Unconventional Action Strikes DNC Headquarters on “Fossil Fools Day”

The Unconventional Greenwashing Taskforce, a band of locals affiliated with the anti-authoritarian network Unconventional Action, “greenwashed” the main entrance to the Democratic National Convention Committee’s headquarters on April Fools Day. The stunt coincided with over 100 creative actions called for by environmental groups such as Rising Tide, Rainforest Action Network and the Network for Climate Action. The pranks were directed at companies and institutions guilty of “greenwashing,” the act of creating an image of environmental responsibility for the public while continuing to engage in practices harmful to the earth.

The greenwashing team showed up at the front entrance of the Denver Post building downtown, where the DNCC’s offices are located, and began applying a light green foam to the windows reading “DNC Greenwash”. The greenwashers were apprehended in the middle of the messaging by security and threatened with arrest. Meanwhile, a greenwashing representative went to the DNCC offices to announce the offer of the free services.

The Democratic National Convention is a largely ceremonial event in which the Democratic Party tries to use the media hype to bolster support for their presidential candidate. It is also a chance for industry insiders and high rollers to meet with both the presidential nominee and other party leaders to discuss their interests. For several election cycles now, the convention has also been a loophole for fundraising, allowing corporations and individuals to donate considerable amounts of money with no cap and no required disclosure from the party.

Some of the largest known donors to the DNC so far have been companies currently under harsh criticism from the public for their environmental practices. Some of the donors include Xcel Energy which operates numerous coal-fired power plants, the gold mining company Newmont Mining who is currently operating on Western Shoshone land, Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase which are both top financers of coal plants, and also General Motors who despite offering hybrids during the convention is rated as one of the worst polluters in the car industry.

While the City of Denver and the DNC Host Committee have been generating a lot of attention from corporate media for their greening of the convention, both the DNC and media outlets have failed to mention that the funding for the multi-million dollar event is being bankrolled by some of the world’s worst polluters. The “greenwashers” action was to send a message that to address the very urgent and real issues of climate change, species loss and other harmful trends that real action needs to take place, which is a rapid transition away from fossil fuels and toward the localization of energy, food, and economic systems for a just, sustainable future.

For more information on the DNC’s greenwashing efforts and the mounting opposition to the DNC, the Democratic Party and corporate two-system visit www.dncdisruption08.org

Banners Suspended From “Snake Bridge” For Global Warming Day of Action

In honor of “Fossil Fools Day,” Tucson activists hung a banner condemning the proposed Downtown Links and I-10 Bypass highways from each side of the Snake Bridge at the intersection of Broadway Blvd. and Aviation Hwy. in the early hours of April 2. The banners were clearly visible for the duration of the morning commute, and were removed by city officials at 9:30 a.m.

Reading “No New Roads: Put the Brakes on Global Warming!”, the banners were situated just above the proposed starting point of Downtown Links in full view of commuter traffic. The action was meant to highlight the role of new roads in promoting runaway carbon dioxide emissions as part of an international day of protest focused on “climate criminals.”

“The Fossil Fools in government and industry are playing games with our future: the time for lip service and half-measures is over,” said Tucson resident Alex Larkin. “Direct action is necessary to stop those who watch the planet burn while counting the money they make from the fire.”

According to the most recent estimates by leading climate scientists, as reported in the Washington Post on March 10, dramatic greenhouse gas emissions must begin immediately, with total emissions reduced to nearly zero in less than 50 years to avoid catastrophic climatic upsets.

“With so little time to shift our way of life away from its dependence on fossil fuels, building new roads is not just foolish – it’s insane,” Larkin said.

The proposed Downtown Links highway would connect I-10 to Aviation Highway, punching through the downtown Warehouse Arts District. Area residents have condemned the planned road, saying it would destroy community spaces and historic buildings without providing any local benefit. In addition, the Pima County Democratic Party is analyzing the results ballot initiative securing funding for the project because of allegations of tampering.

