The San Francisco Chronicle

Monday, July 21, 1997 * Page A1 A91997 San Francisco Chronicle

Elaine Herscher, Chronicle East Bay Bureau

Berkeley is boycotting so many things that soon there may be no gasoline politically correct enough to run the city's vehicles. With the City Counci l expected to pass yet another boycott resolution tomorrow this one against companies that do business with Nigeria Berkeley will be precluded from buying products from Arco, Unocal, Texaco, Chevron, Mobil and Shell. Gridlock frets? We've got the news and the current conditions.

"Pretty soon we'll have to do our own offshore drilling," quipped Berkeley City Councilwoman Polly Armstrong. Exxon is the only major oil company not on the banned list. And that's no help. The city is unofficially boycotting Exxon, too, because of its sluggish response to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill that fouled 700 miles of Alaskan shoreline. That leaves only "off-brand" gasoline, which City Manager James Keene believes could damage Berkeley's fleet. Passenger cars, fire engines and public-works trucks would probably keep running smoothly, but street sweepers and police cars can be temperamental if they don't get premium gasoline, he said.

Last Tuesday, the City Council watched a video on military repression and violations of human rights by the Nigerian government, which the filmmakers said is largely supported by Shell Oil Co. "It's certainly the prerogative of the council" to issue boycotts, Keene said. "Our concern is there is a potential price we do pay as a community." So far, the city's gasoline supplier has guaranteed quality alternatives to the name brands, and the council voted last week to let Berkeley employees continue using Chevron credit cards for three months until the staff finds a substitute.

As of this week, Berkeley will be boycotting companies that do business in Burma, Tibet and Nigeria, out of opposition to repressive regimes in those countries. Chevron, like Shell, does business with Nigeria. Arco, Unocal, Mobil and Texaco are in Burma. The city is also precluded from buying products from Hewlett-Packard and NEC computers because both companies mak e products for the defense industry.

The same goes for companies that contribute products to the nuclear industry.

The printout of forbidden businesses operating in Burma alone is nearly a half-inch thick, printed on both sides. Acting Finance Director Frances David says her staff must consult the list each time they buy a new product.

A $40,000-a-year city clerk spends one-fourth of her time reviewing various databases for forbidden products. But the city staff takes it in stride, David said. "We live in Berkeley, what can I tell you?" She said that despite the hassle, Berkeley's social policy is sound.

Following Berkeley's and San Francisco's lead, the number of U.S. cities th at boycotted businesses dealing in South Africa went a long way toward ending apartheid there, city employees say.

But some in Berkeley's government are not so sure the city's involvement in international issues is worth the price. "I think Berkeley has enough problems of its own," Councilwoman Armstrong said. "When we've straightened out our problems, I think we can start reaching out to others."

At least one crisis over cola drinks was recently averted. Pepsi-Cola had been banned from soda machines in city buildings because the company had dealings in Burma. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola is destined to be banished, too, because the company peddles its product in Nigeria. That would have left a cola vacuum at City Hall. But now it is rumored that Pepsi has stopped doin g business in Burma. So Pepsi is in. Coke is out.