How drinking Coke can save the world
If you drink Coca-Cola, shop at Wal-Mart's Asda, like a Budweiser, shave with a Gillette (owned by Procter & Gamble) or spend with American Express, then you've helped save the world.
Warren Buffett (pictured), the world's greatest ever investor and the world's second richest man, has just given away £24bn to the world's richest man via the Bill Gates charitable foundation. Buffett, 75, has handed over this voluntary and pre-emptive inheritance tax as he doesn't believe the world should give a head start to 'members of the lucky sperm club'. He wants to create an even playing field of opportunity while also helping the developed world.
But the point here is that Buffett has spent his live investing in safe, sturdy companies with steady earnings growth - companies like Burger King, Gillette and Coke. For example, he owns 8% of Coca-Cola.
You can find out what else his company owns on the charmingly basic Berkshire Hathaway website.
The company also owns an eclectic handful of companies outright: Fruit of the Loom and MidAmerican, which owns Northern Electric and Yorkshire Electric utility companies in the UK.
So if you use those products, you've indirectly been donating to charity. Have a shave, slip on your Fruits of the Loom t-shirt, sup a Bud bought in Asda on your Amex and feel good about yourself.
Capitalism, eh. Isn't it crazy?
- Andrew Oxlade, Editor, www.thisismoney.co.uk
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