Is there a way to boycott the Koch Brothers?

October 23, 2017 10:41 PM

Is there a way to boycott the Koch Brothers if you drive a gas powered and participate in modern economy to any extent? Air travel? Shipping?
posted by specialk420 to Science & Nature (8 answers total)

I at least try to avoid buying the obvious consumer products like Vanity Fair napkins, Brawny, and Dixie products. It's small but it's something.
posted by ereshkigal45 at 12:19 AM on October 24, 2017 [1 favorite]

Think globally, act (& buy) locally.
posted by aniola at 3:16 AM on October 24, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The Koch Brothers own Molex, which makes electrical components and connectors used in everything from cars to computers to cellphones. That one is going to be really hard.
posted by JoeZydeco at 5:04 AM on October 24, 2017 [1 favorite]

Buy everything used. It's better for the environment too.
posted by latkes at 6:55 AM on October 24, 2017 [5 favorites]

Best answer: Inspired by this question, I did a quick search. There was an article on Forbes and it mentioned an app - Buycott that helps you track which companies own the products that you're scanning at the supermarket.

I have never personally used it but it might be useful to you. Though it only covers products you can actually scan.
posted by 7life at 9:25 AM on October 24, 2017

Response by poster: For me fuel and transportation related boycotts are the first area I would like to understand better, is there a way I can purchase gasoline in the US without some of the money going to the Koch's?

I find it ironic that Blue States like California are some of the biggest users of gasoline which directly funds the Koch's and vis a vis the republican machine. For me its time to connect the dots and start voting with my dollars if my actual vote is getting drowned out by hacking, gerrymandering and the electoral college.
posted by specialk420 at 11:02 AM on October 24, 2017

If you are willing to switch to diesel vehicles you can use biodiesel.
posted by yohko at 5:59 PM on October 24, 2017

Yeah, the Molex one sucks. I have been in a position to exclude Molex connectors in a product because of this, and it felt pretty good. It helps that there are better, less expensive alternatives, like JST and Hirose. Lycra is another one that is hard to avoid. If you can, buy an electric car. There are used 500e Fiats available for surprisingly little in California, and besides being a sharp poke to the Kochs, they are fun to drive, economical, and less polluting.
posted by Maxwell's demon at 11:53 PM on October 25, 2017 [2 favorites]