How to help the world while helping yourself
By Sally Mathieson
We see them everyday
boycotting the Exxon station,
protesting apartheid in South
Africa, circulating petitions to
protect the spotted owl and save
old growth forest. We hurry on by
on our way to class, the library or
fhe EMU, and feel a pang of guilt.
Is there something more we could
be doing?
Helping has different lev
els. Chaining yourself to a federal
building is one way to make your
voice heard. Unfortunately, few
students have the time or the
inclination for this kind of pro
test. Donating $100 to Green
peace would be great, if only that
emergency loan didn’t have to be
paid off. And if it wasn’t for that
10-page paper due Monday, we
would have gone to the Nevada
testing site in a flash.
The life of a typical college
student does not mesh well with
radical protesting. “I’d love to
help more but it seems like 1
always have homework or a class
to go to!” says UO sophomore
Kristina Johnson. However,
there are other, less extreme,
ways of fighting for a cause or
working fora solution to the prob
lems of planet Earth.
Are you aware of viola
tions being committed by a large
corporation, such as the Exxon oil
spill in Alaska? Show your disap
proval by boycotting products
associated with the company. It
may cause some inconvenience,
but buying gas at the station
down the street or switching from
Coors to Rainier is not going to
radically alter your lifestyle. Yet
the message comes across to the
offenders.
Would you like to lie more
involved? Ixit the companies
know directly by writing them a
letter expressing your outrage.
Write to people involved in mak
ing public policy, such as city offi
cials or senators. (OSPIRG has a
form letter for writing to these
people that helps you state your
message clearly.) letters to the
editor of the local paper help to
alert the public.
If you do have some extra
cash, instead of buying that new
C.D. or pair of shorts, donate it to
a cause you believe in Many or
ganizations provide an expendi
ture summary detailing how do
nations are spent. If a group is
having a bake sale, try buying
your daily muffin there. The
money will go to a worthy cause,
and you will feel good knowing
your eating helped in a round
about way. Alerting your parents
and relatives to problems can
result in them donating some
money.
Recycling takes an effort
but the results, a clean, beautiful
environment and some extra
cash in your pocket, are worth it
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