Grace, November 2006
Usually I'm not a very thoughtful shopper. I most likely buy, without realizing it, clothing that was produced in a sweat shop and food that was grown or bought in an unfair or unsustainable way. I've been trying to be more intentional with some of our food purchases (especially after watching Food, Inc.) but that's as far as it's gone. I mean, I still shop at Wal Mart, even if it's killing small business.
The other day at a play date I was minding my own business, enjoying some small talk, when a friend mentioned that her father sent her a list of companies that support Planned Parenthood. Companies that give millions of dollars to fund, among other things, the practice of abortion.
Leah, April 2008
My conscience was pricked. Maybe stabbed. Together, we moms lamented that one of our favorite places on earth, Trader Joe's, funds Planned Parenthood. I'm only slightly joking when I say that there was wailing and gnashing of teeth. That's where I do about 90% of my grocery shopping...
And the list goes on... AOL, Olive Garden, Hilton and Hampton Inn hotels, KOHL'S!, Staples, Toys 'R' Us, the GAP, Nike, Time Warner, Bank of America, Disney, Johnson & Johnson Co., Chevron, PayPal, eBay...
Avery, November 2010
I'm trying to decide what to do about this information. It's probably only the tip of the iceberg; of course any company whose brands I use or restaurant that I visit or store that I frequent sends money to a variety of organizations that I may or may not want to indirectly support. Am I willing to be a more thoughtful shopper?
* edited to add: My local Trader Joe's does not donate to PP! Yay!
6 comments:
This post reminded me a of a series another blogger I follow has been writing this summer about her convictions regarding poverty and the opressed and investing wisely in items that don't perpetuate slavery. It has been really interesting! I think this is a post from a middle of the series, but you should be able to find your way around.
http://allthingshendrick.blogspot.com/2011/07/hi-my-name-is-heather-and-im-recovering.html
thanks for sharing!
wow--J&J? isn't that like bad for their business?!?!
Sam is out shopping at Kohls right now... hmmm, this hits home for me too. we want to adopt a baby(who would likely otherwise be aborted) so it is super important to me that women choose Life--it might be the life of our child.
thank you for sharing this info. somehow THIS issue, even more than "green shopping" and what not, hits home for me. I wonder if there is an "alternatives" list, like where TO shop instead of these big name that don't support PP...
Heather, as I find more info, I've read that Kohl's has stooped their funding as well, due to pressure from Pro-life groups who boycotted their stores. Maybe Kohl's should be off the list!
Thanks for sharing this is important to think about!
very thought provoking. I feel like when you dive in to things like that, we never know how big it can get. I think the average person likes ignorance.
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