What if you could convince local businesses to make the changes you desire without boycotting them and taking your hard-earned cash else where? That’s the mission of Carrotmob, a grass roots movement started in San Francisco by 27-year-old Brent Schulkin. “Carrotmob is a new way for people to change businesses. In a boycott, everyone loses. In a Carrotmob, everyone wins,” reads the organization’s (under construction) website.
The movement works like so; carrotmobbers approach local businesses in their neighborhood and ask them if they will utilize a percentage of the profit brought in by a large group of customers on a given day to make environmentally-friendly changes. If they agree, the Carrotmob designates a day to organize folks to go to said business and make a purchase. From there, the business uses the funds brought in to make the eco-change, for example: switch to energy efficient lighting, purchase a bike-trailer for deliveries; or invest in a state-of-the-art solar heating system.
The Carrotmob movement has spread throughout the U.S., and to the UK, France, Berlin, New Zealand, Germany, Tunisia, and beyond.
When will Philadelphia form its first Carrotmob? Watch the PBS video below to learn how to get started.
Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.
