18 Points to Escape the Corporate Matrix
Gary Null
Progressive Radio Network, June 29, 2011
- Avoid purchasing any clothing manufactured outside of the United States to increase industry at home.
- Support only local produce, goods and services (eg., farmers markets) and transition to buying organic only.
- Boycott purchasing food from the major super market chains, especially Walmart, and support smaller local food markets
- Boycott all genetically modified foods by demanding that food be properly labeled for containing genetically modified ingredients and for having been irradiated.
- Shift savings and checking to local Savings and Loan Banks and/or credit unions that do not engage in rampant derivatives and exotic investment instruments. Most important is remove all funds from major large banking institutions such as Citi, Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, etc..
- Become a socially responsible investor, and divest yourself from any corporate and financial institutional activities that exploit labor and the environment.
- Green your home and apartment, which can include re-insulating to minimize temperature fluctuations, installing exhaust systems for more efficient cooling
- Purchase organic bedding and install toxic-free carpeting or install wood or tiles for flooring.
- Adopt alternative forms of transportation that might include more walking and bicycling to curtail excessive and unnecessary use of cars and vehicles.
- Become socially engaged by protesting mandatory vaccinations and subscribe to progressive watch organizations devoted to mobilizing citizens to protest congressional and state bills that only benefit corporations and not citizens
- Vote with your conscience not your fears. Get complete voting records and corporate funding histories of any politician in any election to become aware of what he or she is likely to do when in office and why. And sponsor progressive candidates for all offices.
- Become engaged in your communities to organize and support anti-foreclosure referendums and support the reform and improvement of rental policies for those who have fallen behind in their mortgages due to the economic recession.
- Help initiate and support community barter services where individuals can sign up and provide their talents and time when available to share on a non-currency based exchange model.
- Donate whatever is not necessary to your life such as unused clothing and home items to the poor.
- Community service. Become engaged with those in need of kindness and compassion in your communities. This might be acting as a big brother or big sister for orphans or parentally deprived children. It might be helping senior citizens, helping with their shopping, banking, transportation, and taxes.
- Support cooperative community projects, the rent-a-couch movement, and help create proper screening for people to live temporarily in converted, unused spaces until they can get back on their feet. These can be converted garages, basements or attics and adjacent buildings on a property for a modest rent or barter arrangement.
- Support and/or initiate referendums that would convert abandoned buildings or lots to the public commons. These can be used as community spaces for organizing or community gardens.
- Demand by referendum that abandoned buildings and properties owned by the federal government, the states or local townships be converted to public housing for those in need.