Good day, World.
Recently, I've been watching the American people, observing how we've been dealing (or not dealing) with several social, environmental, and economic issues. After years of studying, reading, and writing about these things, I've come to the conclusion that the majority of Americans are somewhat aware of the issues that are plaguing our society. Even those who only view mainstream news and media at least have some knowledge of one side of many of these stories, and now that grassroots movements have shown that they can influence larger media outlets, more problems are being brought to the forefront that otherwise wouldn't even be on the radar. Independent news companies like The Young Turks, The Daily KOS, and Info Wars are also gaining momentum every day, using their more varied stories and viewpoints to build a viewer base from people who may be getting bored with all the usual rhetoric. Twitter, Facebook, and other social media forums are also being used to get messages from the underground out, with pictures, videos, tweets, and such now being a main mode of judging popular opinion on a daily basis by both individuals and news companies big and small. The knowledge of these issues is out there, and slowly, but surely, people are listening.
However, the reason why people do not act upon their knowledge of these things is that we feel helpless to change these situations. We know that the Walton family is making money hand over fist and somehow is barely paying its workers, buying cheaply made foreign goods and flooding our homes with them. We know that the minimum wage is too low, and that bureaucrats who have been making a fortune on our tax dollars are fighting to keep it that way. We know that the US government is spending far too much money on war and not enough on social issues, and that we've been fighting wars all over the world that seemingly have nothing to do with us as a people. We know those things and more, and yet the story remains the same. Why? Because we feel like the problems are too big for us as individuals to address.
Well, what if I told you that every little change counts, that we can start shifting the outlook of the future, and that it only takes a little bit of effort? Would you believe me?
We can.
See, the reason these companies, politicians, and figureheads are in the positions that they are in is because we have allowed ourselves to become blinded to the terrible things that they do in order to maintain that power. Therefore, in our ignorance, we give our money, the most basic and effective form of power that we have, to people that may not care a single iota about us. If we start paying more attention to the companies, products, and services that we choose to give our money to, we can redirect the flow of power to these people who are destroying us by inches.
For example, I am a big fan of Dr. Bronner's Soaps. They're all natural, free of animal testing, smell great, safe for the environment, and clean just as well as any conventional soap. And so, knowing that other companies put things into their soaps and body washes that pollute, are not safe, and could kill you if accidentally consumed, I choose to give my money to this small company that makes a quality product which doesn't have much of a negative impact on the environment. ( http://www.drbronner.com/ )
The same goes for Marcal tissue, a company whose CEO actually got mad at Greenpeace for not fighting harder to make sure that Kimberly-Clark used more recycled material for their paper products. Of the Kimberly-Clark/Greenpeace "truce," he actually said, "Using any percentage of virgin tree fiber to make household paper products is still destroying the planet." ( http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marcal-paper-ceo-comments-on-greenpeace-and-kimberly-clark-truce-62184077.html ) After hearing that, I switched to Marcal's Small Steps 100% recycled tissue and paper towels, seeing that the head of the company was actually trying to do something about the issue rather than just talk a good game.
Another company I support and have personal experience with is TerraCycle, a company that's been gaining momentum over the past few years using purely recycled goods to create practical products for everyday use. They started with an all-natural fertilizer based on worm compost and have been growing ever since. Now, they offer building materials, home and office goods, electronics, and other useful items that anyone could use on a daily basis, all made out of majority post-consumer waste material. ( http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/products.html?page=1 )
These are just a few of the companies that I know of that can be used as alternatives to working with other more nefarious and greedy corporations that are out there. There are so many more that are there, though the few that I have provided you with is a good launch point to start with. A little knowledge goes a long way, and examining the methods and motives behind the companies that you choose to give your money to is the most effective way to reroute power from those who care nothing for you. Yes, Reader, you are only one person, but by nature of being a human in America, you are a part of a network. If one person sees your behavior and decides to change one thing about what they buy or support, it's a start, and even if no one else follows you, you're still doing the best you can to improve the world around you.
Be the change. Use yours.
Put your money where your mouth is.
#OpMoneyMouth
Good day.
Find me: @xXxAnarchosxXx
