Are you planning to boycott BP?
As of May 5, the Associated Press reported there didn’t appear to be a consumer backlash against BP. Some commenters on our own Biz Beat blog said accidents happened and the overall feeling on the blog on May 5 wasn’t too angry.
However, 22 days later I’ve been hearing more moms talking about boycotting BP. I kept hearing snippets at the school picnic on Wednesday of moms reminding other moms not to stop at the BP. I also was involved in a conversation about it at the Kroger gas station.
What are you hearing and seeing in your community? Are you planning to boycott BP?
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159 comments Add your comment
iRun
May 28th, 2010
12:37 am
Yep, sure am. I was born and raised in south Louisiana and have a lot of family there.
No BP. And yes, I still expect them to pay for the clean up, even if a boycott means they go broke.
But they won’t go broke.
G.R.I.T.S.
May 28th, 2010
7:04 am
their stupidity is killing oceans…i dont use BP anyway so i wont be doing anything any differently. so many people are suffering from the negligence of this company-there is no telling what the final damage is going to be to the people and to the ocean life. it is atrocious that this happened. the whole thing is a huge huge screw up.
Jeff
May 28th, 2010
7:06 am
I don’t PLAN to boycott them. Mostly because my experience has been that boycotts don’t actually accomplish anything other than to make the boycott-ers feel good about themselves that they are doing something. Sorry, iRun. I know it affects you personally and you are within your right to boycott and you are certainly free to do that. It’s just not something I’m going move up on my list of important stuff to do.
I’ll even offer this question: If BP gas prices were to be reduced 25%-50% lower than everyone else, would you buy the product?
Andrea
May 28th, 2010
8:03 am
I have to agree with Jeff. If BP lowered its prices after hearing rumblings of a boycott, I would bet my paycheck a lot of the boycotters would have second thoughts.
@iRun: I will pray for your friends and family in the area. It is going to take a lot of time to recover but if that is the intent of your friends and family, I pray they are able to do so.
motherjanegoose
May 28th, 2010
8:20 am
I have not heard a peep about this. I buy my gas at Costco, Kroger and once in a while Qwik Trip.
Good point about the discount. Many shop Wal Mart ( and yes, I worked there for 7 years over 30 years ago…store # 76 way before it was a supercenter) but whine about the smaller businesses diminishing…..HELLO?
I chuckle at folks who tell me they are getting some of their prescriptions for FREE. This is called a loss leader, I believe. Most folks will not just purchase their prescription when they WALK INTO the store. Do they even have a drive through at the Wal Mart Pharmacy? If they can afford to offer this perk, good for them. BUT you most likely WILL be purchasing something else, while you are in there. Not much is actually free!
JudyRFC
May 28th, 2010
9:58 am
Jeff, you probably are right to be cynical.
That being said, unless you do something, anything, you are not contributing anything other than a whine. So you can just sit with your hands folded and play the victim card, or put in the effort to make change.
Even something as small as starting a dialog is better than not doing anything.
As for the power of the almighty buck: yes, many folks would ignore the ethical choice if it meant paying less, and who knows, being able to let your family function in this economic climate. Still, there are those who will make the choice to send a message. It’s entirely up to you to make the choice.
Here’s a good group to join on FB for anyone who’s interested:
Boycott BP
Uconn
May 28th, 2010
11:06 am
I will boycott them… Qwiktrip’s gas is cheaper anyway… but everytime I see those Dawn commercials with them washing the animals free of oil, it breaks my heart! I went out and bought a whole bunch of Dawn soap bc they say they donate $1 to help clean animals…. such a sad sad thing. So sorry to say this but if you were one of the ones who chanted ‘Drill baby Drill’, they are waiting for you in the gulf to help with clean up efforts… Just because it may not affect us or our children we have to be concerned with what we do to this planet… So sad….
Truth
May 28th, 2010
11:11 am
I wont use any other gas than BP. IT’s not arab oil, it’s British Petroleum. I will continue to use BP and support their efforts to clean up their mess.
I will not put crappy Walmart, Kroger or Costco gas in my car. Their gas is filthy and every time I put QT gas in my car, the engine knocks.
I’ll stick with BP. They have accepted responsibility for the oil spill and they are trying to come up with a solution. You have to remember, that leak is A MILE under the surface of the water. It is freezing down there, no light at all….
When a company claims responsibility, and doesn’t point fingers, that to me, is a good company. A few of our elected officials could take a lesson from them.
Tiger Ochocinco Mellencamp
May 28th, 2010
11:19 am
How exactly do you people plan on boycotting them? Do you think that all the gas that BP drills and refines ONLY goes to BP gas stations? That’s not how it works. All the gas from the gas companies get traded as a commodity. Your local Exxon, Chevron, BP, Phillips gas stations DON’T discriminate from whom they purchase their gas. It’s very likely that the fuel you purchased from your local Mobil station was harvested and refined by an oil company OTHER than Mobil…and seeing how BP is one of the largest oil companies in the world, you should know that you will be buying fuel harvested by them no matter where you go…it’s just the way the business is.
The only REAL way to boycott BP is to boycott gas and our oil dependent needs. Who’s ready to do that? Theresa, are you driving the kids to the museum this summer for their outings or walking them to the bus stop and taking a solar powered mass transportation vehicle? I have a feeling you’ll be in the minivan with the AC cranking. Nice idealism though.
motherjanegoose
May 28th, 2010
11:24 am
@ truth…I am sincere in this question…will my 2007 Chevy Malibu actually run better or last longer if I use BP gas and not the gas at Costco?
penguinmom
May 28th, 2010
11:25 am
I currently purchase my gas from Kroger or QT. So I’m not going to go out of my way to purchase BP oil but I won’t specifically boycott the company either. There are risks to any energy enterprise. We just have to weigh the risks against the benefits. Until we come up with a viable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles (and, no electric is not a viable alternative) we need oil and that means someone somewhere has to drill for it.
penguinmom
May 28th, 2010
11:26 am
@Tiger, well said.
Tiger Ochocinco Mellencamp
May 28th, 2010
11:35 am
@MJG, UCONN, penguinmom, truth……buying from Kroger’s, Costco, Walmart, Qwiktrip gas stations….you guys are still buying BP oil! You need to realize that!
Tiger Ochocinco Mellencamp
May 28th, 2010
11:38 am
@MJG…in all likelihood, a significant proportion of the the gas at Costco was drilled for and brought to market by BP. There may be some refining differences and different distributors, but for the most part the is NO difference between the gas provided by any gas station…..actually if you do some reasearch you’ll also find there is virtually no difference between the premium stuff and the regular stuff either. It’s all marketing to get the consumer to purchase their product.
motherjanegoose
May 28th, 2010
12:01 pm
@ tiger…thanks. I AM clear on the fact that gas can come from anywhere. I was unclear as to whether gas at certain stations is actually BETTER gas.
Tiger Ochocinco Mellencamp
May 28th, 2010
12:07 pm
@MJG…..my bad then, I assumed that when you said “I buy my gas at Costco, Kroger and once in a while Qwik Trip”, that you were under the assumption that you were not indirectly supporting BP.
YUKI
May 28th, 2010
12:17 pm
I’m from South Louisiana as well, and I’m not planning on boycotting BP. I have several friends who’s husbands work offshore, some for BP. This was an accident, and all though they may not have handled it as well as some would hope, I have faith that they will do their part for the clean up effort. The people of Louisiana are suffering, yes. Having family and friends there makes it all the more real. Getting up in arms about “boycotting” your local gas station is not going to do anything useful.
Mattie
May 28th, 2010
12:26 pm
None of the “BP” gas stations in GA are owned by the corporation. They are all individually owned by small business owners trying to make a living. Boycotting BP will only hurt the little guy, not the ones responsible for the oil leak.
motherjanegoose
May 28th, 2010
12:32 pm
@ tiger….No biggy, I was just mentioned where I “shop”.
Dingy
May 28th, 2010
12:48 pm
Every time I see the tanker truck re-filling at my Costco it has a BP sticker on the door – I kid you not! Does that mean I should also boycott Costco?
