Minara
Promoting Business Social Responsibility

Living Wage Symposiom: April 22, 2002: Dr. Peter Kuhn, from the Interdisciplinary Center of UCSB presented the finding of the Public Policy Institte of California and considered its iimplications for Santa Barbara. About 29 people attended from the City including Mayor Blum, Councilman Secord, Professor Sandoval and others. The conclusion was that the ordinance enacted in California cities did, in a statistically significant way, affect poverty and increase wages, but that the effect was small because the target population it affected was also small. The more widespread the coverage, the bigger the effect it seemed. Which begs the question as to why, in Santa Barbara, the coverage is so miniscule -- about 200 temp workers are going to be affected by it. If we're serious about making a difference in poverty, why didn't we include the for-profit businesses contracting to the city?!! Priorities and Influence perhaps? - Sri Subramanian

Santa Barbara passes Living Wage: March 19, 2002: The city of Santa Barbara passed a watered down Living Wage Ordinance. Excluded were 800 odd temporary employees and non-profits the city gives aid to, as well as for-profits which contract to the city. Most of 45 odd speakers supported the Ordinance but failed to convince the council to move it to commitee where the finer points could have been worked out.

Public Policy Institute of California: March 13, 2002: The Public Policy Institute of California released a study today to broadly state that cities that passed a Living Wage Ordinance, achieved in some measure their goals of decreasing poverty. It was all the more noteworthy since a conservative economist and a vocal Minimum Wage critic conducted the study and now supports the concept of a Living Wage. More...

Ventura City disses Living Wage:
March 11, 2002: The councilmembers of the city of Ventura swilling from the corporate trough rejected the Living Wage Ordinance after thespian bouts of grandstanding and handwringing, with Jim Friendman leading the charge in honor of the Ventura business community. So confident were businesses of getting their way that they didn't bother to send over a single representative to the hearing. More...

Boycott Pizza Hut Mushroom Pizzas: Pictsweet Mushroom Farms is abusing its workers and has lost many customers except for Pizza Hut. Don't order Pizza Hut pizzas with mushrooms, and tell them why you don't. To read more and take action, check out the UFW site.

You like Starbucks you say: Check out Starbucks' record on its social responsibility.

Fed up with the energy sector influence peddling? Sign the declaration for energy independence.

Ford Motor Company vs. Bill Ford: Whatever happened to Bill Ford's pro-environmental stance? Ever since he took over as Chief Executive, he has been converted by his industry's sole focus on profits. He recently lobbied the Senate to defeat the CAFE standards by being part of a nasty ad blitz which apparently showed farmers driving subcompact cars to tend to their farms. C'mon Mr. Ford, you have the opportunity to make the world a better place -- use it!

Living Wage Research: Check out the Public Policy Institute of Calfornia's report. Also, check out the ACORN's Living Wage website for more links.

Other links:

Responsible Wealth Network of Business people.

Green Money: Tons of links to green resources.

Interested in Fair Trade Coffee? Check out the Equal Exchange.