Toward Solutions 

E.  What You Can Do

"Every man of humane convictions must decide on the protest that best suits his convictions, but we must all protest."   --Martin Luther King, Jr.

1.  Educate and inform yourself and others

2.  Work in activist groups

3.  Boycott the badies

4.  Take political steps

5.  Take direct social action

6.  Change your habits and lifestyle

7.  Transform corporate capitalism

Read at least one linked page in each of the seven categories; other links are optional

1.  Educate and inform yourself and others

  Educate yourself and others about environmental issues, so you and they can act knowledgeably. Keep up to date on developments (the Internet is a new, big help).

  "How To Muckrake in Cyberspace Part I: Corporations," Kim Green, MoJo Wire, 3 March 1997

  Expose and challenge anti-enviro forces through investigating and publicizing corrupt activities and connections.  An optional example: Ranking the worst corporate criminals of the 1990s

  Demonstrate how beneficial change can be accomplished.

2.  Work in activist groups

  ZNet's Activism Resources and Links -- A wealth of leads on activism

  Join, support and influence environmental groups (or help found new ones).

  Online links to numerous activist groups addressing ecology and the environment

  Online Civil Liberties Activism Resource List -- extensive resources of use to the online activist 

  Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG)

  Ending Corporate Governance; We The People Revoking Our Plutocracy

  Some Guiding Principles, by Peter Montague (REHW #570)

  OneWorld -- access to over 200 global justice organizations

American people ruled unfit to govern...

3.  Boycott the badies

  Boycott goods and services of companies that you think act in environmentally destructive ways.

  Boycott Action News, from Co-op America

  Boycott Resources, from Envirolink --"to help you make more informed decisions when you're purchasing from or interacting with businesses... a listing of links to environmental and labor boycotts throughout the world"

  Corporate Criminals, Jay's Leftist and "Progressive" Internet Resources Directory

  Revolt Against the Empire, Jon Rappoport's Great Boycott site -- main focus is on chemicals 

4.  Take political steps

  Work within existing political structures to influence environmental policy, including

• Vote for candidates and ballot measures;
• Contribute time and money to political candidates;
• Contact elected representatives, asking for their support or opposition to bills;
• Use informal education and persuasion (discussion, letters);
• Expose wrongful activities in government (whistle-blowing);
• File lawsuits;
• Participate in grass-roots activities

  "A Textbook for Whistle-blowers," Rachel's Environment & Health News #715, 4 January 2001 -- Whistle-blowers are "insiders" in private firms and government agencies who dare to speak out against waste, fraud, abuse and threats to public health, often at great personal risk. As corporate power grows without limit, governments at all levels are abandoning their responsibility to enforce laws. Instead, they are relying on "voluntary compliance" by corporations. Under these circumstances, the role of whistle-blowers assumes increased importance.

  What is Proportional Representation?, Center for Voting and Democracy, August 1999 -- "...the vast majority of mature democracies that have already adopted systems of proportional representation."

  "What Is Proportional Representation and Why Do We Need This Reform?," Douglas J. Amy, Center for Voting and Democracy

  How to Lobby Politicians -- "a brief and basic guide for people who want politicians to take account of their views and needs. While it incorporates some information specific to Australia, I hope it will also be of use in other democratic systems."

  Public Campaign -- working for "clean money campaign reform"

  The New Party -- "...a progressive political organization taking root around the U.S. By starting small and thinking long-term, we're building a multi-racial, lively and creative political organization that can, over time, break the stranglehold that corporate money and corporate media have over our political process."

  Progressive Populist -- the online edition of "a newspaper that believes people are more important than corporations."

  International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) -- an association of local governments dedicated to the prevention and solution of local, regional, and global environmental problems through local action. "ICLEI's mission is to build and support a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global environmental conditions through the cumulative impact of local actions."

  Congress Watch, Public Citizen -- "monitors Congress and fights for consumer rights, government and corporate accountability, campaign finance reform, a clean environment, and health and safety protection through lobbying, public education, research and media outreach."

  opensecrets.org, Center for Responsive Politics -- Includes: (1) Campaign spending in the last election-- who paid for it? A look at the industries and issues behind the money. (2) Election 2000: Presidential Race-- The money behind the candidates, including the total amount raised, contributions by geography, top contributors, a searchable database, and more. (3) Election 2000: Congressional Races-- Analysis of the campaign contributions fueling every congressional and Senate race, including breakdowns by industry, geography, and top contributor.

  "People and Nature before Profits," National Environmental Commission, Communist Party, USA, 1998

  "The Green Vision," The Greens, Green Party USA -- "...the ten interconnected Key Values of Green politics in the United States."

5.  Take direct social action

  Challenge societal and system values that are anti-survival, advocating and practicing basic solutions to environmental problems.

