Buycott

Have you ever wondered whether the money you spend ends up funding causes you oppose? Like an industry that hurts honey bees?

That’s the burning question posed by a new app called Buycott …

and it’s out to find the answer.

“A buycott is the opposite of a boycott,” explain the app’s socially conscious creator, Ivan Pardo. “Buycott helps you to organize your everyday consumer spending so that it reflects your principles.”

How?

After you download the app (free from iTunes), you start “buycotting” by searching for and joining available campaigns—or creating your own—in order to establish a profile of your social conscience.

Then, you can scan a product’s barcode with the Buycott app and it will set out to determine what the product is and who owns it. Buycott will then trace the product’s ownership back to its original parent company and cross-check this company against campaigns that you care about, from homelessness to GMO foods and beyond.

Conflicts between a company and your campaigns will send up a red flag, helping you make an informed choice about how you spend your money.

Buycott already boasts over 100 campaigns and the list is growing. If your cause can’t be found, it’s quick and easy to add it. All you need is a goal and a list of companies that you know either support or undermine your cause.