As it turns out, the ubiquitous anti-Bank-of-America chalking all over campus today is taking its cue from a larger movement by activist groups like the Rainforest Action Network and Students for a Democratic Society to get major corporations like Citigroup and Bank of America to stop investing in coal.
I’m not sure how active SDS actually is at Wesleyan, but groups around the country have been trying to raise awareness of Bank of America’s stake in coal since last year, with rallies, cough/die-ins, and info tables having been organized (and blogged about) in at least San Francisco and Philadelphia.
It seems unclear how much attention the company is paying to these (so far) relatively minor protests, but what with the ridiculous debate going on about “clean coal” in this year’s election, here’s hoping that major investors like Bank of America follow the lead of other banks and develop better energy policies in the near future than the relatively uncompelling carbon principles they have at the moment.
In the meantime, if the SDS members who I assume are behind the BoA chalking are serious at all, they should probably invest in coal-rock costumes and top hats for some entertaining Usdan public theater.
Bank of America has helped tens of millions (if not hundred of millions) of people and businesses. And I am sure they have, as a result, put more money into social causes than you chalkers ever will.
Bank of America has helped tens of millions (if not hundred of millions) of people and businesses. And I am sure they have, as a result, put more money into social causes than you chalkers ever will.
but tell me what these banks are, and then maybe i’ll believe you.not obscure credit unions of the midwest that aren’t as financially sound as bofa.my point is, as privileged as i know i am, im nowhere near as wealthy as the majority of this campus and on lots of financial aid. i cant afford to have my bank charge me ridiculous fees to get my money out of an atm.bofa also doesnt require a social security number to open accounts, which means that the millions of undocumented immigrants in this country probably turn to bofa for their banking. stopping the transactions here won’t do anything. im sure theyre not thinking about mountain top removal when they need to feed their families.
but tell me what these banks are, and then maybe i’ll believe you.not obscure credit unions of the midwest that aren’t as financially sound as bofa.my point is, as privileged as i know i am, im nowhere near as wealthy as the majority of this campus and on lots of financial aid. i cant afford to have my bank charge me ridiculous fees to get my money out of an atm.bofa also doesnt require a social security number to open accounts, which means that the millions of undocumented immigrants in this country probably turn to bofa for their banking. stopping the transactions here won’t do anything. im sure theyre not thinking about mountain top removal when they need to feed their families.
but tell me what these banks are, and then maybe i’ll believe you.
not obscure credit unions of the midwest that aren’t as financially sound as bofa.
my point is, as privileged as i know i am, im nowhere near as wealthy as the majority of this campus and on lots of financial aid. i cant afford to have my bank charge me ridiculous fees to get my money out of an atm.
bofa also doesnt require a social security number to open accounts, which means that the millions of undocumented immigrants in this country probably turn to bofa for their banking. stopping the transactions here won’t do anything. im sure theyre not thinking about mountain top removal when they need to feed their families.
there are plenty of alternative banks that do socially responsible investing.the fact that people switch over to B of A when they come here is a specific reason the ATM should go: they’re making tons of money being here, and that money goes to really bad things.
there are plenty of alternative banks that do socially responsible investing.the fact that people switch over to B of A when they come here is a specific reason the ATM should go: they’re making tons of money being here, and that money goes to really bad things.
there are plenty of alternative banks that do socially responsible investing.
the fact that people switch over to B of A when they come here is a specific reason the ATM should go: they’re making tons of money being here, and that money goes to really bad things.
Missing the point completely 7:18. Looking for a problem..
Missing the point completely 7:18. Looking for a problem..
Missing the point completely 7:18. Looking for a problem..
I hate how on this campus we are unwilling to consider social responsibility when money is involved.
I hate how on this campus we are unwilling to consider social responsibility when money is involved.
I hate how on this campus we are unwilling to consider social responsibility when money is involved.
I’m signing up for a BoA account. So, yes, this has had some impact.
I’m signing up for a BoA account. So, yes, this has had some impact.
I’m signing up for a BoA account. So, yes, this has had some impact.
When the impact is negligible? At this point, it’s basically our convenience, or your skewed conscience. We win.
When the impact is negligible? At this point, it’s basically our convenience, or your skewed conscience. We win.
When the impact is negligible? At this point, it’s basically our convenience, or your skewed conscience. We win.
they could get rid of it at the end of the semester… its not like it would happen tomorrowand i dont think your convenience is more important that peoples live.
they could get rid of it at the end of the semester… its not like it would happen tomorrowand i dont think your convenience is more important that peoples live.
they could get rid of it at the end of the semester… its not like it would happen tomorrow
and i dont think your convenience is more important that peoples live.
definitely NOT a very simple thing to do. to replace the whole ATM that countless students have already switched over to use? how about SDS suggests a better, socially responsible bank that does the same job BofA does? huh? none, right? then BofA should stay. citibank and BofA atms are literally on every corner in NYC. tell me where else you can get that convenience.
