Fossil fuels under fire: Divestment push picks up steam

[Andy823]

In the 1980s, pressure from student groups over apartheid forced many universities to divest from South Africa. Today, activists are targeting a far larger target: The fossil fuel industry.

This week, Syracuse University announced its $1.2 billion endowment plans to drop all fossil fuel stocks. A number of smaller institutions have made similar pledges, including Hampshire College, University of Maine and The New School. This week students at Bowdoin College in Maine staged a sit-in at the president's office in an effort to get the school to divest from fossil fuels.

The Syracuse decision shows the divestment movement is "entering a new, more escalated phase," says Jamie Henn, communications director at 350.org, a non-profit focused on climate-related campaigns and projects. "It's a billion-dollar endorsement of the idea and takes us into another league in terms of the types of universities that are beginning to come on board."

Henn expects "big actions" this spring on divestment in the University of California system, as well as "iconic East Coast schools" such as Swathmore and Amherst. Furthermore, he notes institutions such as the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, religious groups like the World Council of Churches and municipalities like San Francisco County have made similar divestment pledges. (A full list can be found here.)

Very interesting article.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/are-fossil-fuel-stocks-the--new-tobacco---divestment-movement-picks-up-steam-203715187.html

[Andy823]

1. Here is a link to another thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141058275

It's about the president wanting to train more people to work in the solar energy field.