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Monday, November 28, 2011

Use your Money to Send a Message

The American people will spend an estimated $500 billion this holiday season. That works out to an average of $1,667 per person or $5,000 for a family of three. That's a lot of consuming. It drives up stock prices and employs people all over the world, just to facilitate our consumption.

Consuming isn't bad. We all do it and we should do it. We eat, have clothes, enjoy entertainment and activities. Those are good things and we should enjoy them. But they are not the only good things that exist.

Consuming isn't bad, but consumerism is. When the consumption of things drives us and dictates how we live, then we have a problem. Consumerism and materialism cause us to look at things before people and entice us to pay for a cheap item even when it might harm someone. Consuming doesn't have to equal consumerism any more than eating has to become gluttony (but that's another problem we face this time of year).

It's not realistic or helpful to try to eschew all consumption. We aren't made for that and we can't sustain it for long. Rather, we need to change our attitude towards consuming. Buy things that are produced locally. Buy from people you know, if possible. Find a local artist and commission a painting of your family. Attend the local craft market and buy handmade clothes or toys. Shop at a local, independent retailer instead of at a big-box store.

If we can shift just 10% of the holiday spending that will result in thousands of new jobs, in our towns with our neighbors. The reason is that locally spent money stays in the local economy. Every dollar spent at a local, independent retailer has 2 to 3 times the positive impact on the local economy as a dollar spent at a non-local retailer. The movement is known as Shift your Shopping. Are you willing to make a small shift to help your neighbors and your community?

Friday, November 25, 2011

How to Turn Black Friday into Green Friday

The day after Thanksgiving is often called Black Friday. The ostensible reason for this moniker is that many companies move from being in the red financially to being in the black. The start of the holiday shopping season is hailed as the salvation of many retailers. But with the recent Occupy movements and the earlier Tea Party protests, it's clear that there is wide dissatisfaction with the status quo.

So today and this holiday season, I challenge you to use your money ethically. Spend where you know the employees are being treated with respect. Buy items that don't damage the world. Purchase using financial institutions that aren't using bailout money to pay huge bonuses to executives. Do a bit of research before you decide to buy and discover what your money is funding.

If you don't want business that abuse people, don't give them your money. If you don't want banks that take bailouts, don't give them your money.

When the flashy ads come on your television and entice you to buy inexpensive gifts for your family, pause. Think about how the products are affecting not only your family, but the people who made them and the people who sold them to you. We're all in this together and we can make a difference together.

Here's a list of the most ethical companies in 2011 and you can use buying guides to evaluate the products you consume.

The Ethisphere list (linked above) is copied below:


2011 WORLD’S MOST ETHICAL COMPANIES:
Aerospace
esIndra Sistemas
usRockwell Collins Inc.
usThe Aerospace Corporation
Apparel
deAdidas
israelComme Il Faut
usGap
usPatagonia
usTimberland
Auctions
useBay
Automotive
usCummins
jpDenso
usFord Motor Company
usJohnson Controls
Banking
auAustralia and New Zealand Banking Group
auNational Australia Bank
nlRabobank
gbStandard Chartered Bank
usThe Westpac Group
Business Services
ieAccenture
usDun & Bradstreet
usNoblis
Chemicals
usEcolab
usJM Huber
Computer Hardware
usHitachi Data Systems
Computer Software
usAdobe Systems
usMicrosoft
usSalesforce.com
usSymantec Corporation
usTeradata Corporation
Construction and Engineering
ieCRH
usGranite Construction
usParsons Corporation
Consumer Electronics
seElectrolux
jpRicoh
usXerox
Consumer Products
usColgate-Palmolive Company
deHenkel AG
jpKao Corporation
Diversified Industries
usGeneral Electric Co.
Electronics and Semiconductors
usFreescale Semiconductor
gbPremier Farnell
usTexas Instruments
Energy and Utilities
caEncana
noStatoil
usNextEra Energy, Inc.
gbNorthumbrian Water
dkVestas Wind
usWisconsin Energy Corporation
Engineering and Design
usAECOM Technology Corporation
usCH2M Hill
usFluor Corporation
Environmental Services
usWaste Management
Financial Services
usAmerican Express
inHousing Development Finance Corp
usNYSE Euronext
usThe Hartford Financial Services Group
Food and Beverage
usGeneral Mills
usPepsiCo
usSolae
usStonyfield Farm
Food Stores
fiKesko
gbThe Co-Operative Group
usWegmans
usWhole Food Market
Forestry, Paper and Packaging
usInternational Paper
usStora Enso Oyj
usSCA
Health and Beauty
brNatura Cosmeticos
Healthcare Services
usBaptist Health South Florida
usHospital Corporation of America
usPremier
Hotels, Travel and Hospitality
usKimpton Hotels
usMarriott International
beThe Rezidor Hotel Group
usWyndham Worldwide
Industrial Manufacturing
usCaterpillar
usDeere & Company
usEaton Corporation
usMilliken & Company
frSchneider Electric
Insurance
usAflac Incorporated
jpSompo Japan Insurance
swissSwiss Re
usWisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Co.
Internet
usZappos
Media, Publishing and Entertainment
caThomson Reuters
Medical Devices
usBecton Dickinson
nlRoyal Phillips
Metals
beUmicore
Real Estate
gbBritish Land plc
usJones Lang LaSalle
frUnibail-Rodamco
Restaurants and Cafes
usStarbucks Coffee Company
Specialty Pharma
usMedicis
Specialty Retail
usBest Buy Co.
seHennes & Mauritz
ptSonae
usTarget
usTen Thousand Villages
Staffing
usManpower
Telecom Hardware
usAvaya Inc.
usCisco Systems
usJuniper Networks
Telecom Services
sgSingapore Telecom
swissSwisscom
usT-Mobile USA
Transportation and Logistics
paAutoridad del Canal de Panama
jpEast Japan Railway Company
jpNippon Yusen Kabushi Kaisha
usUPS