Why Costco and I Are Parting

First Consumer Reports, and now Costco.  I hadn’t intended this to be a month of “shedding.”  But one doesn’t always control timing.  You may have noticed that.  J

I like Costco.  I’ve been a member for years.  That comes to an end this month.  The reason?  Last November, Costco unashamedly bought an election.

Costco wanted to be able to sell booze.  The legislature had refused to pass a bill that would take the State of Washington out of the liquor business.  And two years ago, a statewide initiative to do what the legislature wouldn’t do failed.  Truth be told, I voted FOR the initiative.  I don’t see why the state needs to be in the liquor business. 

So why did I vote against it the second time?  And why am I leaving Costco?  The two are related.  This time out, Costco decided to buy the election.  It poured millions and then more millions and then even more millions into advertising.  This is morally and ethically unacceptable.  It may be legal (after all, money is speech, just ask the Supreme Court who, 5 to 4, plainly said so) but it’s not moral and it’s not ethical, and buying an election OUGHT to be illegal.

So this time out I voted against the initiative.  I might have forgiven Costco if its efforts at totally compromising democracy had failed.  But it didn’t fail.  It succeeded  Our democracy was successfully compromised.  So I determined to leave Costco.  For various reasons I couldn’t leave until now.  But now it’s over. 

I got good, cheap gas at Costco, and good prescription prices.  No more.  I buy my gas elsewhere now.  And all my prescriptions have all been transferred. 

I’ll feel a financial pinch by leaving Costco.  But the integrity of our elections ought to mean something.  It does to me.  I’ve spoken before about the high cost of cheap.  The price of cheap at Costco has become too high.

You might well say it’s a futile gesture.  Costco will make money hand over fist.  Very likely.  My leaving will cause not even a ripple.  Without a doubt, quite true.  No one will care.  On this I beg to differ.  I will care.

I believe there are those who would control us by making us feel that we are powerless.  We are not powerless.  If enough of us leave Costco, it will indeed make a difference – a huge difference.  But if nothing else, when I get up in the morning, I’ll be able to respect  the sleepy face and drooping eyes staring back at me from the bathroom mirror.  That alone is worth the price.

Possessions, power, wealth, glitz – they are all illusions.  In the end, who we are is all we ever really have.

Saying "No" to Consumer Reports

Living Interfaith can mean really big things some times, and sometimes rather small things.  I wrote the letter below to the president of Consumer Reports.  Haven’t heard back from him yet.  But I felt it was an important letter to write.  “Consumer” is not the same as “Consumerism.”  We all consume.  But if we would live our faith (or our beliefs if you prefer), I think we need to reflect upon our personal responsibilities as consumers.  In the next blog, I want to talk a bit about some ways to shop ethically.  Meanwhile:

 ___________________________________________________________

Mr. Jim Guest, President

Consumer Reports

101 Truman Avenue

Yonkers,  NY  10703-1057

21 February 2012

Dear Mr. Guest,

I’m sixty-three.  For much of my life, starting in my early twenties, I renewed my subscription to Consumer Reports year after year.  For about ten years now I have not.  You asked me to try again, and I accepted the trial offer.  You may not care, as I’ve written before and never once received a reply, but I feel it’s important to tell you why I cannot accept your subscription offer to Consumer Reports. 

I believe we must move away from a society that is only interested in consumption.  As a consumer, the questions I want answered are many.  But I am not interested in, nor can I support a magazine for whom price and “value” are the only driving concerns.  Below is what I need to know about my consumer purchases.   I would urge, indeed beg you to consider reformatting your magazine to answer all, not just a few of these questions.

1) Green Factor – this you occasionally mention (which IS an improvement), but ignore on any regular basis.

• What kind of packaging does it come in, and is it recyclable?

• What is the impact of the product on the environment? 
1. How much energy is involved in its use?  Are there similar products that use less energy?
2. How much energy is involved in its production? 
3. What is its impact on resources? (what is it made of and what does that mean?)
• Is it reparable? (assuming we are not dealing with a food item) or must it be dumped in the trash if it fails to work?  Are there similar products that ARE reparable? 

2) Justice Factor – this you completely ignore.

• How does the company that makes the product treat it’s employees?
• How does the company that makes the product treat its suppliers?
• How does the company that makes the product act in the world?

3)  Value – how well made is it for the price?  Is it safe?  This you do quite well already.

4) Cost Comparisons – What are comparable products running?  This you also do quite well already.

5) Use Factor – How long will it last?  Here you do a mostly ok job.

For you to concentrate on #s 3-5 and give virtually no attention to 1 & 2  is to deny the consumer crucial information.  It also perpetuates the use and throw away culture that endangers not only us, but our children and the planet.  The truth of it is that everything we do as consumers affects other consumers.  The time has come where I believe we must, as consumers, consider how our consumption affects the world.

As example, it so happens that I had to replace my television recently.  I did research and ended up buying a Panasonic LED TV.  Then, in your “trial” report, you talked about TV’s.  Nowhere do you mention how much electricity a plasma TV uses as opposed to an LED, nor do you compare the various models for use of electricity.  This was crucial to my decision.  And I realized that your magazine would have been of no help to me.

I have cancelled my subscription.

Yours sincerely,

Rev. Steven Greenebaum