Take your money away from fossil fuels
Take your money away from fossil fuels
Why?
Just as you can give your business to socially and environmentally responsible companies, you can choose to invest in ones with these values. A number-one priority is to remove your money from fossil fuel companies and the banks that support them.
Choose a better bank or a credit union
Is the credit card you use or the money you have in the bank lending support to harmful industries? Chase Bank, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and Bank of America are the worst offenders. You can help cut off the flow of cash to curtail the fossil fuel sector. Find local, ethical banking alternatives like nonprofit credit unions and move your money to where your morals are. Same goes for credit cards.
Investigate Third Act, a national organization focused on campaigns to remove money from fossil fuel companies as well as the banks that finance them. They tell us that on average, $24 of every $100 dollars Wall Street’s largest banks lend out are repurposed to finance fossil fuels. Most clients of big banks can reduce their individual carbon footprints by 60-70%, and some by 90% or more, by moving their money away from Wall Street banks to greener ones.
Third Act: Calculate your bank account's carbon emission
Green America: Get a Better Bank or Credit Card
Green America: Find a Socially & Environmentally Responsible Credit Card
Sonoma County GO LOCAL: Bank Local
Switch to sustainable investments
Did you know that, so far, institutions around the world have committed to divest more than $40 trillion from fossil fuels? Join the club! Divest your investments from companies that don’t reflect your values. Instead, ask for Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) by picking investments based on environmental, social, and good corporate governance criteria (called ESG).
Then write a letter to your company, city, or university, urging them to divest. Want to make this more fun and effective? Invite a group of friends to do it with you by starting a divestment campaign.
Regeneration: Banking & Finance
Deforestation Free Funds: Are you invested in deforestation and climate change?
350.org: Fossil Free: Learn how to run a Fossil Free Campaign
Avoid buying plastic, AKA fossil fuel
Just another friendly reminder that plastic is made of fossil fuels – and fossil fuel companies plan to expand, not reduce, their production of plastic. Think of it as the new coal. In fact, the U.S. plastic industry’s contribution to climate change is on track to exceed that of coal-fired power in this country by 2030. These companies are counting on us not paying attention – but we are! So let’s do everything in our power to avoid plastic and to advocate for better solutions.
Beyond Plastics: The New Coal: Plastics and Climate Change
Beyond Plastics: You Can Help End Plastic Pollution
Plastic Free Foundation: Join millions of people reducing plastic waste