Becky
May 28th, 2010
1:28 pm
Amen Tiger..You are 100% correct..No, I won’t boycott BP, but I won’t go out of my way to use their gas..Since there aren’t any BP’s within miles of me, this isn’t a problem..
@MJG..No, gas from one station isn’t any better than gas from another station..My ex works in the petroleum industry and I learned this from him (via others) ..
@Dingy (and others)..Never put gas in your car while the tanker truck is there..While they are dumping gas into the storage tanks, it stirs up dust and other setiments that go into your car..
Sorry if there are any typos or mispellings in my post, I’m not at my usual keyboard..
Esq.
May 28th, 2010
1:46 pm
No, I will not “boycott” BP. I’ll admit that I don’t regularly shop BP for gasoline unless traveling and it happens to be the most convenient place for gasoline. This won’t change.
JATL
May 28th, 2010
2:24 pm
@ Tiger -thank you! That’s one of the main reasons I won’t boycott BP. The disaster in the gulf makes me nauseous, but BP oil goes to a number of different distributors, and they had contracted the drilling on that rig out to a different company that should have been more proactive in making sure all of their equipment was in good shape. I DO think they should be responsible, because in the end their name is on it, and we’ll probably never know the real truth about how hawkish they were about watching their contractor’s practices (hmmmm -bet that might change).At this point, I just really don’t see what good boycotting BP is going to do except for perhaps giving me or someone else personal satisfaction. There are TONS of BP station owners out there who depend on their BP gas station and quick mart for their livelihoods -I don’t think they need to be punished. I don’t go out of my way to buy BP and have never had any engine differences from using gas anywhere (even when driving high performance cars). However, BP is the most convenient station to me leaving my neighborhood in both directions, so I do use them a good bit.
iRun
May 28th, 2010
4:06 pm
Well, first, to answer Jeff, even if they lowered their prices I wouldn’t buy their gas. I’m fairly well-off, enough so that I’d gladly pay $10/gal prices if it was somehow lab created extra special magical environmentally friendly and likes kittens. Even if I had to buy gas twice a week. So, there’s no financial incentive for me.
As for Tiger’s point, I understand and already knew that. However, it’s more of a statement. I also plan to put pressure on my legislators and sign petitions, etc, support efforts to wean this country off all oil. I would gladly support nationalizing our oil industry so that all oil drilled off the US coast belongs to the US…we might allow private companies to harvest it, for a fee. Or some kind of public/private partnership.
However, ALL this being said…I rarely ever drive. One of the reasons I moved to my neighborhood in the city was so that I could bike to work. So, 2 days a week I telework and the other 3 days I either bike or run. Right now I am recovering from marathoning so I am not running the 5.5 mile one-way route.
So, I buy gas maybe once a month. Probably more like every 6 weeks. If I tank up (26 gallon tank in the minivan) then I might go 2 months.
JATL
May 28th, 2010
4:39 pm
@iRun -I completely agree with your first paragraph. I also wish they wouldn’t do any off-shore drilling, and if that makes prices and supply out of reach, then maybe industry and the government will be FORCED to find alternatives and find them NOW!
Tiger Ochocinco Mellencamp
May 28th, 2010
4:43 pm
@irun…so basically, you’re NOT boycotting BP. I mean, that’s the end result. Your first post was “yep, sure am”. but understanding that any time you buy gas you are most likely buying a BP product even though you’re not buying it from a BP station, AND understanding that you’re less dependent on oil than the average American, then what you’re prepared to do, and the civil response you’re prepared to take is……well……nothing more than you were doing the day before the Deep Horizon exploded.
I’m sure all that family you spoke of in LA who are affected by this tragedy are touched at the lengths you’re prepared to go.
Gary Lux
May 28th, 2010
10:08 pm
I haven’t purchase a single gallon of gas from Exxon since the Valdez spill – And you can bet that BP will never get a dime from me again! I’d rather ride my bicycle thank you.
penguinmom
May 28th, 2010
10:50 pm
@Tiger, I’m with MJG in that I knew gas could come from any supplier. I should have said ‘I wont’ go out of my way to purchase gas at at BP gas station.’ :-)
I actually wish we would get a refinery here in GA so that we could accept oil shipments from Atlantic ports and refine them here in GA. It would keep us from having another situation like the hurricane (Ike?) that shut down oil refineries and caused our gas prices to go through the roof.
iRun
May 29th, 2010
9:10 am
Tiger, my civic response is nothing? I moved out of a large house in the burbs to a much smaller ones in the city so I could be less oil dependent I made a lifestyle commitment to making my contribution to the oil industry as small as possible.
However, that being said, unless BP sells it’s oil to Exxon or Shell or Chevron, then I won’t be buying BP’s oil. The closest stations to my house are a BP and a Chevron (or maybe it’s an Exxon). Guess which one I don’t go to?
At least now.
But just because my financial impact on this company isn’t anything even close to a flying gnat in the eyes doesn’t mean I shouldn’t act. Again, I’ll put my money where my agenda is, and that’s towards legislators who support greener energy produced from the US. That’s where I hope to have impact.
But as a coastal native it’s my sensibilities that demand I don’t buy BP.
motherjanegoose
May 29th, 2010
9:14 am
@ irun, I respect and appreciate the fact that you do not need to drive, as much as some of the rest of us. I have clients all over the metro Atlanta area and carry WAY too much stuff with me to walk or ride a bike. I cannot even take Marta to the airport, as I have TWO 50 pound suitcases to wrangle with and my carry on.
I remember, right after 911, many said, ” I do not need to fly on an airplane…”
Fine, but some of us do and some of those who do not fly depend on those who do fly (to meetings) to learn things and bring them back: medical, product development, research etc.
Am I the only one who purchases products that are trucked in with gas?
If my world included the places that I could bicycle to or walk, it would be kind of small.
cars-R-coffins
May 29th, 2010
12:52 pm
@Irun, I am with you, at 48 years old, I bike commute from the North Decatur area 30 miles round trip to my job (high school physics teacher)- I am former bike messenger during my college days so I can’t even think of getting to my job any other way than human powered. One more bike = one less car = one less oil addict. I try generally to boycott Americas’ addiction to oil, and obesity. Oh, BTW I weigh the same as I did as when I was in the military in 1982 and my resting heart beat is less than my age! I love my bicycle(s)!
Boycott - YES
May 29th, 2010
1:17 pm
And I’ll urge legislators to develop, promote, and fund alternate energy sources. Big oil = lobbyists, big money, special interests, bribes, payoffs, etc. It’s an uphill climb.
DavidS
May 29th, 2010
1:32 pm
I certainly have no problems with boycotts. My wife and I have been boycotting Proctor and Gamble for over 20 years in protest of the 50,000 innocent animals they kill every year in “product safety” tests that virtually all of their competitors found alternatives to years ago. They are the scum of the earth kind of company.
That being said, let us not forget that the Federal Government passed a law capping liability for oil companies for just this sort of accident. So long as that cap exists, one cannot expect it to not negatively impact the behavior of the company. Why bother making sure you have the right protections in place to keep the fishing industry safe when your liability cap is 75 million dollars? Why do anything more than what might cost 75 million dollars?
While I am not saying anything positive about BP, let us not forget the role the Federal Government played in this by alleviating BP of any responsibility beyond 75 million dollars.
In the Free Market – if we actually had one – a company would be TOTALLY liable for the damages they caused. Thanks to a failed regulatory system (arent’ they all) and a system of CRONY CAPITALISM that allows politically connected businesses to use the power and lawmaking ability of the government to absolve them of responsibility, we have the situation we have today.
If you are going to boycott BP, then in all fairness you must also boycott the failed Federal Government, for they are surely as much to blame for this disaster as BP. They set up the economic conditions that influenced BP actions regarding prevention, spill control, and environmental protection.
No, this is not a stab at Obama or his administration. Both Democrats and Republicans are to blame for they both believe in the failed regulatory state and using the power of government to absolve businesses from their responsibility to the public. Both parties should be boycotted in the next and every future election.
Doug
May 29th, 2010
1:34 pm
To all those who plan to boycott BP-
You are welcome to do so. It is your option.
While you are at it, get rid of your computers, cell phones, some of your clothes, etc. They are all made from petroleum derivatives provided by BP among others.
