The Mighty Advocating Dollar

I have been bombarded, through recent experiences and readings, with thoughts and ideas that have me believe that the most immediate change we can create is with the power of the dollar and not the vote. Despite a progressive, positive, ambitious plan of the current administration, it is business as usual with gridlock and the lack of tangible and real results in policy that will create a sustainable change in our society for the greatest good of the populace.

As John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man and Hoowinked, recently wrote in his newsletter, “Our president has little real power. In recent years, geopolitics have shifted; the corporatocracy rules. Democrats and Republicans alike fall under the thumb of the multinational corporations. We have entered a time of realignment...this time it is global; countries are becoming less relevant. The emerging rulers are corporate CEOs, members of the corporatocracy.

The good news: for the first time in history this new empire has been created not by military force, but through the sale of goods and services. And the marketplace is democratic—once we decide to see it as such. It is the ultimate polling booth. Corporations exist only because we vote for them in their stores, at the malls, and over the Internet.

It is up to us to decide which companies will succeed and which ones will fail.”

Start by doing some research. It’s quick and easy with the internet at your fingertips. Do a simple search on companies that you buy products or services from via their company website or by using a search engine like Google to research their social responsibility initiatives. If you can’t easily find information posted on their website or through a Google search, then you can come to the conclusion that either they don’t exist or they aren’t significant enough to warrant any merit.

If you want to help your community and make a real and immediate impact on improving the quality of life in your neighborhoods, invest in your community. Move your money from banks that aren’t heavily invested in supporting local businesses, organizations or programs that serve your community. A good place to start looking for banks is moveyourmoney.info where you can enter your zip code and it will return community banks in your area.

Buy groceries and other goods from your local farmers market. You can find one at localharvest.org. It’s a good way to connect with your community by meeting local vendors and being amongst your neighbors and it’s a good reason to get outside and spend time with family and/or friends.

Your dollar is the most important vote that you can cast on a daily basis that will create an immediate and sustainable impact on your community and the global community. Businesses have to adhere to the demands and wishes of its customers or they cease to exist. With more and more socially responsible companies vying for your money in virtually every marketplace, isn’t it time that you invest your money in companies that want to invest in your wellbeing?

Do I expect every purchase made to be a completely informed decision from a saint-like company? No. However, it isn’t impossible to think that corporate social responsibility will be the norm and not an exception to the rule in the not too distant future. Social responsibility will not only lead to a stronger economy, but a stronger society. My hope is that you begin to think about your role in creating a better world and future by asking yourself, "What steps can I easily and readily adopt into my normal routine that can benefit my community and my world?"