The proposed I-10 Bypass would stretch 250 miles from the Willcox area to Buckeye, allowing freight trucks to avoid Phoenix and Tucson traffic. The road has met widespread local opposition on the grounds that it would destroy sensitive wildlife habitat, degrade the character of rural communities and pave the way for sprawl in relatively undisturbed areas. In addition, the groups San Pedro Wild and Root Force have criticized the road for furthering Arizona’s dependence on imports at a time when oil and water are running out and a shift to local economies is desperately needed.

On March 21, the State Transportation Board unanimously voted to proceed with plans for the I-10 bypass, although it removed two of the most controversial routes from consideration. Bypass opponents have claimed a partial victory and vowed to keep organizing against the road until the entire plan is abandoned. Likewise, downtown residents have stated their intention to resist Downtown Links and see the project canceled.

The Fossil Fools Day of Action was called for by the international Rising Tide network (active in the US, UK and Australia) and was joined by Rainforest Action Network, Global Exchange and students active in the Energy Action Coalition, the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition and the Australian Student Environment Network. Globally, more than 150 actions were carried out on April 1. For reports on these actions, visit www.fossilfoolsday.org.

See www.rootforce.org.

 Roundup from risingtide.org.uk: http://risingtide.org.uk/node/273

 More details & photos for may of these actions can be found on  http://www.fossilfoolsday.org and UK Indymedia:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/395361.html

  Fantastic Fossil Foolery! UK Action Round-up

Check out Fossil Fools Day page for all the amazing actions in other countries, including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Australia; as well as media coverage from around the world. And read on for the scoop on all the UK actions.

Email us with any action reports or photos that we’ve missed out. A massive congratulations to everyone who took part in foolery large and small… and don’t stop now, build on contacts you’ve made with these actions, get involved wherever you live, plan for May 1st(False Capitalist Solutions), June 3rd (Food and Climate Change), the Camp for Climate Action and beyond… see you next time!

Aberthaw, Wales: Coal-fired power station blockaded

Activists, including people from Bristol Rising Tide and Oxford, chained themselves together and blockaded both roads into Aberthaw power station – the biggest polluter in Wales. The actionstopped normal operations, and the staff were sent home for the day. The power station, also condemned by workers for its poor safety record, last year pumped out more than 7.4million tonnes of CO2 (carbon dioxide), the major contributor to climate change. It also emitted 28,000 tonnes of nitrogen dioxide and 31,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide –

two chemicals that contribute to acid rain. This action comes after the successful closure by activists of Ffos-y-Fran open cast mine in Merthyr Tydfil, on Tuesday 1st April. Ffos-y-Fran is the biggest mine in Europe and has been forced upon the people of Merthyr Tydfil in-order to fuel the dirtiest of all power stations and big business’s greed for profit.

IndymediaBBC

Bacton, Norfolk: Major gas terminal blockaded

Earth First! UK activists today blockaded the UK’s largest off shore gas terminal at Bacton in Norfolk. The Bacton complex handles 40% of the UK’s gas supply. Activists blockaded the main access road to the site for four hours, preventing workers from going on shift and construction materials from arriving. At either end of the access road, teams of three people locked on across the road, and unfurled banners reading ‘Shrink or Sink’ and ‘Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground’. 19 people were arrested, including most of the support teams.IndymediaBBC TVBBC onlineEastern Daily PressEvening NewsEvening Star

Cambridge: RBS banner hang and roof occupationThe Royal Bank of Scotland is one of the main financiers of climate crime, in the form of oil and gas exploration. After targeting the Trinity Street branch last year, this time protesters paid a visit to the Hills Road Branch to mark the occasion of Fossil Fools Day. Protesters climbed onto the canopy of the building and unfurled a banner reading “RBS – The Oil and Gas Bank: Climate Criminal”

