(no subject)

[silkyraven]

Ok, so having a good week is not going so well....I'm not even sure why. I'm in a really bad mood this morning, for no apparent reason at all. I thought I was in a good mood, but then once I got on my bike and started the journey to work, it transpires that I'm not and consequently I've had a horrible ride in this morning and nearly been killed. Is this because I'm cycling more agressively because I'm in a mood? Maybe, cycling certainly easier and generally more pleasant if you're in a good mood!

We had a call at Cycle Training from some women from Nestle UK wanting to set up a cycle training scheme. Now this presents me with a bit of a dilema. I avoid Nestle products like the plague...they are one of the least ethical companies in the world, so I really, really don't want to work with them. But at the end of the day we are a business and they are paying, can we really justify not working with people who are willing to pay us lots of money for ethical reasons? If we train people there we're increasing the number of cyclists in the world, which is a good thing and the aim of the company. It's a bit of a headache....

Comments

[sadaprilsky.livejournal.com]

Go for it. The only way in which we can hope to encourage change is to engage with those who behaviour we hope to influence. Spreading your message to the unconverted has greater potential benefits than teaching people who already agree with you. Take their money - at least that way it will be going somewhere ethical.

Sorry to hear things aren't going so well. Cycle safely.

[bored-of-this.livejournal.com]

Ouch, that's a tough one... A big part of me agrees with sadaprilsky, training them would be the most rational and intelligent thing to do. A small part of me thinks you should overcharge them and make them wear training vests that say "BASTARD" on them ;)

[sadaprilsky.livejournal.com]

I imagine that the people silkyraven would be teaching would be people down the lower end of the corporate ladder. I would suggest that they won't be those that decide company policy. But they might become such people in the future. Better then I think to educate them to ethical things now - and hope this will pay off when they are in charge.

[bored-of-this.livejournal.com]

Dude, that was a joke!

[silkyraven.livejournal.com]

No, you're right. Much as I'd love to humiliate Nestle staff there is probably some ethical value in educating the small fry. And Nestle have a lot of influence over the redevelopment of the town centre, so getting them hooked on cycling may mean we're in a better position to negotiate for proper cycling facilities in Croydon. Ho hum.