monthly climate action Tag

BANKING ON OUR FUTURE!

Four big banks–Bank of America, Chase, Citibank, and Wells Fargo–are helping finance the climate crisis by supporting new oil, gas and coal projects. But these banks rely on their credit card and banking customers like you to stay in business. By signing the Banking on our Future pledge, you’re asking these banks to stop funding climate chaos by the March of 2023, or you will cut up your credit card and move your money with them. If you don’t bank there now, you pledge you won’t do so in the future.

Why this action is so important: Last year, the International Energy Agency stated that in order to meet the Paris climate targets there can be no new investments in oil, gas, or coal, starting immediately. Yet since the climate accords were signed, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Bank of America have loaned the fossil fuel industry a trillion dollars with no plans to stop. We, as their customers, have the ability to convince them to do the right thing for all our our futures.

Once you’ve signed the pledge, here are two next steps you can take to amplify the impact of this action:

First, If you do have a credit card with Chase, Citicard, Bank of America, or Wells Fargo, apply for a new credit card with a better bank now. That way, you’ll be able to switch cards by March 2023 should it be necessary. To find a good option, use Green America’s list of credit cards issued from banks that don’t lend to fossil fuel companies. Both Beneficial State Bank and Amalgamated Bank offer climate-friendly credit cards with no annual fee.

Second, share the Banking on our Future pledge with your network! Third Act has a Banking on our Future Page on their website with all the resources you need to learn about the action and share with others.

Additional Resources:

To learn more about this action, watch a 3-minute video from THIRD ACT: Banking on Our Future

An overview of the connection between financial institutions and the climate crisis, from the New Yorker

Bank.green, a tool allowing you to check your bank’s fossil fuel financing record.

Green America’s List of fossil fuel-free credit cards.

EMAIL FOR CLIMATE ACTION TODAY!

Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) has an easy-to-use tool you can use to email your Congressional Representatives to urge them to act on climate. Unlike many other groups, CCL allows you to opt-out of getting on their mailing list, so you can take this action without increasing your email burden!

Use the link below to contact your Congressperson and Senators and urge them to pass additional bold climate policies that will open a path toward meeting our commitment under the Paris Climate Accords.

Follow the easy instructions to email your elected officials! An email will be provided which you can send as is or personalize for even greater effectiveness. The more voters they hear from, the more likely it is that Congress will pass climate policies that truly meet the moment.

Many powerful interests are fighting to weaken and derail these efforts. YOU can help by letting Congress know you want them to pass sweeping, bold action tackling the climate crisis!

HELP ELECT CLIMATE CHAMPIONS!

Here are two great ways to help elect climate champions! Below, we offer two options to promote getting more climate champions elected to federal and state offices.

Option ONE: Sign up with the Environmental Voter Project, dedicated to identifying inactive environmentalists and transforming them into consistent voters. The Environmental Voter Project provides opportunities to encourage the most climate aware people to become consistent voters in critical swing states. Their work is data-driven and has been highly impactful in recent years.

The link below will take you to their “Get Involved” page, where you can sign up to join their volunteer email list, or to help with a specific campaign.

Option TWO: Help elect climate champions by making donations through Give Green. Give Green provides a strategic way to support candidates who will advance just solutions to the climate crisis. Their platform selects candidates committed to climate action and then allows you to give to them directly. To take action, click the button, select candidates, and make a donation in any amount.

TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE!

There is one action you can take that many climate experts say is the single most effective thing you can do to help solve the climate crisis. Talk about it with your friends and family members. Talk about why you care, and what climate actions you are taking.

Why is this so important? Most Americans care about global warming, yet rarely or never talk about it. Yet humans are social creatures, so this cycle of silence discourages engagement. There is growing evidence that the more we talk about climate change, the more we realize others care, and the more we take action.

What you can say: Talking about why you care about climate change and what you are doing about it are the two great places to start. I’ve recently been talking about the electric barbecue we got because we are electrifying our home, my worries about the recent summer heat and fire seasons in Oregon, and the Banking on our Future Pledge I signed to support banks that do not invest in fossil fuel expansion.

Who to talk to: According to the most recent Yale climate opinion poll, 71% of Americans say global warming is important to them. Talk to anyone you know who is concerned about climate change, which includes most of us. As climate scientist Dr. Katherine Hayhoe has said, “The biggest challenge isn’t science denial, it’s complacency.”

Here are a few more resources to inspire you:

Why you should talk about climate change right now, Katherine Hayhoe, Gizmodo, October 13, 2021

The most important thing you can do right now to fight climate change, according to science, Joe Romm, Think Progress, July 11, 2019

The magic of talking, Power Up for Climate Solutions Blog, May 20, 2022

The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: Talk about it, TED talk, Katherine Hayhoe, December, 2018