Don't Boycott--Shop!

If you believe Time, boycotts are out. This is the era of rewards, and the newest trend for consumers with a conscience is "Carrotmobbing."

With Carrotmobbing, consumers don't have to consistently avoid stores/companies that are supporting causes they disagree with. Instead, this "reverse boycott" works as shoppers use carrots, not sticks, choosing to buy the things they already need at stores that are working hand in hand with them to meet the same goals. Carrotmobbing focuses on environmental issues, and the movement has been around for just over a year.

Here's are some excerpts from Time reporter Jeremy Caplan's piece, or, you can click here to read the full article.

"Traditional activism revolves around conflict," says [Carrotmob founder Brent] Schulkin, 28, a San Francisco–based activist turned entrepreneur. "Boycotting, protesting, lawsuits — it's about going into attack mode," says the former Googler and onetime game developer. "What's unique about a Carrotmob is that there are no enemies." The focus is on positive cooperation, using the power of the casual consumer to help save the planet.

...

Instead of steering clear of environmentally backward stores, why not reward businesses with mass purchases if they promise to use some of the money to get greener?

...

The reverse boycott is perfect for the growing cadre of slactivists — slackers who care just enough about causes to sign online petitions and join Facebook protest pages but lack the time, money or drive to do much else.

Carrotmobs also carry extra appeal during tough economic times. Participants don't have to donate anything. They just shop for products they were planning to buy anyway, adjusting the time and place of purchase. By doing so, they help green a local business.

Do you think we could invite these guys to Carrotmob for fair trade?