None of us wanted to see this happen.
DavidS
May 29th, 2010
1:37 pm
And by the way, government subsidies of “alternative energy” sources are just as much of a problem as the current subsidies of oil and the pro-oil energy policy. It is not the role of the government to promote any business or industry except by cutting taxes and regulations to all business and industry.
Just look at ethanol. This horrible alternative to oil is more costly to produce, takes food out of the food supply, and is ultimately worse on the overall environment than oil. But since folks like the powerful Tom Harkin are from corn-producing states like Iowa, the well-documented failure of ethanol production continues to receive billions and billions of our tax dollars to support the industry. That is the problem with the Crony Capitalism system (yes, that’s what we have, not Free Market Capitalism – I wish more people would understand that).
RJ
May 29th, 2010
1:45 pm
@ iRun Chevron = Hugo Chavez; and LOL at the “fairly well off” proclamation.
The psyche of certain posters is amusing, as well as disturbing.
Brian
May 29th, 2010
2:19 pm
Doug, don’t forget to add things like dishwashing soap, shampoo, and tires to the list.
Sloan
May 29th, 2010
2:57 pm
All of you are ignoring the most accurate statement on this blog so far: Mattie had it right. Boycotting BP stations in the South that are owned by independent businessmen who are part of our local communities is really not going to be very effective. It will hurt these business owners much more than the corporation that is BP. And those business owners who happen to have the misfortune of flying the BP franchise banner are no more responsible for this disaster than you and I are.
P
May 29th, 2010
3:12 pm
Thank God only 39 comments on this stupid question in a little over a day (of which about half are just from uninformed people).
I will renew my desire to boycott dumb, uneducated people. Unfortunately there are so many of them.
motherjanegoose
May 29th, 2010
3:24 pm
P…curious, do you consider me informed or uniformed? I know VERY little about the big picture of petroleum. What I do know is that so many things are a bigger picture than most folks I meet ( and here) actually realize…does that make sense?
stephanie
May 29th, 2010
3:29 pm
yup, definately boycotting BP.
outspoken1
May 29th, 2010
3:52 pm
rest assured….ALL major brands of Gasoline will raise their prices to help BP swallow this bitter pill.
It would be little surprising that O’bama doesn’t give BP a little tarp money to help them with the clean up.
BE 100% SURE THAT WE ARE ALL PAYING FOR THIS CLEAN UP…..NOT BP!!!
awfox
May 29th, 2010
3:58 pm
Let us not forget…the person (business) most sorry that this happened is BP!! You know every time they see the camera showing all their profits pooring into the ocean they cry alligator tears.
Get over it folks it was/is an accident. And by the way if Obama thinks he can fix this when BP has not (so far)…how funny is that. To throw money at this when America is already broke turns my stomach.
Billy O
May 29th, 2010
5:12 pm
If you want BP to be able to pay for the clean up, you had better support BP…..not boycott them. If you want to boycott somebody choose Citgo and GE.
The Cynical White Boy
May 29th, 2010
5:18 pm
This news bulletin just in….
Obama has invited the Oil Spill and the Gulf of Mexico up to the White House for a beer (at our expense of course).
Obama will smooth talk both of them into resolving their differences, then the 3 of them will pose for CNN and the AJC and sing “Kum Ba Yah”, followed immediately by the pre-emptive awarding of the next Peace Prize to our wonderful leader Comrade Obama for solving this latest crisis.
David McCarthy
May 29th, 2010
5:48 pm
You can’t boycott….BP
WE ARE ALL GUILTY for using CHEAP GAS & oil products………..cars, air transport, eye glasses, shoes etc. and so on…………………….
We would be shooting ourselves in the foot, and normal people know that.
It is our thirst by …….THE AMERICAN PEOPLE is why BP is in the gulf in the first place.
United States needs BP and other oil companies to feed there glutten desire for oil.
Mary
May 29th, 2010
8:26 pm
Yes, I will boycott ARco. And I am making a difference. I have a Prius and usually wave as I go past gas staton. Do I feel morally superior? You bet I do!!! I do not drink water out of plastic and buy my mayo the only place that still has it in glass where I shop, trader Joe. I take my own bags to the stores. Will it make a difference? Just me, no, but millions would. But this country is too lazy and too involved in their big machines. Shame on all of you who do not do more.
Anti-Tree Humper
May 29th, 2010
8:56 pm
wow…I feel intellectually inferior to you Mary…not….hows that “global warming” thing working out for you? Please dont push your “I am better than you because I take my own bags to the Trader Joes” crap. I bet you buy that 8 dollar organic stuff that has been proven to have no advantage over the regular stuff.
If we all should “boycott” a gas station it should be Citgo. No need to send more money to Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. I like BP gas and it helps my car run smoother and get better miles. Please boycott, it will make the lines at BP much easier to negotiate.
I own a toyota and when the company was getting raked over by the imperial federal government. I got a letter in the mail apologizing for the events that were going on and I was more than welcome to bring my car back for a trade in if I had lost confidence in the vehicle. I love companies who take responsibility for their actions. Only if politicians did this.
DB
May 30th, 2010
9:46 am
No, I am not planning to boycott BP — what purpose would that serve? It was an ACCIDENT, a force of nature called a “blowout.” I don’t think anyone in the world thinks that BP did this on purpose. Why is it that if a person has accident, it’s simply a matter of a “perfect storm” of circumstances, but if an accident happens to a company, suddenly the company is evil, manipulative and greedy and “should have been able to anticipate it”? Hypocritical thinking at its finest.
Ironically, if BP had been allowed to drill closer to shore, instead of being forced out into deep water, this spill may have been capped weeks ago. But because environmentalist pressure pushed the oil drilling so far offshore, the measures that would have probably worked in shallower waters are ineffective in deep water. Oops . . .
BP can’t win in this situation. If the leak is capped, then you better bet that current federal government administration will take credit for it in some form or fashion. If it isn’t capped quickly, then it’s all BP’s fault.
I haven’t set foot in a Citgo, however, since Huge Chavez started running his mouth.
tbug
May 31st, 2010
10:35 am
yes, I will boycott bp, this is a terriable disaster. This was an accident that could have been preveted! How does BP get away with not having equipent inspected for four years. If the company does not have any preventitive measures in place, they should not have been allowed to continue. This is a devistation to wild life, food and jobs.
DB
May 31st, 2010
11:06 am
@tbug: As far as I can tell past your numerous grammatical and spelling errors, you think that the accident could be prevented. To say that “BP (got) away with not hving equipent (sp) inspected for four years” implies that BP has been drilling in this location for four years, when, in reality, they didn’t start drilling until February of this year.
BP had the required blowout preventer, but it didn’t have an acoutically-controlled shut-down which MAY have helped — and which was NOT required by the Minerals Management Services (a division of the Dept. of the Interior. The blowout ripped out all the safety measures in place — there is no reason to think that an additional measure would have been any more successful.
DB
May 31st, 2010
4:48 pm
Hmm, before I start throwing stones, I guess I had better check my own spelling!
“could have been” prevent, “acoustically-controlled”, left out a parenthesis . . . sheesh. Back under my rock. . .
GailWhite
June 1st, 2010
8:13 am
Remember when you buy BP
And hear it softly seethe,
The oil that runs your SUV
Is hard for fish to breathe.
An oil slick threatens oyster beds
And dolphins in the Gulf.
It’s time to yell for corporate heads
And tell BP “Enough!”
