3 Consumer Groups Urge Boycott of Exxon Gasoline
Three national consumer organizations are urging motorists to boycott Exxon gasoline to protest higher prices and the quality of the company’s efforts to clean up its massive Alaskan oil spill.
The Washington-based Citizen-Labor Energy Coalition and the Chicago-based Citizen Action have joined forces to launch “Make Exxon Pay,” a boycott campaign designed to protest the March 24 oil spill in Prince William Sound and the subsequent rise in gasoline prices. The two organizations are asking holders of Exxon Corp. credit cards to cut their cards into two pieces and send one half to the Citizen Action office in Washington.
Citizen Action, which has 2 million members and affiliate associations in California and 24 other states, began to accept credit cards Thursday. The organizations plan to deliver the card pieces to Exxon at the company’s annual meeting May 18, according to Edwin Rothschild, assistant director of Citizen Action. Rothschild said Exxon is passing the cost of the spill cleanup to consumers by raising gasoline prices.
“Our aim is pure and simple,” Rothschild said. “We want to send Exxon management a message by getting as many people as possible to stop buying Exxon products. . . . Exxon was negligent in Alaska, and then the company asks consumers to shoulder the costs. We want to hit them where it hurts--in the pocket.”
Exxon has been charging 6 to 11 cents more per gallon for its gasoline since the oil spill, but other oil companies have been charging an average of 7 to 12 cents more per gallon during the same period, according to Leo McLean, an Exxon spokesman. McLean said some of the increase is because of increasing crude oil prices. Exxon had no immediate comment on claims that part of the price rise is related to the cleanup, McLean said.
Responding to the boycott calls, Exxon has issued a statement reiterating regret.
“All of our customers are very valuable to us and we hope that our effort in Alaska will convince them that we continue to be a responsible company,” the statement said.
However, a new group--Citizens for Environmental Responsibility, Inc.--contended that Exxon has bungled the cleanup and has also called for a boycott. The organization, based in Erie, Pa., is asking Exxon customers to split their Exxon cards and mail them to Exxon headquarters. Stephen Nissen, a Los Angeles-based spokesman, said his organization is made up of 12 organizers and 100 volunteers. Nissen, a marketing consultant, said the organizers are professionals and entrepreneurs who want to prompt companies to change their attitudes about the environment.