.Indymedia

Edinburgh34 4×4s and sports cars disarmed

Loads of gas guzzling 4×4’s and around 10 swanky sports cars were disarmed last night as part of the ‘Fossil Fools’ day of action. We targeted one of Edinburghs’ more affluent areas for our April fools action. We chose only rich peoples vehicles to symbolise how the wealthy and powerful are mainly responsible for the destruction of our planet. We did the mung bean trick. It was very easy.Indymedia

Clowns take on Food Mile Freaks

The Edinburgh battalion of the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA) marched into Sainsbury’s and Tesco to point out the absurdity of squandering limited fossil fuel resources on flying strawberries to Scotland so we can eat them in the middle of winter. In Sainsbury’s, the red-nosed army acted out the carbon intensive process of transporting food from farmer to plate. The clowns then dispersed throughout the store in search of an elusive ‘Scottish banana’, encouraging fellow shoppers to find (if they could) any produce in the store which was actually from Scotland.Indymedia

Glasgow Glasgow Fossil Fools present awards to local Climate Criminals

*After some deliberation as to who was more worthy of the prize, they have decided to present three awards to…*The Flight Centre – aviation is the fastest growing source of fossil fueled carbon emissions.*The Royal Bank of Scotland – who through investments in oil currently boasts a yearly output of emissions equal to that of the whole of Scotland.*Shell Oil – emblem of our fossil fuel thirstyIndymedia

Climate change doesn’t exist. (APRIL FOOLS YOU FOSSIL FOOL!)”“Banner hung on Charing Cross motorway intersection in central Glasgow with the following note attached…“Dear Car-Driving Commuters.Who stack yourselves up one by one.Grid-locking our city Glasgow in high carbon, low health, grrr- noise / eurgh-air and catastrophic climate chaos.GET OUT OF YOUR CARS YOU FOSSIL FOOLS!From Cyclists, Pedestrians, Health Workers, City-Dwellers,Low-Carbon Lifestylers Wanting Radical Change Now,Grounded Non-flyers Who Want to Grow Vegetables on Your Land.”Indymedia

Fossil Foolery on the streets of Glasgow A bunch of Fossil Fools took to the Streets of Glasgow today, trying to persuade people to up their carbon emissions by putting more petrol in their cars, applauding SUV’s and urging pedestrians to Stop Walking – Start Driving! Next they applauded more 4×4s at traffic lights, before inadvertently stumbling into a branch of Starbucks to play – and Starbucks are a well known model employer and sell Green Coffee! The Fools, having realised their mistake, then took to the Street again, and lit upon a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland, where they unfurled their large Award banner, applauding the RBS’

s contribution to climate change. The Fools then socked toward, then into, a Flight Centre. Here they enquired about getting a holiday with the biggest, guaranteed CO2 emission, and learned that many BIG SUVs were to be seen at a local private school, so they scrambled up there to drool over all those beoooootiful gas guzzlers.

Hastings: Jesters vs. Ronald McDonaldThe Jesters of Hastings challenged Ronald McDonald in a Showdown! Jesters v’s Ronald McDonald outside Hastings Mcdonalds in Wellington Square. Custard pies vs your big macs!

Hull: Climate Crisis Prevention Unit

Dressed in high visability jackets reading “Climate Crisis Prevention”, hard hats and boiler suits, we hung a banner in the town centre, below the large TV screen, reading:MONEY WELL SPENT?2007 = 17,000 HOMES FLOODEDCLIMATE CHANGE = MORE FLOODSWe then proceeded to hand out flyers to local residents, of whom the VAST majority were very supportive. Our experience of successfully making the transition for ‘talking’ to ‘doing’ was very positive for everybody involved, and having now completed our first ever action, we’

re looking forward to planning the next on the 1st May.Indymedia

Leamington Spa: 50-strong anti-shopping demoAt Leamington Spa today we had a demonstration against the proposed Clarendon Shopping Arcade which if built will be huge and will have a large new parking area attached. There were 50 adults and children, many dressed up. There were fairy outfits, a polar bear, 3 jesters, 2 people dressed as death with oil drips, and more face painting. We had 4 banners, several placards and we handed out 4 different kinds of leaflets. There were two musicians playing a fossil fool’s song written specially for the event. There were 4 people on bikes, and one bike and trailer with kids in. There were decorated umbrellas, and helium balloons with Fossil Fool’s day written on. Nothing like this ever happens in Leamington. We passed a flower stall and the owner was so supportive he gave us 5 or 6 free bunches of flowers.