Miles Jones
June 1st, 2010
5:31 pm
Already am with these http://cafepress.com/bpsticker. One on the mini-van, one on husband’s work car, and one on our son’s car.
obx62570
June 2nd, 2010
12:19 am
Do you really want to make a difference? My 16 year old son has organized a donation drive to collect DAWN (blue) dishwasing liquid to be donated to the International Bird Research and Rescue Center (ibrrc.org). We have collected over 300 bottles in just 10 days! This is the organization who are already deployed on the coast to help save birds and other wildlife affected by the oil spill. OR… send a cash or food donation to a church or other organization who is reaching out to feed the fisherman/shrimpers and their familes on the Gulf Coast whose livelihood has been destroyed as a result of this travesty. If you REALLY want to make a difference, focus your time, effort and contributions towards positive solutions instead of negative reactions.
dixie212
June 2nd, 2010
6:16 am
I wouldn’t put BP gasoline in my car if it were being GIVEN away!
my choice to boycott them won’t phase them in the least … they’ll never know, but I will – and that’s more important to me
@Truth: BP hasn’t done anything to clean up this mess & it’s not a ‘leak’ or a ’spill’ it’s a GUSHING well … the site of dead fish & birds and those covered in oil from this well a mile below the surface is heart breaking
@obx62570: your son sounds like a great kid!
for those interested, here are some other BP brands to stop using & buying:
Castrol, Arco, Aral, am/pm, Amoco, Wild Bean Cafe, Safeway Gas
http://www.wwltv.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/Upset-Nungesser-walks-out-on-Coast-Guard-meeting-95356484.html
dixie212
June 2nd, 2010
6:18 am
BP’s Live Video Feed of ” Leak ” Site: http://www.citizen.org/boycott-bp
Frank
June 2nd, 2010
5:02 pm
To BoyCott BP at this time is, completely the WRONG thing to do !!
Reality is !! .. BP will need all the support they can get to cap this well, which means purchasing their products !! .. Once they have successfully capped the well ? A BoyCott should be considered at that time !! .. It will take every resourse BP can muster to cap this oil well !! Don’t be foolish & think the U.S Government can cap it.. They can’t !! .. The only people that can do this work is the oil companies & if BP goes broke trying to cap it, another oil company will have to step in & try to cap it, NOT some politian from Washington !!
chuck
June 2nd, 2010
6:42 pm
u betyou! last week a BP station in Conyers, GA was more then 30 cents higher a gallon then those just one street up. Guess BP is trying to get their customers to pay for the clean up! No company is too big to fail..
Don
June 3rd, 2010
8:48 am
BP also owns Castrol Motor Oil, their ads are all over TV, Offices in Wayne, NJ.
Why not Boycott all of Castrol, BP Gas and Oil Products?
What about Aviation Services, no word on Boycotting BP Aviation Products?
President Obama should halt ALL US sales of BP Products until action is taken.
Jim
June 3rd, 2010
10:36 am
@obx62570: excellent ideas! Support those affected the best we can until BP & the gov step up to help.
@Miles Jones : Careful about the bumper stickers- they’re vinyl… probably made from some BP oil. And they can’t be recycled easily.
Overall, we can’t boycott BP. We depend on oil too much and don’t push hard enough for other energy sources. If you want to boycott anything, boycott oil dependency. Reduce consumption as much as possible. Research the products you use, become informed. Use no petroluem based cleaners in your house, for example. Try to avoid plastics (I know- in this society it’s nearly impossible). Support candidates with an alternative energy agenda.
In the meantime, use greener alternatives- after you research if they’re really as green as they imply. Manufacturing and using a prius is more environmentally damaging than a hummer over the life span of the respective vehicles.
When it comes to boycotting BP, as others have stated, remember that you’re not hitting BP- you are hitting local businesses.
If you want to make a difference focus on not using oil as much as you can. Support green alternatives. This time it was BP… who has the next accident? Which company will you support? Regardless of the guilty company, it’s always the oil industry – stop supporting them so we don’t need to have exploding oil rigs.
Melissa Faulkner
June 3rd, 2010
10:37 am
I just wanted to point out that yes boycotting will hurt the small business owner, BUT these people paid to be part of the BP franchise. They SELL BP products. So, put that together. They are supporting BP for you. Don’t buy their gas and you don’t give money to BP. Yes a massive boycott does make a difference. As far as the local business owner, let them take their money and invest it in a more responsible company. Yes times are hard, but you have to consider the business practices and environmental responsibility of the companies you choose to purchase franchises in.
For those of you worrying about BP running out of money, DON’T! This has barely been a drop in the bucket for them.
Here is an excerpt from seizebp.org, feel free to check the facts yourself:
” ‘Citigroup analysts have formally advised investors not to worry too much about “the likely costs to the company [BP].’ The Citigroup analysis notes that punitive damages against Exxon for the Exxon-Valedz oil spill in 1989 were originally set by the courts at $5 billion but reduced by 90 percent when the case reached the Supreme Court in 2008. The total cost to Exxon was $500 million in compensation damages and $500 million in punitive damages. The total cost imposed on Exxon after 20 years of litigation amounted to only $1 billion, or the equivalent of just 12 days worth of BP’s pure profits ($93 million per day) in the first three months of this year. Because of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, BP and any other oil company that is responsible for an offshore oil accident is not legally required to pay more than $75 million in damages above the oil recovery costs. Thus, the government’s response to the Exxon Valdez accident was to actually protect the Oil Giants by limiting their liability and risk exposure in the event of a catastrophic accident. Again, the $75 million limit is less than 1 day of BP’s pure profits in 2010.”
BP is notorious for bad business practices. In fact, a BP pipe just broke in Alaska that spilt 100,000 gallons of oil. They are out of control and as far as I’m concerned, they deserve to go under.
Kasey
June 3rd, 2010
11:15 am
About Dawn’s contribution to saving ocean life: It states in small print on the bottle that you must go to a website and register the bottle of Dawn that you purchased so that they will make the $1.00 contribution to save the ocean creatures. Be sure to go to that website and register so that your purchase will count. I use Dawn for that very reason, too. This is just FYI so that your $$ will be contributed. Thanks!
Kasey
June 3rd, 2010
11:19 am
Here is a link to a wonderful site for those of you who are interested:
http://na.oceana.org/
Kasey
June 3rd, 2010
11:28 am
Now that I have taken care of that business I would just like to say that IMO BP has so much wealth that they really don’t care what it costs or how long it takes to (if ever) fix this major atrocity. It seems to me that they don’t even know HOW to stop the leak. Maybe all of those BP station owners should change suppliers.
At this point, taking into account all the damage BP has done and continues to do to our coast line, Marine life, the economy, even the quality of air we breathe here in the US, they should provide gas and oil at no charge to us for a long, long time in addition to completely, fully and irreversibly repairing the leaks and completing the entire clean up. JMO
Suzanne
June 3rd, 2010
1:06 pm
No, I do not intend to participate in an BP station boycott because it is a stupid way of trying to correct a very serious problem. In fact, I will purposely buy from BP now to try and counter the negative effect of any boycott on the local people where I live. I live on the gulf coast (have no connection with politics or oil companies whatsoever), and am right by large federal nature reserves. I love and greatly respect my environment. The tactic of a BP boycott will fail and only hurt all the ‘little people’ who are already suffering in this economic downturn. If there are people out there who want to do anything positive as a reaction to this horrible, horrible, situation, and want to send a loud message to the “big people” out there, (not just those running BP or oil companies, but those board members and directors in every organization), people should try and come together as a group, and try and see if there is a way of buying BP shares on block (as a group) and then try to get their members voted onto the board of BP to change the way the company is run (its practices and procedures – the way a culture of safety always comes second to profit making). This has been done with other companies before (not oil), by other groups of people who want to see a change in an organizations’ culture. All that people involved in a boycott do is harm the local economy, and the boycott will only hurt the locally owned BP gas station owners, their local employees, their local suppliers and their families. Oil is in relatively short supply, and what oil BP does not sell through its gas stations, it will sell to other countries who need it – like China. A boycott is a pure waste of time and hurts only the innocent families caught up in this situation – the local employees – the men, the women, their spouses , and just remember – their children too. A boycott is too simple and too lazy an answer to a very complicated problem, that desperately needs solving quickly. And, a problem (safety) I would add, that both the US Congress and government administrations (in general – both Republican and Democrat ), have long failed to address (time and time again), and have consistently turned a blind eye to. This is because politicians in general (both Republican and Democrat) have been very willing to accept money from all oil lobbying groups and oil related organizations, in return for not mandating oil related activities and processes have much higher federally mandated safety standards than those currently in existence in the USA already. These high safety standards, I may add, have often already been implemented elsewhere in many other parts of the world. These companies should be run with the primary core principle and philosophy (which comes second to none) of continually and proactively trying to make their systems and processes safer for their employees and their environment, just as they continually and consistently try all means and methods to maximize their profit line. DO NOT BOYCOTT!