  "Jailed Environmentalist Recognized for Environmental Heroism," Sierra Club news release, 6 February 2001 (posted at Common Dreams News Center) -- The Sierra Club gives its 'Chico Mendes' award to imprisoned environmentalist Rodolfo Montiel for his outstanding environmental heroism. Montiel is recognized for 'extraordinary courage and leadership in defending the old-growth forests of Mexico's Sierra de Petatl�n at the cost of personal freedom.'"

  "Anti-Globalization Activist Jose Bove Is At It Again," Agence France-Presse, 30 January 2001 (posted at Common Dreams News Center)

  "Class Revolt," Hank Hoffman, Hartford Advocate, Independent Media Institute, 1999 -- Examines renewed student activism:  Individual issues were symptoms of the larger problem, which is a crisis of democracy and power.  Individual campus causes have coalesced into the new movement for democracy and human dignity that was on display in Seattle. Democracy and corporate power-- the vision and the roadblock. These are the catch phrases uniting a generation of young activists.

  Arguments that grass-roots environmental activists can use at the local level, suggested by Sandra Steingraber at the Wingspread Conference that drew up the precautionary principle (see D above)

  Use non-violent civil disobedience to combat bad environmental actors (sit-ins, monkey-wrenching, etc.)

  Activist Research Manual; Sources of Information on Corporations, compiled by George Draffan; Public Information Network, January 1999

  Corporate Power, Influence, Money and Interlocking Boards of Directors -- "...looks at the people within and behind corporations, ...an important and often unmentioned part of the power that corporations manifest. ...[A]lso provides you with the means to research 'tell-all' public documents that corporations are required to file with the Federal Government.  Finally it shows how corporations directly control some aspects of environmental policy-making and the environmental movement."

  The Freedom of Information Clearinghouse, from Public Citizen -- guidance on requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA 

  Searchable Databases -- list from Paradise Valley Community College

You know something's wrong...

6.  Change your habits and lifestyle

  "Co-ops: The Post-Corporate Activism," Keith Wright, Synthesis / Regeneration 23 (Fall 2000)

  "Community-Based Economics," Steve Welzer, Synthesis / Regeneration 21 (Winter 2000) -- Neighbors generally don't exploit neighbors when there is real community...

  Reduce consumption and try to practice an exemplary lifestyle, not only to minimize environmental stress, but also to lead others by example.

  Satisfy your needs for goods and services through trading and not-for-profit enterprises such as co-ops, to the extent you can. Try to detach yourself from capitalist exploitation.

  Pursue a career that enhances rather than stresses our environment.  Avoid working for companies or institutions that degrade our life support system; whatever your job, work from within to improve environmental performance.

  Simple Living Network -- "...an on-line service containing thousands of pages of information about publications and tools for those wanting to learn how to live a more conscious, simple, healthy and restorative lifestyle."

  Co-op America -- "Economic strategies for a better world."  Publishes Green Pages Online, "where you can find thousands of socially and environmentally responsible products and services, updated frequently."

  Overcoming Consumerism -- "...details ways that you can help defeat consumerism, save money, work less and lead a more satisfying and environmentally benign life."  Includes link to Resources/References for Education and Action.

  The Personal Environmental Impact Calculator -- a way for individuals to measure some environmental impacts of their everyday activities

  Solstice, online source for sustainable energy information from CREST (Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology)

  Consumer Reports Online -- If you must consume, at least check here first!

  The Consumer Law Page, from the Alexander Law Firm (San Francisco) -- many online articles, brochures, and other resources

  Global Action Plan (GAP) -- "promotes and supports the development of environmentally sustainable lifestyles" with active programs "in 17 countries [and] combined participation of over 150,000 people."

7.  Transform corporate capitalism

  The New Rules Project -- "Why NEW RULES? Because the old ones don't work any longer. They undermine local economies, subvert democracy, weaken our sense of community, and ignore the costs of our decisions on the next generation. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) proposes a set of new rules that builds community by supporting humanly scaled politics and economics. The rules call for:

• Decisions made by those who will feel the impact of those decisions.

• Communities accepting responsibility for the welfare of their members and for the next generation.

• Households and communities possessing or owning sufficient productive capacity to generate real wealth.

For instance, New Rules Project's "Seeing the Light: Regaining Control of Our Electricity System,"  -- "...customer-owned utilities are inherently more democratically governed, closer to their customers and more responsive to them." How to take control...

  "Paradigm Shift: Challenging Corporate Authority," Paul Cienfuegos, Synthesis / Regeneration 23 (Fall 2000) -- Dozens of new strategies are sprouting up across the US and Canada-- some of them dating back to previous centuries-- that challenge illegitimate corporate authority and privilege.

  "Save the Planet from Capitalist Destruction!" -- Fifith Congress of the LRCI, July 2000

  "Challenging Corporate Power; An interview with Richard Grossman," David Barsamian, Z magazine, January 2000 -- Every privilege that a corporation has means a right denied to human beings. A principal purpose of a business corporation is to shield decision-makers from responsibility. 

