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Boycott BP for Eco-trocity
BP brands to boycott include Castrol, Arco, Aral, am/pm, Amoco, Wild Bean Cafe, Safeway gas
from the Backbone Campaign
"Nature's god is not just up there, but it is in all of us. And only when we truly understand the deep significance of the Deep Water Horizon disaster, will we be prepared to take a new direction, not only with our energy policies, but with our way of life."
—Dennis Kucinich
The mythic scale of the BP Oil eco-trocity is a case where corporate capital punishment is one part of the principled and appropriate response. The momentum for a national and even international boycott of BP and their subsidiaries is building. BP brands to boycott include Castrol, Arco, Aral, am/pm, Amoco, Wild Bean Cafe, and Safeway gas.
Let's be sure that our outrage and grief over the eco-trocity in the Gulf of Mexico eclipses the faux populism of the Tea-baggers. We must not let another outrage like the theft of the Presidency in 2000 be allowed to pass without an appropriate and proportionate citizen response.
Eddie Griffiths helped picket a BP/ARCO station on Aurora Ave. in North Seattle on May 14
photo courtesy Mark Early
We must insist that it be more profitable to invest in renewables and conservation than to endanger the ecosystems upon which we depend. BP must serve as an example that clever "beyond petroleum" marketing schemes do not shield corporations from accountability for hubris and negligence.
It is also time for our government to take bold steps toward a fossil fuel free future. Our representatives must be pressured to immediately:
• Establish a carbon fee & refund to reflect the actual price of fossil fuels and drive investments into conservation, renewables and a transformation of our transportation infrastructure.
• Fund a national high speed rail network, local and regional mass transit, and incentivize local food and green industry.
• Make a massive investment in and provide incentives for solar, wind, conservation, efficiency and other sustainable means to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
BP brands found in Washington State include Arco as well as am/pm, Safeway gas, and Castrol
Finally, it is time for all of us to organize within our own communities for a fossil-fuel-free future. Imagine "Fossil-Fuel-Free Sunday Afternoon Walkabouts" when we refuse to drive, but rather walk our communities and connect with our neighbors; "Do it in the Dark Parties" where we refuse to use coal-fired electricity; declare our homes and neighborhoods coal-free zones; and (your idea here).
The articles and projects of the Backbone Campaign involve dozens of dedicated people doing what they can to make a difference. We are always looking for new volunteers to get involved in whatever capacity they are able to. Call 206-408-8058 if you would like join the team!
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