Jim
June 3rd, 2010
1:59 pm
Again, people, research what you’re buying! Dawn dish soap is made from the very stuff pouring into the gulf! Support companies putting out non-petro based cleaners! Very ironic that the stuff killing the wildlife is used to clean up! Boycott the industry and support companies and representatives with green agendas.
BMWRICK
June 3rd, 2010
3:11 pm
Yes, I have already started. I refuse to do business with BP, based on what has happened in the gulf and with BP getting permission to dump more waste into Lake Michigan
James
June 3rd, 2010
7:52 pm
People who think they are boycotting BP by taking their business to other stations don’t have a clue, but go feel ok, please. All the major oil companies sell branded (BP, etc) and unbranded gasoline, which goes to everyone else who sells gasoline. Do you think Kroger, Ingles, Costco, etc, have their own refineries? Where do you think they buy it? Answer: From the major oil companies. The are 11,000 stations in the US that sell BP gas. Many were the old Amoco stations that were then bought by BP. BP owns less than 200 of these 11,000 and none in GA. As for the local operators, they are not franchises, and do not pay a fee to BP. They have a supply contract with BP which REQUIRES them to buy only from BP. It is often a multi year contract so they don’t have a choice. So while you are boycotting them and going down the street to buy your “non-BP” gas from someone else, just remember that you really don’t have a clue as to who is supplying the gas you are actually buying. The only thing you will really know is that you are hurting a local citizen who has invested in your community, created jobs, and pays taxes. And one last thing. If somehow you were successful in no BP gas being sold (BP provides about 10% of all gas in US) who is going to make up the 10 percent of lost supply? Its not like there’s all that excess gas out there, so you will get shortages, higher prices, and panic buying.
Nice to know this boycott has been so well thought out.
norma sasser
June 4th, 2010
9:43 am
one look at suffering animals, and after crying my eyes out, i got angry, and i will never buy gas from bp, i would rather walk
Jim
June 4th, 2010
9:53 am
@norma sasser – read the post above yours and reconsider. If you are that angry then do something that will actually make a difference – stop using oil.
Wow
June 4th, 2010
11:29 am
I don’t even think that there’s a BP station anywhere near us. So I don’t use them anyway since I go to RaceTrac or Kroger. I hope all the ones who are up in arms against BP also have boycotted Citgo based on the profits going to the anti-U.S. Chavez in Venezuela. I have boycotted Citgo for years.
B
June 4th, 2010
2:51 pm
This may have already been mentioned but boycotting BP gas only hurts the local station owner. If people start buying their gas from Shell or Exxon, BP will just sell those companies its surplus gasoline. Regardless of the brand of gas you buy, it all comes through the same pipeline. The only difference is the extra additives are put in later. End result of a Boycott Local owner gets screwed and the corporation still brings in huge profits.
B
June 4th, 2010
2:53 pm
Had I read the posts closer, I would of seen the above posts.
Georgia
June 4th, 2010
4:55 pm
BP is not in the retail gas station business. BP sales gas to independents. If you boycot BP you hurt mom and pop.. bottom line.
jenn
June 4th, 2010
8:42 pm
For all of you so-called “Patriots” why dont you all drive your land yachts to afghanistan, because the troops need them a hell of a lot more than you do! I bet most of you support the war for oil……
Ole Guy
June 5th, 2010
8:38 pm
Boycotting a BP gas station is like boycotting a particular bar because the bartender threw you out for drunken behavior. By the very nature of our energy-dependent lifestyles, we have created the makings of this fiasco. It could have just as well been any of a dozen or so rigs in the gulf to which this accident happened; they ALL would have reacted exactly the same…minimize the damage, spend millions on media presentations which serve only to protect the corporate image while paying token crews next-to-minimum wage to APPEAR to be doing something of use.
The best thing we, as responsible citizens, can do is alter our energy-dependent lifestyles. Would we, as a civilization, still require petro-based energy? of course…but to the degree we have allowed?
chris perugini
June 6th, 2010
3:07 am
just dont buy the gas at the bp gas stations you can buy soda and candy and what ever else you need
James
June 6th, 2010
4:42 pm
Chris: Nice idea, but bottom line is that people won’t make 2 stops. That’s why they call them convenience stores.
Small Business Owner
June 6th, 2010
11:22 pm
I understand why people want to boycott BP and what has happened; however, boycotting BP at the pump is not hurting the company as much as it is hurting the station owners. There are other ways to show your distaste and dissatisfaction with BP but taking it out at the station really hurts our small business owners who… help our economy.
With that said, I will continue to patronize my local BP stations, as they are trying to earn a living. However unpopular.
Reason: Gas stations do not make much money off of the gas anyway — they really make their margins off of the convenience store purchases.
Source: my family owned an Amoco station many years ago — which was then bought out by BP after we sold the station and the land. The new owners did not have a choice in the supplier at that point and nor did we since we bought it from the original owners).
Helping small business owners who help drive our economy trump the small chance I may hurt the company which — I would not be doing, it would really only hurt the station owners.
http://bit.ly/cWpON2
Jan Deere
June 7th, 2010
11:22 pm
If you want to boycott BP, you can even do more than not buy gas. Re-direct, (at least partially) your 401K/retirement investments to other companies (check out company affiliates, etc. of BP, i.e., Vanguard). Contact your overseas friends/family and ask them to boycott too. If you still want to support community BP station owners, don’t buy the gas, but you can buy other products in their store. Look…REALITY CHECK…they are a part of this disaster, same as everyone in this country OK? Why wouldn’t they want to “buy” and/or “invest” in AMERICAN oil companies, or at least companies with the best safety records and ones that pay the most dividends to the US? Huh? They’ll just have to “get a grip”, like everyone else is going to have to…like in about another month or two when our economy begins to crash again, OK? Get this through your heads….BP is a “foreign” oil company! Whose “bigger”? The United States of America or BP? (and I ain’t talking about the US government! I’m talking about the American people!) Don’t let people “kid” you! BP is in it for the money and they are so greedy it is going to make them cringe to lose every dollar you don’t spend! And that BS about “we have to HELP BP pay for the “clean up”? My God, you fools! Save your money, your gonna need it soon….The Gulf coast states are the 27th largest economy in the WORLD! BP is the 3rd largest company in the WORLD. They didn’t get that way by being “nice”! Do you want to “help” them “pay” for their crimes against this COUNTRY? If you want to HELP “pay” for restoration/clean up, for God’s sake..DONATE MONEY TO THE COMMUNITIES IN THE GULF STATES! And P.S…..do you REALLY “think” BP is going to PAY for everything and everyone they have destroyed? You must be DREAMING! They are already trying to get out of compensating people and refusing to send equipment to the Gulf. Jesus, help those who appear to need to have a bomb dropped on their heads to “GET IT”!!!
Jackie
June 8th, 2010
12:46 pm
I wouldn’t take gas from BP if they were giving it away for free. If I know that another station is selling BP products, I will boycott them too. But to say that it doesn’t matter whether I boycott because I might inadvertently buy a BP product is complete BS.
BP tracks the sales of the stores with its logo on them, and even if they are locally owned, they are paying for the right to use that logo. If sales drop consistently at those stations, then they will have fewer small business owners that want to be associated with them. And they will be aware that the public has not turned a blind eye to this spill. I’m sorry if some mom & pop faces tough times because of a boycott, but every mom & pop shop, restaurant, and homeowner on the Gulf Coast is suffering, too. I swear, if I owned a BP right now, I would take all my grocery items and sell them from a cart with a sign saying I was boycotting the corporation too. I bet there would be enough people like me out there to keep me in business!
Besides, if you think the boycott is a bad idea, then what are YOU doing to help? Are you writing to your congressman to push for stronger regulations? Are you volunteering your time, money or supplies? Are you ordering products from small businesses on the coast? Are you going to vacation there even if the beaches are spoiled? If you do any of those things and you refuse to boycott, then I can at least respect your opinion. But this whole idea that “BP made a mistake and they’re doing their best” sounds like a rapist saying, “Sorry I raped your daughter – I had a few too many last night – but I’ll pay for the ER visit and counseling. So do you want to buy my stereo to help pay for my legal fees?”
