Going green

I've always been a supporter of the adage "reduce, recycle, and reuse," but I've noticed that I've become increasingly more "green" in the past year or so, which I think is common for my generation. We seem to be concerned about the quality of our environment and finding ways to incorporate green living into our daily lives without much real sacrifice. I recycle, watch my electricity and water consumption, walk more, and recently became a member of the local food co-op, which stocks natural and local foods. As a member, I now receive a newsletter that addresses such issues and thought I'd share some information in an article I found particularly interesting regarding "Ethical Fuel."

Basically, the article contained a card grouping gas companies based on their environmental and human rights practices from research conducted by the Sierra Club. For more in-depth information, see the original articles.

Top of the barrel:
Sunoco: Sunoco, Ultra Service Centers, APlus Mini-Marts
Citgo: Citgo, Petro Express

Middle of the barrel:
Marathon Oil: Marathon, Speedway, Pilot, SuperAmerica
BP: Arco, Amoco, AM/PM Convenience Stores

Bottom of the barrel (avoid at all costs):
Shell: Shell Oil
Valero Energy Co: Corner Store, Diamond Shamrock, Ultramar, Valero, Clark, Stop-n-Go, Beacon, 7-Eleven (some)
ConocoPhillips: 76, Conoco, Phillips 66, Circle K (some), Flying J
Chevron: Chevron, Texaco Star
Exxon Mobil: Exxon, Mobil, On the Run, 7-Eleven (some)

Previously, I basically chose my station on price and convenience. I think I will now be thinking a little differently about which companies I would rather give my extra $0.01-$0.03 per gallon.