Turning pocket change into social change is the idea behind "Students Shopping for a Better World," the new paperback by the author of "50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth."
Teen-agers have more discretionary income than ever before, totaling tens of billions of dollars. And it's a myth, says author Robin Dellabough, that teens aren't socially conscious. (According to the U.S. Department of Education, 16-to-19-year-olds volunteered an average of four hours per week in 1991.)
Combining spending power with this social consciousness, teens can help make a better world, Dellabough says. Her 265-page paperback ($4 from the Council on Economic Priorities) rates 166 companies that market 1,000 brands bought by teen-agers.
The Council examined 166 companies for their achievements in the areas of positive environmental policies, minority and women's advancement and disclosure of information on social programs. These issues, says the council, were chosen through nationwide interviews with hundreds of students age 12 to 20. (The No. 1 issue, according to three-quarters of the students, was the environment.)