Lancaster banner hang

Building up to Fossil Fools Day, some people hung a banner at the side of Lancaster’s busiest roundabout for the “rush” hour gridlocked car drivers to enjoy. The banner read: “Worried about Climate Change? Stuck in Traffic? Get a Bike!”Indymedia

LondonFossil Fools Day “kicks off early” in London

Fossil Fools Day 2008 got an early start with London Rising Tide “kicking”

things off. In front of the Football Association headquarters in London, Rising Tide protesters issued the FA a Red Card for accepting sponsorship from E.ON – a utility company proposing to build new coal-fired power plants in the UK. At closing time, LRT played a spoof game of football outside the FA with a coal ball, scoring own-goals and with the slogans ‘Climate FU Cup’ and ‘E-ON: No new coal’ emblazoned on their football shirts. On the backs of their shirts were the names of the proposed new coal-fired power stations.Indymedia

Polar bears take on Porsche

Protesting polar bears and Londoners delivered an apology on behalf of Porsche outside its London HQ for:* Going against the will of 85% of Londoners by trying to overturn the planned extension of the congestion charge* Lobbying to stop the introduction of European initiatives to cap harmful vehicle emissions* Continuing to produce true gas guzzlers, with 44 of its 46 models falling into the most polluting category of car (band G)The apology was delivered by an activist pretending to be from the company.Indymedia

Land Rover Ad Agency occupied by London Rising Tide

Activists from climate justice direct action group London Rising Tide (LRT) occupied the offices of Y&R, the ad agency behind the current Land Rover campaign, and a new campaign for arms giant BAe Systems. The LRT activists were posing as executives from a newly-privatised wing of the MoD called HarrionProjects, a spoof company whose centrepiece is the Harrion®, a civilian version of the Harrier Jump-Jet. LRT also issued a spoof press release saying that Y&R has agreed to launch the Harrion® marketing campaign, and also that ClimateCare, the CO2 offsets company which is working to ‘offset’ Land Rover emissions, has agreed to do the same for the Harrion®, even though the Harrion® only manages 0.3mpg. The two occupiers were arrested.IndymediaPrecision Marketing

New Coal Fool found at the Department for BusinessWestminster awoke to cries of “Roll up! Roll up! Come see the Fossil Fool” at 8am this morning as 15 jesters and 30 protestors arrived at the department for business and regulatory reform to laugh at John Hutton, the minister responsible for the government’s push to build a string of new coal-fired power stations in the UK. Carrying banners which read: “New Coal? You must be choking!” the campaigners were juggling coal and planet Earths and wearing John Hutton ‘jester’ masks and hats. They called on Gordon Brown to take charge of John Hutton’

s rogue coal plans and launch a coal power strategy review to consider the climate impact of going back to dirty coal.Stop Kingsnorth

EV-EON Carbon Capture launched on Southbank!

