1.Clothing
When you buy most any kind of clothing or handbag, chances are it was made overseas somewhere in a sweatshop. The people who made it were probably teens and kids as young as 10, they most likely were paid under 15 cents an hour, and if they couldn't produce a certain number of the product every hour, they were yelled at, beaten, and sometimes fired. These harsh conditions have no place in today's world, yet Nike, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, and so many others take advantage of these people so they can save a buck making their goods. You can help change this! Check out behindthelabel.org for more info. Here is a list of sweatshop-free clothing companies:
No Sweat Apparel
Justice Clothing
American Apparel
Urban Ruby
Take Action! Encourage your school, church, or club to go sweatshop-free today!
2.Gasoline
Aren't we all sick of paying such high prices to fill up our tank? This especially hits teens in the wallet because we don't make as much as most jobs and have to adjust our budget and amount of driving every time prices fluctuate. That's not all of it though. Oil is being obtained through harmful, dangerous and immoral methods by companies such as Chevron and Exxon/Mobil. Communities in the Niger Delta and other Middle-Eastern areas are being heavily polluted and people and being killed to continue production. To learn more on this, pick up Amy Goodman's book, The Exception To The Rulers. To stop oil prices from soaring and discontinue "drill 'n kill" methods, we must realize our need to become independent from foreign oil and turn to alternative resources. First, learn where your gas comes from. You can do this by supporting the Foreign Oil Labeling Act by contributing to the campaign of the Foreign Oil Indepenedence League (FOIL). Also, check to see if your car is a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV), and buy E-85 fuels where available. They are much more environmentally safe and made right here in America. The best action you can take now is buying a hybrid car. For more info, check out Global Exchange's Oil Campaign.
3.Wal-Mart
This will be difficult for some, but STOP SHOPPING AT WAL-MART! Wal-mart is America's largest corporation and has taken every sneaky route to get there. They destroy local economies. For every two jobs created at Wal-Mart, three are lost elsewhere in the community. And these jobs aren't even created, they're just moved from previous ones. Almost all of its clothing was made in sweatshops, and they don't provide a living wage or benifits package. Wal-Mart employees are not allowed to unionize, even though they need it most. For more info on this, check out Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich and visit Walmartwatch.com
Also Check Out:
Global Exchange
Transfair USA
United Students for Fair Trade
1.Local Periodicals/ Publications
Most every town, county, or distirct has its own local newspaper. Usually they are free or cost very little. Look at the headlines for events and topics that you can get involved with. For example: in my county, a big company is suing its workers for speaking out against it trying to build a harmful trash transfer station in a residential area. Rallys and meetings have been held to support the workers and protect free speech, and are big news for such newspapers.
2.Write Letters
If you write a letter to the editor of your paper, make sure you keep it about 200 words or less, write intelligently about a relivent issue, and provide your name and phone number in the body of the letter. Also, BE POLITE!
3.Bulliten Boards
Look for ways to get involved localy at bulliten boards at area libraries, churches, parks, YMCA/YWCA, VFW Halls, grocery stores, coffee shops, high school and college campuses, and concert venues.
Contact Your Elected Officials
1.Congress is our most powerful resource, yet our most unused.
The President is much less of a threat if we have control of Congress. It is very important to write your Senators and Representatives on issues you care about. This way, you can be sure that your interests are being represented. FOIL has a great little questionaire you can send to your Congressmen to keep an eye on them. Contact information can be found at congress.org. You can keep track of how your Senators and Representatives voted on any policy issue at voterpunch.org. Some giudelines for writing elected officials would include: Address who you are writing to with their title (Senator, Chairman, The Honorable), make yourself clear and don't stray from the topic, use examples and details that provide support for your reason for writing. It it important to include your name, and full address for them to verify that you are their constituent. Also, avoid snail mail as this takes much longer due to anthrax, terror threats and such. A fax or phone call are your best options.
Take To the Streets!
1.Peaceful Protest
Organized protests and acts of civil disobedience look exciting on the television, but are somewhat intimidating when you consider participating. Protests aren't for everyone, but if you do decide to take part, check out our Protest Guide!
