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Katashi_itto

(10,175 posts)
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 03:37 AM Apr 2014

New App Lets You Boycott Koch Brothers, Monsanto And More By Scanning Your Shopping Cart



In her keynote speech at last year’s annual Netroots Nation gathering, Darcy Burner pitched a seemingly simple idea to the thousands of bloggers and web developers in the audience. The former Microsoft MSFT -0.85% programmer and congressional candidate proposed a smartphone app allowing shoppers to swipe barcodes to check whether conservative billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch were behind a product on the shelves.
http://www.buycott.com/ (The App Is Free)
Burner figured the average supermarket shopper had no idea that buying Brawny paper towels, Angel Soft toilet paper or Dixie cups meant contributing cash to Koch Industries through its subsidiary Georgia-Pacific. Similarly, purchasing a pair of yoga pants containing Lycra or a Stainmaster carpet meant indirectly handing the Kochs your money (Koch Industries bought Invista, one of the world’s largest fiber and textiles companies, in 2004 from DuPont).

She wasn’t aware that as she delivered her Netroots speech, a group of developers was hard at work on Buycott, an even more sophisticated version of the app she proposed.

“I remember reading Forbes’ story on the proposed app to help boycott Koch Industries and wishing that we were ready to launch our product,” said Buycott’s marketing director Maceo Martinez.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2013/05/14/new-app-lets-you-boycott-koch-brothers-monsanto-and-more-by-scanning-your-shopping-cart/
29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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New App Lets You Boycott Koch Brothers, Monsanto And More By Scanning Your Shopping Cart (Original Post) Katashi_itto Apr 2014 OP
Great app.....is it free? Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #1
Yes it is. GP6971 Apr 2014 #3
Your iPhone that was built by Chinese slave labor? (nt) Nye Bevan Apr 2014 #9
Just like the rest of the cell phones we can do it Apr 2014 #16
My I-Phone was mandated by the company I work for el_bryanto Apr 2014 #25
Actually I don't think anyone is a "bastard" for using an iPhone. Nye Bevan Apr 2014 #26
Dang, cool app. Why didn't we think of that? Live and Learn Apr 2014 #2
Yay! shenmue Apr 2014 #4
done safeinOhio Apr 2014 #5
This is how you do it. DeSwiss Apr 2014 #6
Like the currently popular saying goes... Iggo Apr 2014 #15
K&R! Katashi_itto Apr 2014 #7
. Katashi_itto Apr 2014 #8
Great app! truebrit71 Apr 2014 #10
. Katashi_itto Apr 2014 #11
just got the app obxhead Apr 2014 #12
It's awesome! Katashi_itto Apr 2014 #13
Okay, I don't care all that much about boycotts. Too much time and energy. randome Apr 2014 #14
Thats the key. Make it easy Katashi_itto Apr 2014 #17
k Katashi_itto Apr 2014 #19
Koch Industries also makes commodity chemicals and commodity polymers jmowreader Apr 2014 #18
K&R marions ghost Apr 2014 #20
I've been using Buycott for a few months now. backscatter712 Apr 2014 #21
Thats cool!, I plan on using it every time I shop Katashi_itto Apr 2014 #22
Thanks! What an awesome resistance tactic! nt Zorra Apr 2014 #23
The people fighting back. That is a great idea. sabrina 1 Apr 2014 #24
Agree! Katashi_itto Apr 2014 #28
K&R !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t RKP5637 Apr 2014 #27
. Katashi_itto Apr 2014 #29

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)
25. My I-Phone was mandated by the company I work for
Mon Apr 7, 2014, 01:06 PM
Apr 2014

Does that make me a bastard? Or just part of a bastard?

What is my bastard index?

It probably doesn't matter, as I purchase up to $40 of music a month from I-Tunes, so I'm still supporting a company who employs Chinese slave labor.

Thank goodness none of the other products i consume are morally tainted.

Bryant

Nye Bevan

(25,406 posts)
26. Actually I don't think anyone is a "bastard" for using an iPhone.
Mon Apr 7, 2014, 01:09 PM
Apr 2014

I was simply pointing out the irony of using an iPhone app to figure out which less than ethical companies to boycott.

Live and Learn

(12,769 posts)
2. Dang, cool app. Why didn't we think of that?
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 03:56 AM
Apr 2014

I am always checking for the company logo to ensure it isn't one of theirs. This will make my life a bit easier.

 

DeSwiss

(27,137 posts)
6. This is how you do it.
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 06:09 AM
Apr 2014

By turning away from them, we control them. Get it???? THEY HAVE NO POWER. WE HAVE IT ALL. THEY KNOW THIS. THEY LOVE DIVIDING US TO KEEP THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE. AND WE UNWITTINGLY GO ALONG WITH THEM. THEY KNOW WE CAN BRING THEM TO THEIR KNEES ANY TIME WE WANT TO.

- But we don't. There'll be hell to pay, if we ever wake up.......

K&R

Iggo

(47,558 posts)
15. Like the currently popular saying goes...
Sat Apr 5, 2014, 02:48 PM
Apr 2014

..."The French Aristocracy never saw it coming, either."

 

obxhead

(8,434 posts)
12. just got the app
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 06:29 PM
Apr 2014

Seems to work quickly and easily. Tonight I'll play with it to set up my conflict list.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
14. Okay, I don't care all that much about boycotts. Too much time and energy.
Sat Apr 5, 2014, 02:43 PM
Apr 2014

But this sounds pretty damned convenient so I'm in.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

jmowreader

(50,559 posts)
18. Koch Industries also makes commodity chemicals and commodity polymers
Sat Apr 5, 2014, 03:52 PM
Apr 2014

If you make plastic products and you order 28 boxes of virgin polypropylene, there's a good chance you'll get more than one manufacturer's product in your order...and Koch Industries is a huge producer of polypropylene. They make a lot of other petrochemicals and also own an ammonia plant.

So in short, you can't fully boycott Koch Industries without becoming a caveman...you can, however, not buy the things you know they make.

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