You vote everyday with your dollar. You might say that you aren’t rich, and can’t make huge investments in clean energy, or to end hunger, but it doesn’t take being rich to contribute to these goals. You might not have extra money, but everyday you do buy things, and what you buy and who you buy it from has a huge impact on the world. You can either support major corporation, banks and Wall Street, or you can support your community, the poor, and local farmers. It’s your choice, and you make it everyday.
Remember, if you make $47,000/year you are the 1% of the World. If you make $23,000/year you are the top 10%. What you do with that money has a huge impact on the rest of the World, on the global 99%.
Before I suggest these actions, services, and products, for you to consider putting your money behind, I’m going to address a potential caveat that might be tempting to use, “These products aren’t as good as the ones made by major corporations.” I can imagine someone saying, “But my major bank offers me free ATM withdrawals,” or “Organic clothing costs more,” as an excuse to continue supporting the corporations you are protesting. Of course they cost more and don’t have as many perks, that’s what attracts anyone to the major corporations. Why do you think the 1% stay? They pay them more! Why do you think they exploit labor? Because it’s cheaper and easier.
Before you attempt to use any of these arguments, ask yourself if they are not the arguments of the 1%. “It’s nice to be rich.” Yes, but sometimes it comes at the expense of others, that is the temptation we must fight if we are to be righteous in our cause.
There is nothing wrong with being rich due to your hard work and innovation, but becoming rich from exploitation of people, destruction of the environment and government handouts, is wrong. As is purchasing the cheap products made from these endeavors. No one is perfect, we are all struggling and sometimes we need to buy cheap food or cheap clothes. But we can make progress. We can take steps to make the world a better place, one monetary transaction at a time.
Local Banks and Credit Unions
Before you go out and protest the major banking institutions for jeopardizing our economy with shady business practices, make sure you got your money where your mouth is. Move Your Money is a project inspired by the banking crisis in 2008. The website will direct you to Local Banks and Credit Unions in your area.
http://moveyourmoneyproject.org
Sound Money
It is not realistic to expect anyone to completely transfer out of the Federal Reserve banking system, but it is realistic, and smart, to move your saving into precious metals rather than in cash in a saving account, who’s interests rates are kept down by the Fed.
You can make these purchases even more effective by buy Coins from the Lakota Nation, a virtual third-world country within the U.S. The coins raise awareness of the People’s struggle and bring revenues to their region.
http://www.membersmint.com/#freeindsun
Local Food and Drink
For those who protest in order to bring awareness to environment destruction by major corporations, the need to begin buying their food and drink from as local a source as possible should be obvious. Buying from local farmer, natural food and drink companies, and even growing your own food, is an important action for protecting the environment. Permaculture and Compost Tea are concepts that should be studied and known by every Occupy protester if they want to take the power into their own hands in order to care for Mother Earth.
Whole Foods, while a national chain, is a great default place to shop. Obviously a locally owned grocery store, farmers market, or local CSA/Farmer is ideal.
Natural Plastics and Non-Petroleum Rubber
I’ve only found one company that puts out multiple consumer products made with petroleum free rubber, but this is definitely a trend that needs to be encouraged.
Fair Trade and Organic Clothing
When you hear someone talking about the sins of corporation while they wear clothing made in sweatshops with corporate logos pushing it in your face, you have to stop and think. Are you walking the walk, or just talking the talk? There are a number of fair trade clothing companies that also sell organic products. The two usually go hand in hand. Many large corporations may pay lip-service to these trends, but it is important to support the smaller companies that did it on their own and took the risk to make it a viable product for you to buy.
http://www.pantstopoverty.com/
http://www.indigenousdesigns.com/
http://www.elementecowear.com/
http://www.gaiam.com/category/apparel.do
Open Source Software
Linux is a free operating system which you can run your computer on. Ubuntu is the most consumer friendly version of Linux on the market. There is also a small American computer company the dedicates their line of hardware to running on Ubuntu.
Independent/Free Media
If you want to help support independent media that will actually report on the issues that are important to us, rather than celebrity gossip and depressing images, there is a network of writer, artist, musicians and programmers that offer free media through a voluntary micro-payment system. “Flattr” was created by one of the developers of the Pirate Bay, and offer a place for creators and consumers to connect and support each other. Flattr also allows you to donate to a number of charities.