EV-EON Unnaturally Carbonated Water was launched today on the streets of London. Using all new climate-saving technology we can save the day and keep burning coal for ever more. Well done Carbon Capture and Storage! This innovative new technology will be used at E.ON’

s Kingsnorth Power Station and used to capture the carbon dioxide given off by the burning of coal.The carbon di-oxide is then bubbled through fresh spring water from nearby Kingsnorth Hills to create carbonated drinking water which is bottled and sold in Italian restaurants. Every time you drink a bottle of EV-EON you are helping to store all that climate changing gas – the more you drink, the more you store the more coal we can burn. Although consumers are reminded to drink responsibly and refrain from burping or breathing other wise they may be responsible for climate change.Spoof websiteIndymedia

Parliament Square protest against Kingsnorth

Around a hundred students with People and Planet came to Westminster to protest about the plans to build a new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent, the first of eight such major carbon-emitters being planned. Students brought with them three large white cooling towers, each with a large message ‘NO NEW COAL’ and one with rather nice grime dripping from its upper lip, and erected them on Parliament Square in front of the Houses of Parliament. Many of the students also held cutouts of Gordon Brown’s face as they shouted advice to him that this programme makes a nonsense of the government’s policy on carbon emissions, and several held posters showing the Draft Climate Change Bill, one of which, held by a jester, was set alight with the help of some lighter fuel.Indymedia

Evening Standard Promotes Fossil Fools Day

The Evening Standard’s recent run-in with the press complaints commission which regarded last years Climate Action Camp near Heathrow Airport, seems to have resulted in a remarkable volte-face with regards to climate activism. These photographs where taken of billboards around London on Fossil Fools day.Indymedia

Ffos-y-Fran operators Argent PLC targeted

Argent form half of Miller-Argent who run the UK’s largest opencast coal mine, Ffos-y-Fran in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. Around a dozen demonstrators from Campaign Against Climate Change turned up at 4pm in in Albany Courtyard, a private street off Piccadilly where Argent have their London office and set up behind barriers watched by rather more police from three vans and a police car, with a police photographer taking extensive video and photographs. A manager from the Albany came and talked to the demonstrators, taking a document about the mine and promising to deliver it to his tenants at Argent Group PLC.Indymedia

Manchester Fossil Fools Parade

Some clowns got stuck in the revolving doors at RBS and a human pipeline was escorted from the city centre building by security. Some members of the parade got confused and chalked messages on the pavements, and people trying to escape the beating of drums ran to hide in the flight centre while the samba band, who really had no idea, blocked the entrance! Some policemen came along looking for Spartacus but couldn’t find him anywhere. On a positive note banners reading ‘OIL,GAS and COAL the jokes on US! Happy Fossil Fools Day! were hung on the walls of RBS, out of respect for their hard work contributing to climate chaos. Placards saying ‘Mr.T says “I pity the fuel” were waved. The parade ended triumphantly outside Manchester Town Hall to recognise the vital role Manchester City Council play in the area, damaging the climate every day.Indymedia

Merthyr Tydfil, Wales: Ffos-y-fran open cast coal mine shut down

Activists shut down operations at one of the biggest open cast coal mines in Europe to highlight a ‘black hole’ in Britain’

s climate change policy. This includes a team that has climbed a rig in the mine and have hung a banner while another team is blockading the mine gates, locking themselves down with with bicycle d-locks.IndymediaVideoBBCIC WalesThe Coal Hole

Newcastle: Hummer dealership run-inActivists in Newcastle blocked the gates of a Hummer dealership with a ‘Car Culture Kills the Climate’ banner. When workers tried to get through, they were allowed to pass, but then one worker rammed the paople stood across the gates and 2 people ended up on the bonnet of the car after being hit. The police turned up and arrested protesters for criminal damage ‘to the car’ and took all their cameras & video as ‘evidence’ of ‘their crime’. The police then proceeded to raid both the houses for the arrestees and take computers and rip up floorboards.

