Puget Sound Community Change to Launch in October

[eridani]

http://www.washblog.com/story/2007/9/23/16466/6641

Consumer purchasing decisions, collectively, determine the fates of businesses, business districts and even industries--and are instrumental in shaping global, community and natural environments. This is big-time power that both businesses and consumer organizations strive mightily to channel.

When businesses work to influence consumer decisions, it's called marketing. When consumer groups do it, it's called organizing. The two arenas are often seen to be at odds. But imagine a situation in which consumers and locally-owned business organize together for both increased profit -- and on behalf of sustainability and social justice goals. And imagine that this is no gimmick or "greenwash" -- but a practical, authentic, people and place-based campaign in which both sides are on equal footing. Imagine, further, that it's a process without risk or inconvenience to the customer or business but is seamlessly integrated in the daily business of point-of-sale transactions.