The Better World Shopping Guide

With the holiday season in full swing, everyone is starting to think about that perfect gift. Before you head to the store, jump online, or book your travel plans this season, the Cottonwood Institute would like to encourage you to consider buying from companies that care about people and the environment. We use a book called The Better World Handbook, by Jones, Haenfler, and Johnson as a core text in several of our educational programs. In this book, there is a section called The Better World Shopping Guide that grades various companies based on their human rights, environmental, animal rights, community involvement, and social justice practices to encourage people to vote with their wallet. Below is a list of companies with a letter grade.

This holiday season, please consider buying from companies that have received an A or B and try to avoid buying from companies that have received a C, D, or F and help change the world by voting with your dollar! For a list of companies that the Cottonwood Institute endorses, please visit the Cottonwood Institute Store.

RETAIL STORES:

• A: IKEA, REI
• B: Home Depot, LL Bean
• C: Target, Best Buy, Eddie Bauer, Walgreens, Costco, BJ’s
• D: JC Penney, Maytag, Rite Aid, K-Mart, Sears
• F: Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club

CLOTHING:

• A: American Apparel, Patagonia, Lost Arrow, Maggie’s Organics, Ecolution, Diva Lifewear
• B: Levi Strauss, Timberland, Liz Claiborne, Cutter & Buck, Eileen Fisher, Reebok
• C: LL Bean, Nordstrum, Nicole Miller, Nike, Target, Gap, Mervyn’s, Guess, Ralph Lauren, Limited
• D: Fruit of the Loom, Kmart, JC Penney, Federated, Calvin Klein, LA Gear, Saks, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Kohl’s
• F: Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, May’s
   

CLEANING PRODUCTS:

• A: Seventh Generation, Dr. Bronner’s, Earth Friendly, Ecover, Planet, ECOS
• B: Simple Green, Sunshine Makers, 3M, Colgate-Palmolive, Murphy’s Oil
• C: Proctor & Gamble, Hefty, Dial, SC Johnson, Arm & Hammer, Hefty
• D: Chore Boy, Easy-Off, Glass Plus, Jet-Dry, Mop & Glo, Old English, Wizard, Playtex, Sara Lee, Reckitt Benckiser
• F: Pine Sol, Tilex, S.O.S., Liquid Plumr, Formula 409, Clorox

SUPERMARKETS:

• A: Food Co-ops, Farmers Markets, Whole Foods, Wild Oats, Trader Joe’s
• B: Supervalu, A&P, Safeway, Vons
• C: Giant Food, Super G, City Markets, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Krogers, Kwik Shop, Pay Less, Loaf N Jug, Quick Stop, Ralph’s
• D: Albertson’s, Osco, Savon, Lucky’s, Thriftway, Winn-Dixie
• F: Wal-Mart
   

GENERAL FOOD:

• A: Hain, Amy’s, Annie’s, Horizon, Spectrum, Eden, Cascadian Farm, Barbara’s
• B: General Mills, Quaker, Pepsi, Pillsbury, Colgate-Palmolive
• C: Campbell’s, Kellog’s, Weight Watchers, Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble
• D: Nestle, Carnation, Libby’s, Coca-Cola
• F: Kraft, Nabisco, Post, Planter’s, Oscar Meyer, Knudsen

AIRLINES:

• A: American
• B: Southwest, Delta, British Airways
• C: United, Air Alaska, US Air
• D: Continental
• F: Northwest, Korean Air

Guiding Question: What will you do this holiday shopping season to reduce your environmental footprint and help make a difference in the world?

Community Adventure Program in the Media

The Cottonwood Institute’s core education program called the Community Adventure Program (CAP) has received some media attention recently. Students enrolled in CAP at New Vista High School recently had an article written about their environmental service project, which involved building a greenhouse at the school in order to raise an awareness of the importance of buying local and organic produce. Amy Bounds, a Staff Writer for the Daily Camera, wrote an article called New Vista Builds Greenhouse that appeared in the paper on Sunday, October 7, 2007. To download a copy of the article, Click Here.For more information about the Community Adventure Program at New Vista High School, please visit their Class Website.

The Community Adventure Program was recently replicated at P.S.1 Charter School, an urban public school in Denver, CO. CAP students at P.S.1 have been working on their environmental service project to sell reusable grocery bags in order to raise an awareness of the environmental impact of plastic grocery bags. To help students spread the word, Nicole Danna from the Colorado Daily wrote an article called "It’s In The Bag" on November 5, 2007. To download a copy of the article, Click Here.
For more information about the Community Adventure Program at P.S.1 Charter School, please visit their Class Website.

Guiding Question: When articles about high school students appear in the media, they normally have a negative spin: school shootings, drug use, vandalism, etc. What wisdom, advice, thoughts, comments, words of encouragement, etc. would you say to students in the Community Adventure Program who are getting out in their communities and making a difference in the world?