Norwich: Norwich Union unexpectedly withdraws its 6.1 billion investment in fossil fuels

Communications Director Sarah Jones (who looked suspiciously like a Rising Tider) gave a beautiful speech explaining the change in Norwich Union investment policy: “The company has realised that investing £6.1 billion worth of insurance premiums in BP, Shell and other major oil, coal and car companies is unsustainable in the current climate. I’m sure our shareholders will agree with me that protecting our common future is certainly more important than protecting our bottom line.” The speech thoroughly confused the press, and activists then helped Sarah distribute 50 Norwich Union ‘Apology Sandbags’ as tokens of the company’

s regret over its past investment decisions.Indymedia

Nottingham: E.ON Office Blockade

30 people blockaded the entrances to E-on’s offices on Mount St, Nottingham City Centre. People covered in green paint to represent E-on’s greenwash, locked onto the front entrance to E-on’s office and stood in front of other entrances preventing E-on workers from getting to work. At E-on’s offices today, Bob Castle said “

We are here today because despite E-on publicly claiming green credentials, it is trying to build a new generation of coal fired power stations. It is trying to build the first new coal fired power station in the UK in 50 years, at Kingsnorth in Kent, and wishes to continue its expansion with a new power staion at High Marnham in Nottinghamshire. Two activists were arrested and have now been released on bail.

IndymediaAudioBBCThis is NottinghamThis is Nottingham

Plymouth: Esso garage occupied

Climate activists, a proud penguin, king rat, yellow clowns and critical massers joined forces to shut down the Esso petrol station on Exeter Street, Plymouth. The climbing clowns scaled the roof while others blocked access to the forecourt. The atmosphere was celebratory in a doomed planet kinda way! – music and dancing, lots of leaflets given out and a surprising number of positive hoots from passing cars. There were seven arrests, both the roof team and those blocking the forecourt. The demonstrators, from Rising Tide, were calling for ExxonMobil to acknowledge the urgency of climate change, to cease funding think-tanks and lobbyists that are committed to blocking internationally agreed policies on global warming, and to start investing in renewable energy.IndymediaBBCThis is Plymouth

Sheffield: Bike ballet at petrol stations

Motorists in Sheffield were reminded of an alternative to their fuel-consuming, carbon producing transport. Petrol stations belonging to Waitrose and Shell were targeted with drivers being offered leaflets and bike route maps while being entertained by a cycle ballet performance.Indymedia

Southampton: Shell petrol station occupied

A group of eight activists have taken over the forecourt and three activists have scaled and occupied the roof with a banner to highlight the damage and destruction the oil giant is causing to our planet. “We are here because we feel we have a duty to ourselves, others and generations to come, to not let multi national companies like Shell rape and destroy the earth. As companies and governments across the world are slow in taking direct and effective action to prevent the total destruction of the plant we feel it is up to us as individuals to take DIRECT ACTION and not let corporate giants destroy our futures.”

Worthing: Fossil Foolery at RBS, Natwest and Thomson travel agents

Five activists including one refugee polar bear descended on the streets of Worthing town centre to tell the public about the climate crimes of RBS, Natwest and Thomson travel agents. Percy the polar bear told of his ecosystem’s plight, and specified how the targetted corporations were contributing to climate change. 300 leaflets were handed out to members of the public, telling them about Fossil Fools Day and explaining how local corporations are damaging the planet. Later on, Percy went into the Natwest branch and closed down his account in protest, and encouraged others to do the same and write to their bank manager concerning Natwest’s bankrolling of oil corporations.Indymedia

Wrexham: Banner hung on on Plas Coch roundaboutIndymedia 

Waterloo – Just before rush hour today, student and community activists from AntiWar@Laurier (AW@L) blockaded the Shell gas station at the corner of Westmount Road North and Father David Bauer Drive.  AW@L’s “Climate Change Containment Unit” deployed to address the gross violation of the environment constituted by the planned increase in production of the Albertan oil sands, by shutting down Shell’s primary outlet in Waterloo.  Shell is a leading offender with regard to profiteering from climate change causing activities, especially in the tar sands.

