ValuesMenu - your soul is worth more than a buck

In Hillbillburbia:
Gas is now $3.65 reg / $3.85 premium
Milk is $4.99/gal

South about 90 miles - Asheville, NC:
Gas is $3.85 reg / $4.05 premium
Milk is $5.39/gal

Recently the topic of boycotting companies that support 'alternative lifestyle choices' surfaced in the blogosphere. This topic ties into a deeper issue that centers around values-based choices and reality.

The plethora of Fortune 500 companies who support and advocate 'alternative lifestyle choices' includes:

Disney
Microsoft
Proctor and Gamble
Kraft
Ford
Nissan
Anheiser Busch
IBM
Intel
JP Morgan Chase
Wells Fargo
Motorola
American Airlines
American Express
McDonalds
Pepsico

Recently, a Catholic mother recounted an anecdote on her blog about informing her kids 'no more Mcdonalds'. I read this blog daily. This woman is (in my humble opinion) an excellent mother. She's attentive, caring, goes the extra mile for her kids and family, and her love for her family is very evident in her blog writing. I like to read her because she is so positive and radiates joy.

This family (and many others, I discovered as I began to dig deeper into the McD's thing, which I did not know about before reading her blog) is boycotting McD's. Which is fine - I'm all for values-based choices. I make them all the time.

Here's the issue that bothered me:


Notice that Disney is on that list? This family's last vacation was to Disney.

What is one to do, in today's world? How can one possibly avoid every company on that list in a day to day reality, simply bc one does not agree with their position on 'alternative lifestyles' or some other issue? Because you know what? It doesn't matter anymore what the issue is - if you dig deeply enough into a company's profile, you will likely find something to offend you and your values.

It's complicated and there are no easy answers. As for us, Hubby and I continue to work daily towards sustainable living. An example of a values-based choice that makes life difficult for us, because we are self-employed in an industry that often requires travel: We are committed to leaving as small of a footprint on this earth as we can. Passionately committed to that.

And so what that means in terms of travel and our means of employment?

We will not fly. Not anywhere, not for any reason. A single flight across country uses more fuel and natural resources and leaves more pollution in the air than 288 15-min daily commutes over the course of a year.

So - if we can't drive it, we don't go. And when we drive it, we use the most gas-economical car we can - typically in the 28 - 33 mpg range - and travel as greenly as we can.

Sometimes clients understand. Sometimes they don't. Regardless, we don't fly.

It's a lot like the granola-crunchy who uses corn biofuel during a world food shortage, or the newly-minted 'green generation' who pass over used cars to purchase new hybrids. While the hybrids are good - they are economical - more natural resources are consumed destroying the used car that no one will ever buy than are saved by driving the new hybrid.