Bea Otch
June 11th, 2010
11:46 am
No, I will not boycott my local BP gas stations even though Jesse Jackson told me to do it. Amen. A boycott won’t accomplish a thing except to put hardships on some good folks who are trying to make a living the best way they can. They shouldn’t be placed in the middle of all this. Trust our president peeps! Give him time…before you know it,
b-hussein-messiah will part the seas, cap the oil and then walk on water. After all, he always comes through on his promises… oh wait… um, that’s not really true. Welcome to Obama’s Katrina folks. Or maybe it’s his Iranian Hostage Crisis?? Whatever you want to call it, it’s verwy, verwy BAD.
Casey
June 12th, 2010
10:05 pm
Why in the hell would you stop at BP when you can go to another station right accross the street??
wmplga
June 12th, 2010
10:13 pm
No more BP for me. Sad I have been using the same BP station for 20 years but no more. Will walk before buying any BP gas
Roswell Dawg
June 12th, 2010
10:15 pm
Boycotting BP simply hurts thousands of innocent employees of BP. Any BP fuel not purchased by the consumer will be sold to other petroleum companies and retail dealers so you will still be purchasing from BP indirectly. Petroleum companies buy and sell from one another all the time. Those companies without their own refineries e.g. QT, Raceway, etc buy from all of the companies.
Fishhooks
June 12th, 2010
10:18 pm
I will never go to a BP again! Not that the other companies are much better though… We really need to conserve and use less oil whenever possible.
W Reid Whitaker
June 12th, 2010
10:19 pm
I will not boycott BP locally, because it is only hurting innocent employees.
t
June 12th, 2010
10:20 pm
why boycott BP ? All you are doing is hurting small business owners! If you want to boycott to it with Citgo!!
Thomas Pain
June 12th, 2010
10:22 pm
I used to buy BP oil exclusively. Now I avoid them.
But then again, I’m trying to cut down on my habit. This oil based culture/economy is not good long term for our economy, our politics, or our environment. I’ve gone from driving 35k miles a year in the early 90s to 15k miles a year, and last year I put 3k miles on my car. We moved from a big house in the country to a smaller house in close in suburbs and I can ride my bike to work and walk to the grocery store.
But when I do use fuel, it won’t be BP.
Fishhooks
June 12th, 2010
10:23 pm
If you want to see small business owners who are hurt, go to the gulf!!!
Jacksmum
June 12th, 2010
10:33 pm
Boycotting a company like BP puts small businesses out of business. It barely puts a dent in BP profits. Not to mention, BP was not the only owner of the well in question. There were more at fault than just the one company. Sad as it is, sadder still is that we are better at being angry and finger pointing than making changes that matter. Get us off of our dependency for foreign oil, then worry about getting us off of our dependency on oil.
Jacksmum
June 12th, 2010
10:34 pm
somewhat off topic question…does any one else think “stupid” every time they see someone driving a Smart car?
JD
June 12th, 2010
10:37 pm
To everyone who has been understandably moved by the pictures of the suffering birds — were you aware that most chickens used for food suffer a much more miserable life and fate? Just google the phrase “factory farming” and you will get an eye-opener.
If you want to engage in a boycott that will actually help reduce animal suffering, you might consider eating much lower down the food chain… eating exclusively plant-based food even a few times a week will make a world of difference.
Molly
June 12th, 2010
10:38 pm
While I fully understand the desire to make BP suffer, I am not convinced a boycott is the answer. If BP bankrupts, who will then end out paying the massive bill for this spill? Taxpayers, that’s who. Let them stay in business long enough to take care of this, THEN boycott away.
t
June 12th, 2010
10:40 pm
fishhooks two wrongs dont make it right.. It is hurting more small business owners by boycotting BP
John
June 12th, 2010
10:40 pm
The stupid – it burns!!!!
Fishhooks
June 12th, 2010
10:42 pm
If BP bankrupts, then other oil companies will watch their steps in the future and make sure another catastrophe like this doesn’t happen again.
Jerome
June 12th, 2010
10:43 pm
It does not matter whether you boycott BP or not. Like many has said on this forum, petroleum is sold as a commodity. Even if you do boycott BP, let’s just see what happens when a hurricane threatens the gulf and let’s see how many people will be boycotting when they are the only ones that have gas.
Fred
June 12th, 2010
10:44 pm
We should have the worlds governments shutdown BP. Close its doors and sell its assets to pay for the clean up. The hundreds of thousands of people that will become unemployed because of this deserve it because they were working for an evil corporation! Booo capitalism – hurray a moneyless utopia! We can do it! Change you can believe in baby!
I keed I keed.
Common Sense
June 12th, 2010
10:44 pm
It makes no sense to boycott the local merchant. We need their sales to remain stable if BP is to have any chance of repaying for the damage.
Bhorsoft
June 12th, 2010
10:45 pm
I’ve had a BP gas card for several years – only gas card I have and since I’m handicapped and have trouble walking from the pump to the cashier and back I’ll continue to use it, at least for the foreseeable future. My other thought was that if it wasn’t BP, it would be Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobile, Texaco, or someone else. The behavior of any of the “Big Oil” companies would be the same in this situation and there’s not a lot a little guy like me can do about it.
Sam
June 12th, 2010
10:47 pm
What is a boycott supposed to accomplish? When you boycott something you are trying to change behavior of that thing right? Does anyone think they blew the well on purpose? Are they doing nothing to clean it up? Are the expending energy and capital to take care of things? What would you people have them do differently today?
Sam
whatdoiknow
June 12th, 2010
10:48 pm
Boycott Obama, not BP.
Just why are oil companies forced to drill deep wells when we have plenty of oil in shallow waters or on land where accidents are easier to control and contain?
Fishhooks
June 12th, 2010
10:54 pm
Sam – I would have them not dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil into our seas TODAY. It would take 10 years to get enough oil from that one well to last the USA one day. If there is any remote possibility that this type of catastrophe is possible (which obviously there is), then it not worth the risk, period. My concern is not for small business owners or taxpayers – it is for the environment, plain and simple.
retired
June 12th, 2010
10:56 pm
Not me..It is better that they make enough money to pay for this mess….
Terry Malloy
June 12th, 2010
10:57 pm
I would much rather boycott the homely obese maw maw and the ajc than British Petroleum.
Scott Perry
June 12th, 2010
10:59 pm
I love when people swear that some gas is better than others. Folks, it all comes out of the same pipeline! Its the same stuff! The only time you get a little difference is when they change grades in the pipeline by just turning the valve from regular to premium.
Boycotting BP is the right thing to do. It sends a clear message to the industry that is working in conjunction with each other to fix prices. The customer is in control. I just read AJC’s report that it is hurting small business. Well, we aren’t just stopping buying gas, so the gas station across the street’s business is picking up! All we’re doing is putting the pressure on these owners of BP franchises to CHANGE FRANCHISES! I’m sure our friend Hugo Chavez will be glad to put a Citgo banner on the front of their station!
Hope you are boycotting them to!
I’d love to see consumers boycott more. I think it sends a more clear signal to corporations to supply our needs better.
andrew
June 12th, 2010
11:06 pm
I was a big time BP customer, but the past 2 months I’ve been boycotting. I don’t think I’ll get another drop from BP. Its not because of the oil spill, its because of the way its been handled. They could have been upfront about everything, instead they’ve lied and tried to cover it up.
Brian
June 12th, 2010
11:08 pm
I’m visiting BP stations more often. The gas I buy at a BP station more than likely didn’t come from a BP well and refinery.
Jose
June 12th, 2010
11:22 pm
I was trying not to use BP or Citgo before any of this happened… with great American gas stations such as Racetrac and QuikTrip, why would I ever want to shop in the operations that are partly or completely foreign?
Regularjoe
June 12th, 2010
11:29 pm
Boycotting the local BP station mainly hurts the local owner and any employees they have. Most if not all of these stores are no longer corporate owned. Someone mentioned earlier, many companies use BP gas and the fuel is also use in thousands of product you use everyday.
