Want to avoid buying from big corporations like Monsanto that have shown themselves to be less than ethical and environmentally responsible? Check out Buycott, a new app that will help you buy products from companies that align with your values. Available for both iOS and Android smart phones, Buycott will scan product barcodes, determine what brand they’re made by, and identify the company that owns that brand.
That means you can trace products all the way back to their parent companies, which can be extremely helpful in maintaining transparency – something most companies aren’t too keen to offer themselves. Did you know, for example, that Morningstar Farms vegetarian products are made by Kellogg’s, which has funneled a large amount of money into the Monsanto-led campaign to defeat GMO labeling?
Not only does Buycott provide an interactive tree diagram showing a product’s roots, it allows you to contact the companies directly through the app to send them messages of support or tell them why you won’t purchase their products. You can also create or join campaigns through the app, such as boycotting Monsanto or avoiding products with genetically modified ingredients.
When Buycott launched last week, its popularity was so explosive, the site crashed and the developers had to temporarily take it offline. Download it now through your phone’s app store and literally put the power of informed ethical purchasing into your own two hands.
via Treehugger

