After reading a new book entitled Eco-Business: A Big-Brand Takeover of Sustainability Sheehan begins to doubt the mission of his own environmental organization. From the "About" page we learn that their mission is:
Founded in 2003, UPSTREAM (formerly Product Policy Institute) conducts original research, develops model policies and educational materials, and organizes key stakeholders to build a green and just economy. Our dedicated staff work with public interest groups, government officials, leading companies and everyday people to advocate for product stewardship initiatives, where consumer goods companies are responsible for reducing or eliminating the environmental impacts of their products.What is left unclarified in this mission statement is that they are an advocacy environmental organization that wants to promote capitalist "eco-business". Of course this means within a system that is based on privately owned businesses in which their primary function is to extract profits. After reading the results of such eco-business practices in this book, Sheehan is becoming aware that such practices pose contradictions for their mission. Yet, at this point in time he doesn't seem to be aware that the primary contradiction is to promote such practices within a capitalist system.
