Life and Soul

Ecuador -Part 6

One small example of how we can all effect individual companies or products, it must be nearly ten years ago at the beginnings of my sound engineering journey.

I was on the way to a gig with a friend Ezer another sound engineer. Sometime during the journey I needed petrol and pulled into the first garage that came along, which happened to be a Shell garage, I had given it no thought. As we pulled in Ezer asked “why had I stopped at a Shell garage?”

“Its petrol init” I replied.

“It might just be petrol but do you understand the devastation & heartache that Shell has caused round the world in pursuit of its oil, their disregard for everything apart from the amount of oil they could extract from beneath the ground”

That was 10 years ago, since then I have been in a Shell garage twice, under great protest, feeling like I’d sold out to myself. The point being that twice in ten years is not very many times, hardly a good customer, that’s two people that won’t buy Shell petrol, any more? Imagine what could happen if more people became aware and took responsibility for their actions, So much can be changed or influenced by not buying a companies product, they have to react by listening to there customers something which they had long taken for granted.
There are far too many excuses used as reasons for not acting “there all as bad as each other” being one of the most frustrating, I feel we cannot afford not to act; things can change if you find the will.
Eight years later I was watching TV, a report on the news about Esso, similar story to Shell environmental abuse & disregard for local inhabitancy. I haven’t been to an Esso station in two years. Soon as I discover more about the other petroleum companies I shall have to sell my motorbike due to a lack of purchasable fuel.

You can make a change, a difference; it’s not easy but totally possible if you take control of your actions & opinions.