  Challenging Corporate Power; The Cordoba Declaration -- "From October 14-17, 1999, thirty progressive activists and researchers assembled in Cordoba, Spain, for a European strategy session, solidifying an international network and movement challenging the increasing power of corporations."

  "Seeing The Post Corporate World: Life After Capitalism," a review of David C. Korten's book, Life After Capitalism (published March 1999), by David T. Ratcliffe -- An extensive review with numerous links to related information. "To create a world in which life can flourish and prosper we must replace the values and institutions of capitalism with values and institutions that honor life, serve life's needs, and restore money to its proper role as servant. I believe we are in fact being called to take a step to a new level of species consciousness and function."

    Why Socialism?, Albert Einstein, 1949. From Monthly Review, New York, May, 1949. -- "[The] crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future career. I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by an educational system which would be oriented toward social goals. In such an economy, the means of production are owned by society itself and are utilized in a planned fashion."

  STudent Alliance to Reform Corporations (STARC), main page -- "...a network of people from various causes motivated and linked by a common concern: the lack of democratic accountability by corporations."

  "Bad Company; How to Civilize the Corporation," Jonathan Rowe, Dollars & Sense, July/August 1998

  Grassroots Economic Organizing (GEO), a newsletter -- "Dedicated to making a better world through worker cooperatives, sustainable community enterprises, and grassroots economic organizing." Includes Vision Statement, by Frank Lindenfeld.

  Program on Corporations, Law & Democracy (POCLAD), home page

  Reclaim Democracy, home page

  The Second Contradiction of Capitalism, Cyberbooks, Capitalism, Nature & Socialism

  What You Can Do, Third World Traveler website -- broad range of activist resources

  "America Needs A Law Prohibiting All Corporate Donations," Jane Anne Morris, 1995 -- "Corporate civic, charitable, and educational 'donations' of all kinds should be banned because they strangle open public debate, and contribute to the corporate colonization of our culture. Life-or-death environmental issues are obscured, distorted, and trivialized by this waste stream of corporate dollars." [Article originally published in Synthesis/Regeneration 9, A Magazine of Green Social Thought, Winter, 1996, published by the Gateway Greens in St. Louis]  (alternate site)

  Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County -- "Reining in Corporate Power; Reclaiming Citizen Sovereignty. Site includes a long list of resources available from DUHC, POB 27, Arcata, CA 95518.

  Democracy Unlimited of Wisconsin Cooperative, home page -- Includes information about how commercial corporations have obtained power and how people can rein them back, and how people can make their own laws and rule without commercial corporations' usurpation of their democracy.

  "Taking Care of Business: Citizenship and the Charter of Incorporation," Richard L. Grossman and Frank T. Adams, 1993.  (Adapted for Earth Island Journal from Taking Care of Business: Citizenship and the Charter of Incorporation.) -- "We are out of the habit of contesting the legitimacy of corporations like International Paper, Du Pont, General Motors or Union Carbide. But we can challenge corporate-shielding legal doctrines and deny judges the final say over our economic lives, over the planet's flora and fauna, rivers and mountains, and over our children's future."

  Ending Corporate Governance -- We The People Revoking Our Plutocracy -- Includes numerous links to corporate charter revocation projects and news.

  "Greening the Corporation," Ward Moorhouse; Address to the Greens Gathering, Los Angeles, August 16, 1996 -- Discusses, among other things, a "hidden history of the exercise of citizen control over corporations by several states." "What if...," asks Jane Anne Morris of Democracy Unlimited in Wisconsin:

• corporations were required to have a clear purpose, to be fulfilled but not exceeded.
• corporations' licenses to do business were revocable by the state legislature if they exceeded or did not fulfill their chartered purpose(s).
• the act of incorporation did not relieve corporate management or stockholders/owners of responsibility or liability for corporate acts.
• as a matter of course, corporation officers, directors, or agents could be held criminally liable for violating the law.
• corporation charters were granted for a specific period of time, like 20 or 30 years (instead of being granted "in perpetuity" as is now the practice.)
• corporations were prohibited from owning stock in other corporations in order to prevent them from extending their power inappropriately.
• corporations' real estate holdings were limited to what was necessary to carry out their specific purpose(s).
• corporations were prohibited from making any political contributions, direct or indirect.

All of these provisions and more were once law in the State of Wisconsin.

  "Capital Punishment for Corporate Criminals," Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman, Focus on the Corporation, 15 September 1998 -- A coalition of more than 30 public interest organizations is demanding that the attorney general of California revoke the charter of Union Oil of California (Unocal). Their petition argues that "Unocal is a recidivist corporation. It claims that Unocal engaged in corporate lawbreaking and that it was responsible for the 1969 oil blowout in the Santa Barbara Channel and numerous other acts of pollution. It points out hundreds of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations, the corporation's unfair treatment of labor, and its complicity in human rights violations..."

Corporations as "fictional persons"...

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Thomas Detwyler maintains this page (tdetwyle@uwsp.edu)
Last updated 10 April 2001

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