Check-Out Aisle Activism

There’s been a lot of talk this campaign season about dealing with America’s reliance on foreign oil. When we pay for fuel that comes from regimes our country doesn’t see eye-to-eye with, we’re funding programs that can fly in the face of our values.

But it may not just be the gas in your tank you need to worry about. It’s the crackers in your cupboard, the toilet paper in your bathroom, the peanut butter on your sandwich, and the sheets on your bed.

Many of us buy these things from corporations so big, they have budgets that rival the economies of small countries. And if you don’t agree with their corporate policies, you might be funding actions, programs and campaigns that would appall you - if you only knew about them.

That’s why University of California-Davis professor Ellis Jones wrote The Better World Shopping Guide. It’s a simple, pocket-sized book that lists all kinds of products - from ketchup to cars – and ranks the companies that produce them. Ellis just released an updated version of his book and joins Word of Mouth with more.

And here's something to think about after you've made your purchases. Whenever you order your double latte to go at your corner coffee shop, the empty cup and lid may end up in a giant pit of plastic in the ocean. Some cities and counties are so concerned about the garbage in the North Pacific Gyre that they've passed ordinances to try to limit the amount of plastic in our lives.

Reporter David Gorn visited a bird hospital in northern California where dead animals are often found with stomachs full of plastic. He filed this report for KQED’s QUEST radio series. Click here to listen.

(Photo by Jeff Keen)