After the Containment Unit had closed the station, a crowd of activists enforced a blockade with large banners reading: “Stop Fueling War and Climate Change,” “No Tomfuelery, No Tar Sands,” and “No War, No Warming.”  However, the Containment Unit and their supporters were “attacked” by a group of Shell Executives in business suits wielding hockey sticks.  The Executives destroyed a large model of the earth that had been erected at the scene by activists.  The destruction of the world at the hands of Shell Executives seemed to embody their greed and ruthless disregard for the planet.  While both sides have pledged that there will be no violence, a heated “tug of war” has broken out between the Executives and the Climate Change Containment Unit.  They seem to be fighting over what is left of the model earth that was brought to the scene by the demonstrators from AW@L.  Containment Unit Agent Winnie Small said that, “the Executives at Shell are destroying the world and fueling war and climate change as they try to extract every last drop of oil, putting profit before the planet.”  Today’s action is part of the international “Fossil Fools Day” campaign.

Fossil Fools Day started a few years ago, and the goal is simple: to identify, mock, disrupt and make fun of corporations that are foolish about climate change and continuing to use and develop fossil fuels. “Truly, there is nothing more foolish than the whole tar sands development” claims Laurier student Laird Herbert, adding “we aim to make that point very clearly.”

AW@L members displayed signs exposing the company’s involvement in the development of the tar sands, and the negative environmental and social problems associated with such development. Some of the consequences of tar sands production include a major contribution to global climate change, intrusion on indigenous land, poisoning of lakes and rivers, the “sucking in” of skilled labour from around the country into working for non-renewable, low efficiency energy production and major contribution to an unsustainable, war producing economy and way of life.

AW@L is a student activist group in the Kitchener-Waterloo community and is an official chapter of the Rainforest Action Network (RAN). Adam Lewis, a member of the group, states that “the tar sands are not an environmentally viable option to meet Canada’s energy needs and serve only as a means of further environmental destruction and increased profits for the companies that continually abuse the earth and marginalized communities around the world.”

Fossil Fools Day is an International Day of Action, with protests happening in Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, China, Africa and Europe.

For more info about Today’s action, contact:

Laird Herbert (226) 220-1616
Send email enquiries to antiwar@peaceculture.org.
For more info about AW@L visit www.peaceculture.org
For more info about Fossil Fools Day visit www.ran.org, www.energyactioncoalition.org, and www.fossilfoolsdayofaction.org

Wind Turbine vs. Coal Plant

On Tuesday, April 1, 2008, from 1-2pm, Clark Sustainability Initiative (CSI) created a makeshift boxing arena for the fight of the 21st century. The fight took place between the dirty looking Coal Plant versus the gleaming Wind Turbine. The boxing match occurred at the Worcester Common across the street from the Bank of America on Front Street. Worcester and Boston media, as well as a Clark University film crew, were there to record this historic match of our lifetime.

The match was part of an international day of action to expose the fossil fools who are greedily perpetuating our addiction to climate-killing fossil fuels. The rally highlighted what we could accomplish if we use our money and existing resources to establish sustainable sources of renewable energy instead of focusing on short-term profits.

The process of generating electricity is the single largest source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States. Coal-fired power plants produce 80% of the electricity sector’s CO2 emissions, which makes coal a leading cause of global climate change. Bank of America is one of the largest investors in the coal industry. Bank of America has facilitated nearly $1 billion in loans to Massey Energy and Arch Coal, two of the largest companies involved in the environmentally devastating process of mountaintop removal coal mining. Mountaintop removal has resulted in the permanent loss of millions of acres of Appalachian forests and the destruction of at least 474 entire mountains. The communities of southern Appalachia are left with heavy metal-laden water and ponds of toxic sludge, as the profits of the destruction line the pockets of Wall Street investors.

Bank of America, has pledged to invest in cleaner businesses and practices. In reality, the pledge only commits less than 0.2 percent of the company’s $1.5 trillion in assets to fighting global climate change. Furthermore, this money will be spread out over the next ten years. Meanwhile, Bank of America has lent billions of dollars to companies planning to build dozens of new coal-fired power plants. If these plants are built, Bank of America will be helping finance hundreds of millions of tons of new CO2 emissions. The bank’s clients include some of the largest utility and power companies: American Electric Power, Dynegy, Florida Power & Light and many more.

