Simple Ways Wednesdays – Episode 7

Posted by A. Caleb Hartley on September 3rd, 2008 filed in Simple Ways, communication, long-distance, telephone

Last week’s Simple Ways episode was about reducing your paper waste by changing to electronic billing.

This week, we’ll talk specifically about your telephone bill.  If any of you still have a land-line, like me, your choices may be limited for your local service (what’s a land-line, daddy?).  When I was growing up, our only local option was Sprint (I can hear the gasping and rending of clothing.  We didn’t like it either, believe me).

What you may not know is that you have the ability to use any long-distance provider, regardless of who you have as a local provider.  I KNOW, RIGHT?  How cool is that?

So for this week’s Simple Ways episode:

Patronize companies that share your values.

Speaking specifically of long-distance telephone service, take a look at these two options:

• Earth Tones:  Wholly owned and operated by non-profit environmental organizations, 100% of the profits of this company fund environmental advocacy and organizing.  All their materials are printed on recycled paper, they inform you about pressing environmental campaigns, and they also allow you toll-free calls to decision makers so you can tell them what you think!  Oh yeah – they also offer wireless phone service, internet access, and business long-distance!
• Working Assets: Donates 1% of all charges (not 1% of PROFITS, 1% of CHARGES) from their CREDO mobile or CREDO long-distance service to non-profit organizations working for peace, equality, human rights and the environment.  The cool thing about Working Assets is that you get to tell them where you would like the money to go!  They take input from all customers and divvy-up the donations based on their input.  They also have a credit card that will donate $.10 (that’s a dime) each time a charge is made.

I’ve been a Working Assets Long-Distance customer, and they were great.  I’d strongly suggest them if you are in the market for a long-distance carrier.

Namaste,
A. Caleb Hartley

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Do you know of any other communications suppliers that donate all or part of their profits or revenue to organizations you support? Talk them up in the comments!

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