| The traditional approach:
The Sierra Club's primary approach is to influence public policy. So if the local power
plants are polluting the air, we push the state and federal legislatures and agencies to
strengthen clean air laws and improve enforcement -- indirectly making the power plant
clean up its pollution. Going
around the 'middleman': Making corporations accountable means not going through the
government, but -- through letter-writing, negotiation, boycotts, shareholder resolutions
or other means -- pressuring corporations directly to do the right thing. This is an
especially important strategy in cases where the government is unresponsive or beholden to
the corporations, or where there is no easy way to use the law. Ultimately the tactic is
the same: If companies are damaging the environment, make them look bad.
Boycott. By refusing to buy a
company's products, and urging the public to do the same, we hurt the company's image,
maybe even its bottom line.
Shareholder resolutions.
Corporations aren't truly democratic, but if you own shares, you may be able to influence
corporate policy by introducing resolutions at annual meetings, which are then voted on by
shareholders. Resolutions could, for example, specify that the company not drill for oil
in a particular spot. The company usually controls the majority of stock -- but it's a way
to draw attention to a practice or plan of the company.
Consumer clout. Your dollar
has power when you spend it wisely -- on products made from recycled materials or
certified by green organizations, such as Green Seal or the Forest Stewardship Council.
Shining the light. When a
company is behaving badly -- like General Electric's refusal to clean up the PCBs it
dumped into the Hudson River in New York -- we do our best to put the media spotlight on
the company and its deed. (Boycotts and shareholder resolutions are two ways to do this.)
This often leads to public pressure for the company to clean up its act. |
