The Campaign |
Agenda 2006 |
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January 19-29: World Social Forums in Mali, Pakistan and Venezuela |
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March 18-20: int'l protest days against 3 years of war & occupation of Iraq |
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April 6-9: European Social Forum, Athenes, Greece |
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June 23-28: World Peace Forum, Vancouver, Canada |
There are several alternatives available to you when you have chosen to boycott some, or all US products. However, some of these alternatives also present you with difficult choices...
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If you switch from buying your petrol at an ExxonMobil or Esso petrol station, to buying from Shell or BP/Amoco, you are still contributing to global warming, and supporting a company that stands to benefit greatly from the war against Iraq and a regime change in Baghdad. Even TotalFinaElf, the French oil company, has a history of environmental destruction and human rights abuses. It is certainly putting pressure on the French government to oppose a war against Iraq, but this is to do with a less-than-humanitarian interest in supporting the undemocratic regimes in the Middle East. A much more sustainable alternative is to reduce the amount you use your car. Similarly, you should think about reducing the number of airplane journeys you take each year. Think about transport that is less polluting: walk, bike (it's good for your health), bus, tram, train, boat... |
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If you must use a car, you could investigate switching to LPG or a hybrid car.
More information:
Scoop Independant News: "It’s The Oil, Stupid", by William R. Thomson, 24 September 2002
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If you stop consuming food or drink produced by US multinationals, and switch to products produced by other companies, you will be sending a powerful message to the White House that consumers do not want a war against Iraq. |
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But, a much stonger message about the kind of world you want to create is to buy locally produced or ethically traded products...
Eating organic food will also help cut down on the amount of oil-based chemical used to produce the food.
More information:
Organicfood.co.uk: "What is the connection between wars for oil and the food we eat?"
If you switch from smoking Malboro or L&M to Gauloises, you will be contributing to stopping the war against Iraq, but you will be putting your own health and also the health of people round you in danger, and contributing to deforestation and polution caused by tobacco production.
A more sustainable, but probably more difficult, solution is to cut down on the amount you smoke, or grow your own tobacco.
In the US, you can find cigarettes made with 100% US and organic grown tobacco, Natural American Spirit. This is an interesting alternative for smokers who live in the USA.
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