definitely NOT a very simple thing to do. to replace the whole ATM that countless students have already switched over to use? how about SDS suggests a better, socially responsible bank that does the same job BofA does? huh? none, right? then BofA should stay. citibank and BofA atms are literally on every corner in NYC. tell me where else you can get that convenience.
definitely NOT a very simple thing to do. to replace the whole ATM that countless students have already switched over to use? how about SDS suggests a better, socially responsible bank that does the same job BofA does?
huh? none, right? then BofA should stay. citibank and BofA atms are literally on every corner in NYC. tell me where else you can get that convenience.
not every company is going to be only staked in “clean” sources. everything is interconnected and you’re never going to rid all of it. I understand the point of this, but attacking one company at a time simply frees up the opportunity for another to take its place.
not every company is going to be only staked in “clean” sources. everything is interconnected and you’re never going to rid all of it. I understand the point of this, but attacking one company at a time simply frees up the opportunity for another to take its place.
not every company is going to be only staked in “clean” sources. everything is interconnected and you’re never going to rid all of it. I understand the point of this, but attacking one company at a time simply frees up the opportunity for another to take its place.
its a protest with a very specific goal, to get the boa terminal off of campus and replace it with a more socially responsible bank, and part of a national campaign with a very specific goal, to get bank of america to stop spending billions of dollars funding coal extraction and instead push money to clean energy investment. its also just one of a number of campaigns sds is going to be working on this year. i also love when people say to get behind a more important issue, and don’t name one. fighting the expansion of coal power is an extremely important environmental issue (coal power produces 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the US) as well as a major social justice issue for people living in communities that are devastated by coal mining and mountain top removal. if wesleyan really is committed to sustainability, this is a very simple thing for the university to do to help the climate and people.
its a protest with a very specific goal, to get the boa terminal off of campus and replace it with a more socially responsible bank, and part of a national campaign with a very specific goal, to get bank of america to stop spending billions of dollars funding coal extraction and instead push money to clean energy investment. its also just one of a number of campaigns sds is going to be working on this year. i also love when people say to get behind a more important issue, and don’t name one. fighting the expansion of coal power is an extremely important environmental issue (coal power produces 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the US) as well as a major social justice issue for people living in communities that are devastated by coal mining and mountain top removal. if wesleyan really is committed to sustainability, this is a very simple thing for the university to do to help the climate and people.
its a protest with a very specific goal, to get the boa terminal off of campus and replace it with a more socially responsible bank, and part of a national campaign with a very specific goal, to get bank of america to stop spending billions of dollars funding coal extraction and instead push money to clean energy investment.
its also just one of a number of campaigns sds is going to be working on this year.
i also love when people say to get behind a more important issue, and don’t name one. fighting the expansion of coal power is an extremely important environmental issue (coal power produces 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the US) as well as a major social justice issue for people living in communities that are devastated by coal mining and mountain top removal.
if wesleyan really is committed to sustainability, this is a very simple thing for the university to do to help the climate and people.
more “protests just for the sake of protest”…let me know when a viable coal alternative is found and can be invested in. I hate how people protest something without offering an alternative. not investing in coal isn’t an alternative because it’s just treating a symptom, not the problem itself.
more “protests just for the sake of protest”…let me know when a viable coal alternative is found and can be invested in. I hate how people protest something without offering an alternative. not investing in coal isn’t an alternative because it’s just treating a symptom, not the problem itself.
more “protests just for the sake of protest”…
let me know when a viable coal alternative is found and can be invested in.
I hate how people protest something without offering an alternative. not investing in coal isn’t an alternative because it’s just treating a symptom, not the problem itself.
bank*
bank*
bank*
coal isn’t the issue. it’s the fact that ban of america supports a rather gruesome method of mining it.
coal isn’t the issue. it’s the fact that ban of america supports a rather gruesome method of mining it.
coal isn’t the issue. it’s the fact that ban of america supports a rather gruesome method of mining it.
SDS is looking like it’ll be really active this year. exciting! yay frosh!
SDS is looking like it’ll be really active this year. exciting! yay frosh!
SDS is looking like it’ll be really active this year. exciting! yay frosh!
find a better cause, idiots. Energy is important, but this is the wrong way to go about activism. Do something constructive and remember, banks finance a lot of things, not just coal. That’s what banks do. SDS is a shadow of its former self, and its campaign of “radicalization” plays into its opponents’ hands.
find a better cause, idiots. Energy is important, but this is the wrong way to go about activism. Do something constructive and remember, banks finance a lot of things, not just coal. That’s what banks do. SDS is a shadow of its former self, and its campaign of “radicalization” plays into its opponents’ hands.
find a better cause, idiots. Energy is important, but this is the wrong way to go about activism. Do something constructive and remember, banks finance a lot of things, not just coal. That’s what banks do. SDS is a shadow of its former self, and its campaign of “radicalization” plays into its opponents’ hands.
is this really the most important issue they could get behind? when sheeple play as activists you ruin activism for the rest of us
is this really the most important issue they could get behind? when sheeple play as activists you ruin activism for the rest of us
is this really the most important issue they could get behind? when sheeple play as activists you ruin activism for the rest of us