Categories

Archives

More...

About

« SEC attempting to rein in shareholder activism | Main | Dirty pretty things »

September 26, 2007

WYSIWUG

I just came across a funny new word that sounds like it should describe something wookiees do behind closed doors but actually has a more useful meaning. Wugging, or web-use giving, lets you raise money for do-gooder groups by shopping online and using search engines—things you probably do anyway.

Everyclicklogoindex_2 The great thing about wugging is that it costs you nothing. The money comes from affiliate marketing programs and search-engine advertisers. Alonovo, which I’ve blogged about before, is one example of a wugging site. Here are some more:

Everyclick is a U.K.-based search engine, powered by Ask.com, that gives 50 percent of its gross revenues to charity every month. You can pick a group to benefit from your searches from a list of 170,000 organizations. Everyclick says it has raised nearly $586,000 so far.

Here in the U.S., GoodSearch follows essentially the same model. It’s powered by Yahoo, and it has 44,207 participating nonprofits and Goodsearch_croppedsm_2 schools. GoodSearch offers more than just search, however. This year it added a shopping component that lets you raise money for your favorite group by buying from online retailers such as iTunes, Macy’s, Travelocity, and Walmart.

For more wugging fun, check out FreePledge, where you can shop from 189 merchants and choose a beneficiary from among 259 nonprofits, and Schoolpop, which lets you pay down tuition and student loans and raise money for your favorite school. (Schoolpop, it should be noted, is not exclusively web-based; users can also participate in stores and via its branded credit card.)

The wonderful world of wugging is not without its downsides. For one thing, e-commerce wugging sites (as opposed to search engines) give people an incentive to buy from large corporations whose values may not be in line with their own. Then there’s the issue of the energy consumed by shipping all those products. If you’re buying something that you could have found at a local shop, the good that comes from your wugging donation could be outweighed by the benefits of keeping your money in your community.

Still, if you’re going to be shopping and searching online (and who among us isn’t, really?), why not put those keystrokes to good use?

Posted at 03:35 PM in Shopping with a conscience |

| | | |

Comments

My buycotts & boycotts

  • December 2010
    I haven't actually bought anything from Po-Zu yet, but I appreciate their awareness of the fact that many vegan shoes are made of petroleum products and aren't necessarily better for the environment than leather footwear. Po-Zu seems to set a high bar for itself when it comes to ingredients and supply chains.
  • March 2010
    After running out of dish soap, I started using our good old bars of Sappo Hill out of necessity. But you know what? Our dishes are just as clean, and when I pick up the soap at our grocery store, the only packaging on the bars is the price tag. And did I mention the soap is awesome? We love the oatmeal bar.
  • February 2010
    TMI alert: If you're a squeamish guy, read no further. I'm done with tampons! Instead, I'm using the DivaCup.
  • January 2010
    Mr. Wallet Mouth and I both love Pact. Its underwear is made of organic cotton, and the company donates 10% of its sales to worthy environmental causes. Not only that, but the company is serious about eco-friendly packaging. Each pair of undies comes not in a plastic bag but in a little cloth pouch made from fabric remnants. I'm also impressed with how responsive Pact is over email; when I asked a packaging question, I got a nice reply from the CEO.
  • December 2009
    After reading about Skoy Cloths, the biodegradable paper-towel alternative, on Fake Plastic Fish, I bought a bunch for stocking stuffers and my own kitchen, and I'm now a fan. They're lasting a long time, despite repeated washings in the laundry, and they arrive with minimal packaging.
  • October 2009
    I was already of fan of Straus yogurt (see June 2007), but now I love it even more. According to Michael Straus, a son of the company's founder, Straus yogurt "is made, cooled, and set in stainless-steel vats, unlike most yogurts, which are poured while still hot into plastic cups to cool and set." As someone who's concerned about plastics and chemical safety, I'm happy to hear that!
  • July 2009
    I'm using a lot more baking soda now that I'm making more of an effort to clean the house in a nontoxic way. But from now on I'll be buying Bob's Red Mill, since Arm & Hammer engages in animal testing.
  • July 2008
    Started feeling extra-good about buying one of my fave meat substitutes, Tofurky, after learning that its maker, Turtle Island Foods, is an independent, family-owned company (Unlike Boca Foods, which is a subsidiary of Kraft, and Morningstar, which is owned by Kellogg).
  • April 2008
    I'm going to start buying my canned beans from Eden Foods, for two reasons: it uses custom-made cans that don't contain bisphenol A, and it's an independent, family-operated company.
  • February 2008
    From now on, whenever I order takeout or ask for a doggy bag, I’ll make sure to avoid #6 polystyrene containers (and, of course, Styrofoam).

Tip Jar

Change is good

Tip Jar