressive consumers should avoid them like the plague.

1. Exxon Mobil
2. Kraft
3. Walmart
4. Chevron Texaco
5. General Electric
6. General Motors
7. Nestle
8. Pfizer
9. Citibank
10. AIG
11. Microsoft
12. Archer Daniels Midland
13. Verizon
14. Proctor & Gamble
15. Ford
16. Dillard’s
17. Vanity Fair
18. United Airlines
19. Sears
20. Bank of America

If you want a second opinion, you can go to responsibleshopper.org and see if their findings match up. Or you could go to http://www.goodguide.com/ to see how individual products stand up.

Companies like microsoft sell parts as well. It is very possible to buy a computer from whatever company which contains parts made by microsoft.

Originally posted by Thomaster
Companies like microsoft sell parts as well. It is very possible to buy a computer from whatever company which contains parts made by microsoft.

Originally posted by rwingett
Based on betterworldshopper’s analysis, the 20 worst companies in the world are listed below. Progressive consumers should avoid them like the plague.

1. Exxon Mobil
2. Kraft
3. Walmart
4. Chevron Texaco
5. General Electric
6. General Motors
7. Nestle
8. Pfizer
9. Citibank
10. AIG
11. Microsoft
12. Archer Daniels Midland
13. Verizon
14. Pro ...[text shortened]... match up. Or you could go to http://www.goodguide.com/ to see how individual products stand up.

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
So you are completely avoiding GE? That has to be tricky...

I see only one european affair in this list, Nestle, indeed all listed appear to be American and perhaps this list refers to American companies bar the American Nestle 'arm.' Forgive me Swiss, but they always produced the poorest of chocolate..that has changed since they bought every available competitor out...then again, some of the absolute crap they churn out for the American market, this could be an indicator to their general good....??

Originally posted by RevRSleeker
I see only one european affair in this list, Nestle, indeed all listed appear to be American and perhaps this list refers to American companies bar the American Nestle 'arm.' Forgive me Swiss, but they always produced the poorest of chocolate..that has changed since they bought every available competitor out...then again, some of the absolute crap they churn out for the American market, this could be an indicator to their general good....??

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
There seems to be a bit of an American bias in the list anyway, I mean, why two American oil companies on 1 and 4 but no Royal Dutch Shell, BP or Total in the top 20?

Originally posted by RevRSleeker
Yaa, certainly BP came into my head, given the recent environmental tragidy I'd have thought 'worst preceived practises' would've jumped them to nigh on top of that list...however, they are not bad employers, far from it.

Originally posted by rwingett
Buy a Mac. Apple got a B+ rating. Problem solved.

http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2006/06/26/ipod_factory_admits_to_violating_labor_laws

29.6.2006 15:13
kfir1
Junior Member

Im not an apple fun but US companies are there to exploit slave labor in china. The problem is IPOD should be alot cheaper because of slave labor in china. Just like nike they also have slave labor camps but I'll be damned if I'll buy a nike shoes for $120 and costing them only $10 to make. And guys STOP buying chinese goods. We are feeding the chinese communist military. china is still an enemy NOT an allie of US. Buy goods made in Taiwan, Korea and even from India. When I buy computer parts I make sure they are not made in china and when they are I return them. Every CENT you spent on a chinese goods the chinese communist military gets audacious. Think about that ................

bet rwingett barfs every time he touches his ipod

Is that why China is 'most favoured nation' in the U.S...one to make a 'killing' out of...