BP is being punished for the spill, look at the stock price. We don’t want them too weak, they still have a lot of clean up to do. A better idea is to do a personal boycott later after some of the BP stations have an opportunity to re-brand, so you don’t punish the local folks.
Atl Resident
June 12th, 2010
11:44 pm
Why boycott BP? What’s the real purpose? Just like that oil spill years ago that was the worst one, people know they will be back at BP when all of this is over especially if gas starts fluctuating again.
Bad Karma
June 12th, 2010
11:45 pm
No I am not boycotting BP, Im boycotting a president that speaks out of both sides of his mouth. One day he is “Dirty Harry,” and wanting to kick butt, then acts like “Barney Fiff” and tells Brition, “ah, just kidding no hard feelings.” Yep, man of the world or whatever he’s called, definetly is not a leader.
So if everybody, including the Pope, boycotts BP, what happens? BP will be spending billions and billons on the mess they created and if they go bankrupt then what? Me, you, our kids will be paying for this.
Gas Hauler
June 12th, 2010
11:49 pm
NO…How can you….BP supplies gas to other stations and companies in metro Atlanta….do not be so quick to do so….you will never know what companies get the BP made gas…..but I do.
MommaMia
June 13th, 2010
12:05 am
No, I’m not boycotting them. First of all, they didn’t do it on purpose…it was an ACCIDENT. Second, it wouldn’t do any good. It would take millions of people boycotting them for it to have any impact, and that’ll never happen. So, get over it. They are working to get it fixed. I guess this is Obama’s Katrina. Why isn’t HE doing something about it?
Check Yourself
June 13th, 2010
12:08 am
@BadKarma…hey, what/where is “Brition”?
Michael Cook
June 13th, 2010
12:41 am
I don’t give a damn if they are small buisness owners. As long as they even USE the BP logo, they can go to hell.
Marcia
June 13th, 2010
12:49 am
I don’t use BP and I surely will not now. Being from Louisiana, it saddens me to see one disaster after another destroying the state and the gulf as well. BP should be made to spend billions to restore the healthy marine life in the gulf and to rebuild the gulf cities affected by the oil spill.
SouthernGal
June 13th, 2010
12:54 am
Do ya’ll think that BP owns the gas station on the corner? Your local BP Station owned by small business person that sells gas under the BP name.
anonymous coward
June 13th, 2010
1:01 am
That boycott is some real tough action, hey. You folks are being really hard on yourselves, doing without like that. I’m glad to know that you all are adding going without gas to not buying products from totalitarian regimes like China or Vietnam or Venezuala, not eating meat products and keeping the beef and poultry industries contributing to the damage to the environment, moving closer to work so you can walk or bike instead of driving 20-40 miles each way from the exurbs into the city…
oh, wait…
riley hawkins
June 13th, 2010
1:27 am
did VAN DER SLOOT work for BP–yeah right!
Whatever
June 13th, 2010
1:31 am
No – I am not boycotting the BP stores. They will only hurt the business owners and investors who own the stores. It isn’t those store owners fault. After all, BP doesn’t own the stores – only the gas – which is actually sold by a middle-man – which will get hurt as well. So – in the end – the so-called boycott doesn’t hurt a company like BP as much as it will hurt so many individual businesses – which already operate on very thin margins to start with. And if you think you want to hurt a company like BP – just remember – there are a LOT of pension funds and mutual funds that has a lot of BP shares in it. So – you also end-up possible hurting your own retirement or pension fund.
Whatever
June 13th, 2010
1:41 am
To people like Michael Cook – it is obvious that you have never run a business before. It’s jerks like you that can’t think your way out of a wet paper bag. I bet you live off tax payers like myself – or work at an hourly rate somewhere – and never have to make business decisions.
And besides – do any of you idiots who are calling for boycotts really think BP did this on purpose?? You know – 10 US Soldiers DIED this week fighting overseas in a war (2 wars) that most people don’t even seem to CARE about anymore (and yes, I do, I’m not antiwar). And NO one seemed to notice this week. And the costs (much less the cost of a life) is well over a Trillion dollars – but are YOU going to boycott the United States??? Are you going to Boycott Prez Obama (who NOW calls this a virtuous fight??)
RowDog
June 13th, 2010
1:51 am
Boycott Obama, he did not cause the disaster however he is hampering it. Oh wait, he did not do an environmental impact study or he waivered it last year so ………..There are ships waiting to help with the cleanup and Obama denied them access because of the Jones Act established in the 1920. Foreign governments want to help but Obama wants to help the unions. 2012 can’t come fast enough.
Baldemar Huerta
June 13th, 2010
1:56 am
I’m Boycotting Obama, the real villain in this mess.
Ron J
June 13th, 2010
1:58 am
You might as well not buy any gasoline at all, as there is no way to tell where BP oil has ended up. Go live in your caves and beat off to Obama.
Ron J
June 13th, 2010
2:01 am
Barney Fiff? He must have been the deputy on the “Andy Griffing” show.
John
June 13th, 2010
2:15 am
I don’t buy gas at a bp station anyway, but here is the reality, You don’t know where the gas you put in your car comes from anyway, most fuel comes from the same fuel Terminal, Generally speaking different company first put their own chemicals in their trucks the get fuel at the same gas terminal, so if you go to bp. racetrac, qt, pilot, or where ever you might just be buying fuel that came from BP or someone else.
So does boycotting the BP stations which are generally NOT owned by Bp hurting them, Nope just the small business owners of the station.
James
June 13th, 2010
2:47 am
what is wrong with you people boycott bp only people your hurting is the workers in the stores bp is doing what they need to do boycott our goverment and tell the to get off there asses and help in clean up instead of pushing bp they are not all at fault here look into it and you will see research why they drill so far out and so much more i bet you change your attitude towards bp i still use bp and always will
Mom
June 13th, 2010
3:04 am
Less we forget, or may not have known, 39 percent of BP shares is owned by Americans! 41 percent is owned by the British. I don’t know who owns the rest. We are all in this together, to get a thrashing re pensions and such.
Asheville Dawg
June 13th, 2010
3:34 am
I don’t buy Citgo, and now BP! The reasons should be readily seen. No to Hugo Chavez and no to folks to stupid run an oil platform properly.
Spill Baby Spill
June 13th, 2010
3:55 am
While I totally share the anger at BP, Congressional oversight, the fact big oil owns Congress, Interior, Salazaar, Minerals Management, the companies you read about running the rigs and the ones you never do, bypassing BP stations is ludicrous because it does absolutely nothing to impact them. The station you go to could be gettting its oil from BP no matter what it’s called. And Costco and all thhe other discount fillups are big BP customers and they refuse to release that.
Everyone who comments should educate themselves by reading this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/12/your-money/12money.html
USA isn’t getting off the oil tit in your lifetime ever. You certainly aren’t and most likely you’re burning fossil fuels unless you’re totally electric and few are. Other countries like China and India are increasing their consumption. Talk to any engineer who has worked on a rig in South America, and they’ll tell you that every rig there trashes the environment.
Until you go electric or at least hybrid, you might as well boycott your home, because you are a big part of the problem as well as the oil companies. And again, the station you go to to fill your guzzler may be a BP customer no matter what oil company logo is on it whether it’s one of the 11,000 BP owned stations or not.
patrick
June 13th, 2010
5:38 am
Yes, I am boycotting BP just as I did Exxon many years ago. To this date from the time of the Exxon spill in Alaska, I have not purchased anything from an Exxon (now ExxonMobil). I plan to do the same to BP. I, personally, do not support (directly support through my decision to purchase goods or services) companies that are not responsible to the community at-large. And the CEO of BP… makes my skin crawl.
KA
June 13th, 2010
6:14 am
I use BP gas and will continue to do so. The effect of boycotting BP does nothing to help stop the leak, does nothing to help the cleanup of the Gulf of Mexico and beaches, does nothing to help those who have lost work because of the spill. BP gas stations are owned and run by small businessmen in our communities who have nothing to do with well drilling and the spill. Think people! Do you really want BP to fail and not be able to fund the cleanup and pay the fines?
