"NO BLOOD ON OUR MONEY!" Read the Boycott War campaign platform Visit the Boycott War Design Gallery Alternatives to War-based Economics and Bloodstained Corporations Take the BOYCOTT WAR! Power Quiz ®
BOYCOTT WAR Create today the seeds for the future.
"NO BLOOD ON OUR MONEY!" Read the Boycott War campaign platform Visit the Boycott War Design Gallery Alternatives to War-based Economics and Bloodstained Corporations Take the BOYCOTT WAR! Power Quiz ®
BOYCOTT WAR Another world is not only possible... it's unstoppable!
"NO BLOOD ON OUR MONEY!" Read the Boycott War campaign platform Visit the Boycott War Design Gallery Alternatives to War-based Economics and Bloodstained Corporations Take the BOYCOTT WAR! Power Quiz ®
BOYCOTT WAR Another world is not only possible... it's unstoppable!
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When it comes to alternatives, one is almost tempted to just write "BUY YOUR GAS AT CITGO!" and leave it at that. Citgo is, after all, Venezuelan oil and by keeping the message simple people -like you- might not get drowned in too many options.
But it isn't enough.
And it doesn't have to be much more complicated or demanding.
The boycott movement opens the door to a lot of constructive opportunities. A boycott often entails not merely avoiding one company or product but actively choosing another. This helps garner much needed economic support for small businesses, fair trade, community currency systems and so on.
This site hopes to present some of those options. But if you still want to keep it really simple. But your gas at Citgo and choose Fair Trade coffee and chocolate while you're at it.
Alternatives
to War-based Economics and Bloodstained Corporations
For those of you who feel up to doing more than coffee, chocolate, and Citgo, this section of links is divided in seven sub-categories. 1. Alternative consumption; 2. Alternative currency systems; 3. Worker solidarity; 4. Socially responsible investing; 5. Simple living; 6. Peace through piracy; and 7. Pro-Activism. These are strategies that people are practicing all over the world today. It is up to each person and organization to determine what is most appropriate and effective in their own community and personal lives.
Briefly, "Alternative consumption" is about changing which products we buy. This can entail choosing Fair Trade when it is available or simply choosing companies that do not involve themselves with the war industry. It is as routine as choosing which media provides our information needs and it is as exceptional as choosing which country we spend our vacation in.
"Alternative currency systems" is about community currencies, LETS, and other forms of alternative economics. Often these are resource-based and bound to a specific geographic area.
"Worker solidarity" is about various actions or practices that unions can engage in to support alternatives to the war industry.
"Socially responsible investing" is about just that: socially responsible investment options.
"Simple living" is about buying less and getting more: voluntary simplicity and frugal living.
"Peace through piracy" is about the so-called informal economy and detaching products from profits.
"Pro-Activism" is about putting pressure on your stores, jobsites, sports teams, organizations, even local and national governments to buy and invest responsibly. For example, to get a local government to switch from buying Caterpillar machinery to another company can make a much larger economic impact than a boycott by many individuals. The same goes for getting a sports team to start buying clean clothes and/or fair trade snacks.
"Pro-Activism" can also be about working to change the global economy into something that better enables peace and justice rather than exacerbating conflict and inequality.
1. Alternative consumption
Products, companies, and Fair Trade
Ecological products such as in-door composters and water-powered clocks(!)
Free downloadable Anti-War songs
List of Alternatives by Simple Living.Org
Travel
Note: Costa Rica recently succumbed to pressure from environmental groups to abandon a project on off-shore drilling and focus more on eco-tourism as a source of national income. They should be rewarded for their choice. Extra links to Costa Rica are thereofer provided here.
Tips for eco-tourists to think about when choosing a tour
Eco-tourism: Preservation or Destruction (article)
Center for Responsible Tourism
Book about finding various eco-tourist alternatives in Costa Rica
Alternative Newsmedia
2. Alternative/complementary economic systems
Complementary Currencies at Transaction.Net
3. Worker solidarity
Download Oxfam's Guide to Fair Trade for Trade Unions and Employees (PDF)
International Labor Organization
Industrial Workers of the World
CGT Confederación General del Trabajo Spain
4. Socially responsible investing
List of Socially Responsible Stocks
Rocky Mountain Humane Investing
5. Simple living
The Center for a New American Dream
6. Peace through piracy
"We are proud that American films continue to enjoy immense popularity around the world but the need for copyright protection in the digital age is crucial to the preservation of our most prized trade asset. Piracy is having a dramatic impact on the creators and copyright owners of this nation..."
-Jack Valenti, outgoing president of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
"I do well enough already and I made this film because I want the world, to change. The more people who see it the better, so I'm happy this is happening."
-Michael Moore, in support of the pirating of his film Fahrenheit 9-11
Article by Tim O-Reilly: Piracy is Progressive Taxation
Courtney Love writes about the mathematics of piracy
Electronic Frontier Foundation
ZeroPaid Filesharing software and information
Slyck Filesharing news and community
7. Pro-Activism
Download Mother Earth's Boycott Kit (rtf file)
Download the Fair Trade Action Guide (PDF file)
Fair Trade Sports Balls for Your School or Team
Yes- this is a real ad by Lockheed-Martin
(although sometimes one might wonder: who is working for who?!)