One of the organizers of the event, Jeremy Weyl, stated, “Many people know how dirty coal energy is; however, most do not realize that Bank of America is one of the largest investors that supports the coal industry, one of the leading causes of global climate change. They could be using their money to promote clean energy instead of investing so much in climate change.”

Clark Sustainability Initiative, a student organization from Clark University, is a driving force towards furthering environmental sustainability at Clark University and defeating global climate change in the broader society.

Contact:
Ashley Trull
508-625-0479
AsTrull@clarku.edu

The students built and hit a piñata in the shape of a Bank of America ATM. As the fake ATM fell apart, chocolate shaped like coal, as well as “Credit cards” (baring information on Bank of America) fell out. With the piñata, conversations with passersby, creative signs and literature, organizers helped to inform students and staff that the school’s money is being used to fund environmentally and socially destructive coal companies. A petition to change Evergreen’s bank was circulated, and pressure against Bank of America on campus has grown.

Students at the Evergreen State College are seeking to switch the school’s bank from Bank of America to a local credit union. Bank of America is being targeted by social and environmental justice groups throughout the country for their investments in the coal industry. “Our tuition money is used to support coal companies that contribute heavily to US carbon emissions, practice Mountaintop Removal and exploit the land and people in the Black Mesa region”, said Maya Face. Coal is responsible for 40% of annual US greenhouse gases, while power plants are a leading cause of asthma and lung cancer, responsible for over 24,000 deaths annually.

Unfortunately, Manchin and Blankenship were beat out by Bush and Cheney for the International Fossil Fools Lifetime Achievement Award. Because of their hard work, however, we decided to award them a special Appalachian Fossil Fools Award. Our own boys can certainly brag that they’ve done more than their share for a small state when it comes to advancing the cause of enhancing the profits of big coal at the expense of our economy, our mountains, and our future.

Activists showed up with 8 foot high model wind turbines and a functional mobile solar panel to show alternatives to fossil fuel use, advocating for a clean just energy transition away from the toxic coal industry that has crushed West Virginia’s economy. Several thousand green jobs in wind turbine and solar panel manufacturing are just across from the West Virginia border in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Governor Manchin’s insistence on being a fossil fool has not allowed industry like this to employ West Virginia workers.

Don “Blank-Check” Blankenship has spent $5 million getting his coal cronies into the WV Supreme courts and state legislature, or at least trying to, as in the last election, 39 of the 40 candidates he funded lost. Blankenship’s company Massey has a history of union busting, safety violations and violating water pollution standards more than 4500 times over six years. Massey was recently subject to a 2.4 billion fine for said water violations, but only had to pay $20 million of that. Massey’s subsidiary in Martin County, Kentucky was responsible for the “biggest environmental disaster in the history of the southeast” when 250 million gallons of toxic sludge were released. Luckily, Blankenship has friends in high places, as he was recently documented vacationing in Monaco with WV Supreme Court Justice Spike Maynard.

Governor “Baloney” Joe Manchin is trying to line up support for five coal-to-liquids plants in the state. Each one these experimental facilities will cost a couple of billion dollars—to be heavily subsidized by taxpayers in the poorest state in the US, of course. Manchin strip mined his own family land to fuel a gob plant there. Combine this with his refusal to help build a safe new school at Marsh Fork Elementary, which is within 300 feet of a coal processing plant and at the foot of a 2.8 billion gallon toxic coal waste dam, and you see that Baloney Joe is a truly a fossil fool of the highest order.

Fossil Fool festivities continued with a less than successful attempt to drop our West Virginia Foolie by Manchin’s office, but no fear. Climate activists interested in working together on stopping this tomfoolery are invited to a local coffee shop, Taylor Books, Wed. April 3 at 5:30 for the movie, “Everything’s Cool.” For more information see www.ohvec.org, www.crmw.net, www.seac.org.