G2
June 13th, 2010
6:59 am
Look we can’t and won’t live without oil. Second, who forced the deep water drilling operation? The government and their rules forced the company into the deep water position. Had this well been closer in the leak would have been capped and this would be yesterdays story. What happens to all the Americans whose livelihood depend on oil production? With unemployment and national debt weighing us down we all need to look at the perilous position we are in. Yes the leak is a terrible thing and yes the government should have stepped in and took charge earlier but they wanted to ignore it and hoped it would go away. Now we have a “finger pointer in chief” that can’t even waive the rules to allow foreign produced vessels to help in the effort. Does anybody else feel like they are part of a circular firing squad?
Boycott schmoycott
June 13th, 2010
7:12 am
Boycott- what crap….it was an accident and they are trying to fix it. A great company, as far as you can credit big business…4 th largest business in the world…yaeh, lets shut down! wouldn’t that be great for the world’s economy…you bleeding hearts love to slice off your noses to spite your double faces.. Start trying to use logic instead of emotion some time, hmmmm?
DHD
June 13th, 2010
7:33 am
Only a fool would boycott BP over this. But, there are lots of fools in this country….thus Obama.
howard
June 13th, 2010
7:39 am
BP now stands for By Pass to me. I will boycott their products…
Tell it like it is
June 13th, 2010
7:40 am
So we are suppose to let BP off the hook?You people that support BP are some of the ones that voted Obama into office.BP made a mess that will take years to recovery from,Same can be said for our Goverment
fed up
June 13th, 2010
7:41 am
If you don’t believe a boycott will work then how the hell does capitalism survive? I thought that the market got to choose. If we don”t like a company’s business practices then we take our business elsewhere. Yes, some “small” people are going to be hurt financially but it will send a message to the “big” corporations. It’s all about the market! I get to choose where I spend my money.
addicted to oil
June 13th, 2010
7:50 am
Nope, not boycotting BP. In fact, I’ve deliberating starting buying at BP when I heard about the boycott, It was an accident and it is very tragic. And seeing those animals suffer breaks my heart. Instead I’m sending extra money each month to the ASPCA to help with the costs of saving the animals.
And those of you who feel so sorry for the people of Louisiana, did you know that hunters in Lousiana will start a forrest fire to force the deer to flee out of the woods so they can shoot them? I think it’s illegal, but they do it anyway. And there doesn’t seem to be any efforts to stop this dangerous & cruel practice.
DB, thanks for reminding me of Chavez and CITGO. I will boycott that busines.
Robert H.
June 13th, 2010
7:55 am
Yes, I am boycotting bp along with any more deep ocean drilling for crude oil. Our Gulf of Mexico has been poisoned by irresponsible geeks who can go on back home to their fresh waters and that’s just what they should do! If you love your country you will never ever pull up to another bp gasoline pump.
Joe
June 13th, 2010
8:01 am
Everyone of you that is planning to or is boycotting BP is misguided. While there’s some merit to the company’s response to the spill, it would have never happened if not for the crazy environmentalists.
I see Obama’s attacks on BP are working on some of you when it’s our hapless governments bending to pressure from the crazies that got us into this mess. If they had been able to drill in shallower waters, this thing was resolved in a few days.
PappyHappy
June 13th, 2010
8:17 am
So we are going to punish innocent franchisees for the spill?? Come on folks. Maybe when the company you work for makes a serious error, we will boycott that as well and put you out of a job! How about them apples???
Bob
June 13th, 2010
8:32 am
this week I went to Texaco and ended up paying .10 cents more per gallon than BP. Next time will shop around and buy cheapest even if it is BP.
ATLbiker
June 13th, 2010
8:36 am
All this feigned outrage over the spill is just #@#$!! nauseating. americans really are out of touch with what happens to the environment by our demand for cheap gas, and god forbid we are inconvenienced by long lines, or heaven forbid we give up our cars for even 1 or 2 days a week, for an alternative to the almighty automobile. So go to Exxon, Mobil, Shell, and skip over BP. In the end, OPEC will still be your pimp, so shut up and pay the money. I might add, most of the states affected, happen to be Republican controlled, so as ye sow, so shall ye reap, beyotches.
Rusty Nail
June 13th, 2010
8:51 am
I had never given much thought to purchasing gas until this crisis I always stopped where the gas was the cheapest. Now, I buy my gas from BP. Reason no. 1, The BP stations are independently owned, so when you stop purchasing gas from BP you hurt your local station owner. 2. If everyone stops buying BP gasoline then they go out of business. Guess who’s left with the mess to clean up? You got it, the taxpayers.
Buy BP gasoline. At least until they finish with the cleanup!!!
Chris
June 13th, 2010
8:58 am
I refuse to buy gasoline or any other product at a BP or BP affiliated store.
The oil spill is a tragedy.
BP has proven that they were not prepared to handle the disasster. BP (and any other company envolved in deep water exploration) should have had an emergency response plan to deal with a release. Im sure there are other companies just as unprepared. Unfortunately, the spill occurred and the entire U.S. has been impacted.
Do I understand a boycott effects small business owners in Georgia? Yes, I do. However, those owners once made a desicion to change their store front signs to BP signs. They are now joined with BP.
My money will not be spent at BP.
T W
June 13th, 2010
9:01 am
Do we really think any other oil company was better prepared for this type of thing, or that the others cut corners from time to time. We all know about how well our government oversite works.They just keep creating rules with no means or ablity to oversee the policy they create. smaller goverment will always be much more efficent!
Mark
June 13th, 2010
9:03 am
Follow a truck and see where it comes from. You will find that all the gas companies get their gas from the same pump.
The only people you will hurt are the mom & pop stations out there that just so have the BP name on the door. Ya put them out of work. You will just hurt yourself in the process.
SA
June 13th, 2010
9:08 am
Given all that plan to boycott BP, I may go out of my way to get gas there in order to support the small business owners that operate these stores.
You are only hurting them if you boycott.
Chris
June 13th, 2010
9:14 am
Small business owner effected by the disaster: fisherman, restaurant owners, tourist guides, artists, consultants, dentists, doctors, lawyers, musicians, builders, dock owners, plumbers, electricians, farmers, mechanics, day care providers….
This list is never ending as long as the oil is gushing.
BP station owners in Georgia are just a few in many that will be put out of business.
FIX IT.
Chris
June 13th, 2010
10:33 am
Body count: 11 humans, 10 dolphins, 50+ pelicans, 50+ gulls, countless terns, gulls, pipers, crabs, shrimp, oysters………..
and rising.
WB Radio » Blog Archive » Boycott BP? That Hurts Station Owners, Not the Company!
June 13th, 2010
12:16 pm
[...] Boycott BP website claims over 8,000 unique visitors. A group of outraged moms in Atlanta is boycotting the oil company. Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen has an online boycott petition urging people to “send a [...]
Atl Resident
June 13th, 2010
4:43 pm
Those who boycott should only be the ones that don’t drive cause for those of us that do drive it makes no damn sense, if we get into another hell of a mess with gas prices going up or shortage, it won’t even damn matter where the gas comes from.
Candy mom
June 13th, 2010
5:20 pm
Not only am I going to boycott BP, but every day on my way home from work I have been putting signs up infront of the store saying “Don’t buy BP until they clean up the Gulf.”
Judith Moran
June 19th, 2010
11:36 am
Yup, my daughter and I were just talking about how painfull it is to see inisent animals sufering because of the complacencey of this huge Corporation. The wallet is the a big way to respond to to such a horrific mess BP has caused.
Chuck
July 21st, 2010
9:57 pm
I would like to distribute boycott bp bumper stickers! Anyone have about 1000 to 10,000 stickers
to donate. BP should be held accountable! Every last penny they have should be spent on clean
up and lost income of everyone effected and that still wouldn’t be enough money. Look at the Valdese Oil spill. 20 years later people are still being affected and fishing has never come back
and that was just a fraction of what was dumped in the gulf. Come on people wake up!! Let’s set
an example! Our goverment is just as at fault, they should have jumped on the clean up from day
one and sent BP the bill for every minute they had invested in the clean up. Instead they elected
to sit back and wait. Thats par for the course.
Concerned citizen