Boycott Koch, Monsanto scanner app, yay!

[G_j]

Last edited Tue Jun 4, 2013, 04:36 AM - Edit history (1)

tweaked and working well on my phone now, so I'm reposting this.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2013/05/14/new-app-lets-you-boycott-koch-brothers-monsanto-and-more-by-scanning-your-shopping-cart/

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 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.

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).

At the time, Burner created a mock interface for her app, but that’s as far as she got. She was waiting to find the right team to build out the back end, which could be complicated given often murky corporate ownership structures.

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.

..more..

[Bearheim]

1. Awesome app

I've been using the Buycott app for about two weeks and it's working great. I really feel better about my shopping now. Not only can you avoid products from 'Koch' and others, you can join 'campaigns' and only purchase products from companies who support causes that you support.

[Ilsa]

2. I can't download it on my

iPhone because my phone is two years old. It wants a newer operating system. That's not going to happen anytime soon.

I do carry a list of Koch brands, though, to help me when I shop.

[Berlum]

3. We will see lots more of this as time goes on

from the left and the right.

[OnionPatch]

6. I can imagine the one from the right.....

Does the company exploit its workers? Check.
Does it despoil the environment? Check.
Contains lots of yummy GMOs? Check.

Alright! Throw it in the cart!!

[OnionPatch]

4. I've been using it and I love it!

It's really opened my eyes to so many things I've been buying without knowing they were from Koch Brothers or other immoral, unethical corporations. It's also helped me identify suitable substitutes, so I'm making big changes in where my money is going and it feels great.

I highly recommend the app. I really hope it catches on.

[G_j]

8. As soon as I got it working

I scanned the food on my shelves.
Felt pretty good about my choices.

[bunnies]

5. I tried it but it refuses to scan.

Such a bummer. It woulda been useful since mr. bunnies still eats some processed food. Oh well.

[marions ghost]

7. Glad to see this!

Buycott.

[UrbScotty]

9. Good to see this! (nt)

[eissa]

10. I love this app BUT

not sure if it's 100% accurate. I scanned a couple of P&G items, which I was certain were Koch-owned, and my scan said there was "no conflict"