Charity
Have you tried donating to charity and promoting the concept of others as a back up if your protests for Social Welfare fall short? Is it not more ethical to help someone yourself than attempt to force or coerce others to do it for you? There are many non-profits that do great work. The temptation to dismiss this by saying, “But 100% of their donations don’t go to helping the poor,” or “But their President makes $100,000/year,” should be avoided. There are resources to help you see which charities do what with their money. Also, isn’t it better that a person with administration experience takes a job running an non-profit for a few hundred thousand dollars a year than take a job running a major corporation for tens-of-millions of dollars a year?
My personal priorities in charity is poverty relief. I started with Charity:Water. 100% of donations go to building clean water wells and sanitation systems in third-world countries.
Sustainable Rainforest Herbs
One of the best systems for the protection and prosperity of the Rainforest is the sustainable farming of herbs for sale globally. There are number of companies that help with this effort, the one that stands out most is the Amazon Herb Company, which helps establish non-profits in the region, and works directly with tribes to help secure their land from loggers.
Herbalism is also a great alternative to pharmaceuticals. Nutrition in general can help alleviate many health issues without the need of drugs.
Register and Vote Third Party
What party are you registered with? Do you support the Democrats and Republicans that supported the Bail-Outs, and that maintain the status-quo? Do you continue to vote for the “lesser-of-two-evils”? Do you contribute money to campaigns and political causes that help progress society?
Whether you are on the “left” or the “right” there are people who agree with you that put a lot of time and energy (and money) into promoting the causes of Peace and Liberty. If you are fed up with the current political structure, isn’t it time to change it?
While you can do this by working within the system as the TEA Party did within the GOP, and as Ron Paul is attempting to do with the Republican Primary, without a similar leader within the Democratic Party (and once the GOP Primary is over), it is critical to put your political energy somewhere productive.
By registering with a third-party you help them gain ballot access so that when you go to vote you have alternative options. By attending their meetings you help set the platform. So there is no excuse for saying, “But the Green Party isn’t good enough,” when you aren’t there helping them get better.
The Green Party is probably the most effective place to put that energy if you are on the “left.” However, if you find yourself more Socialist than the Peace and Freedom Party is a great organization to help build, or if you are more Anarchist, the Pirate Party would be a great organization to help build in the U.S.
http://www.peaceandfreedom.org/home/
If you are on the “right” you could either be helping nominate Ron Paul (imagine if the 2008 election was Ron Paul vs. Dennis Kucinich; “greater-of-two-goods”), or working with the Libertarian or Constitution Party.
http://www.constitutionparty.com/
There are also State Propositions that you can work on, such as California’s “Regulate Marijuana Like Wine Act.”
http://regulatemarijuanalikewine.com/
Pick a cause and start working on it. Go to meetings, help petition, help fund-raise, help get the word out. Use your social media time to get work done on important issues.
Your Friends and Community
Lastly, support your friends, family and community. If your friend is a musician, instead of buying the newest Pop Album, go to their show; give them a tip. If someone in your community is trying to start a new business that will benefit the community, go support them. Eat at family owned restaurants. Buy local art. See a play or performance by community actors rather than go to the movies. Visit your friends websites and share them with others.
Don’t give up the things you enjoy, but shift a bit of your focus on your community. It will pay off big!
http://nomarocksteady.bandcamp.com/
http://brianruff.bandcamp.com/
http://www.reverbnation.com/tonygibson
http://studiosol.blogspot.com/
http://adrianpalenchar.com/_/Adrian_Palenchar_-_Comedian.html
So you can see, that the power to guide society is much more in your hands than you may have realized, or that the 1% would like you to realize. It feeds the power of the elites for you to point your finger at them and say, “You are the ones in power, you need to do something about this.” Look, you just told them who is in power. I’m telling you that you are in power. Isn’t that better? Now you can make these decisions for yourself and work on them as an individual, cooperating with other self-motivated individuals.
Thumbnail Image Taken from: http://www.somethingaboutsonoma.com/
Jack Wagner is the Editor of The Free Independent-Sun. Born in Sonoma, California and currently residing in San Francisco, Jack set up The Free Independent-Sun on July 4th, 2009, after sleeping in and not making his usual trip up north for his hometown festivities. He figured he'd do something revolutionary to make up for it. In the Summer of 2010 Jack registered Seraf Media with the City and County of San Francisco as a Sole-Proprietorship. He is dedicated to articulating the finer points of the Revolution in order to bring about a Global Renaissance and Abundant World Economy. He also isn't afraid to get his hands dirty transplanting succulents. 
Very well written article Jack, and Thank you for so many ideas and options for smart investments of our time and money. Also check out http://www.senecatreehouse.org.