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At 13:35 23/04/98 -0700, you wrote:
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Tom Gray [SMTP:tomgray@igc.org]
>Sent: Thursday, April 23, 1998 11:12 AM
>Subject: Oil Companies Split over Climate Change
>
>A short story about Shell leaving the Global Climate Coalition, an oil
>industry group that spreads misleading and false information about global
>warming and the need to address it. The split underlines how the US
>differs from European countries in continuing to act as though global
>warming is not a threat and should not be addressed.
>
>[Susan Masse] I am left with a dilemma: I have boycotted Shell for years
> because of their dismal record in South Africa and Nigeria.
>Now, I want to let them know I approve of their pullout from the GCC, but I
> won't be a customer until they straighten out their human rights issues.
>I have run into this problem with other corporations: how can I, as a
consumer,
> support the good decisions the corporation makes without rewarding them
> economically when they still have problems to face and solve?
>Does anyone have any ideas on this?
>Sue
>
** Bera and I have been doing the same about the boycott, and obtained
some black-&-red stickers saying: "Boycott SHELL OIL - Nigerian Blood" to
put on Shell pumps but we chickened-out. We had earlier picketted the
Commonwealth Heads-of-Government Meeting here in Auckland during the hours
just before Ken Saro-Wiwa was murdered by the Nigerian government. (CHOGM
began the sanctions.)
Yes, it's a problem - complicated like so many, now that ordinary people
like us have to make decisions on personal actions, in a world where
there's virtually no:
black or white
open or shut
on or off
yes or no; just better or not-so-good.
In general, I'd say (1) look for more complicated, multi-part responses,
(2) see if there's a "completely off-the-wall" way of looking at it, that
makes certain steps totally obvious, (3) hash it out with friends, (4) be
prepared to change your view and actions later, with either more
information or a more mature consideration.
In this case, Bera and I will probably write letters of commendation to
the New Zealand head office, then to the Netherlands/British head office
when we get its address in the reply to the first letter.
And still not buy Shell; here I'd say the aiding-&-abetting of the
Nigerian government terror campaign is much more serious than the more
political step of breaking ranks with the GCC. IMHO. (!)
I must say, the long-term view ( >5 yr) could say the opposite!
David.
** http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/3142/
David MacClement <davd@geocities.com> and <d_macclement@yahoo.co.nz>
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/6783/