The rumble of a chainsaw, and an ebb and flow beat attracted the attention of the Wells Fargo bank in downtown Juneau on Tuesday, when around two dozen protesters took to the sidewalk.
On the truck’s bed, Bob Schroeder stood before an apex replica of an Alaska Airlines credit card.
span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”What are we going to say?” Juneau organizer Doug Woodby announced. “Cut out,, or let us …”
“Cut the fat!” the crowd responded.
Schroeder turned up the chainsaw to the beat of a drum, then cut the card in two pieces, throwing the pieces on the streets.
The event, which organizers dubbed the “Great Alaska Chainsaw Massacre of Credit Card Credit Cards” was just one of more than 100 protests that took place on Tuesday, in celebration of the nationwide “Stop Clean Banks Day” of action.” The protesters wanted at highlighting the link to the industry of fossil fuels as well as big banks such as Wells Fargo, CitiBank, Chase Bank and Bank of America who own the well-known Alaska Airlines credit card.
The protests urged banks to stop their investment in the expansion of gas and oil. Together, the four banks invested over 1 trillion dollars into fossil fuels since the year 2016.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”That’s an enormous amount of cash,” Woodby said after the demonstration. “And I believe that many people do not realize how important the big banks are to financing the experience of climate change. .”
Retirees set the pace
This was the case for many of the protesters in Juneau. Sally Wilson has had a Wells Fargo account for more than 30 years. She’s said she’s been happy with the account, but when she learned about the way the money she has invested and the risks involved, she’s rethinking her options.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”I was able to separate the two,” Wilson said. “My financial management is a aspect of my daily life. Concern about climate change is a different aspect of it. This is linked to these two .”
Kate Troll agreed. She explained that she’s made conscious decisions about her financial portfolio, and has decided to shift money into items like sustainable energy investment. Next, she explained is likely to be removing your Alaska Airlines credit card.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”We love our distances,” she said. “But I think we should to think about the larger cost of .”
Wilson and Troll are both Wilson along with Troll are both retired, as are with the majority of the protesters across the country yesterday. The protests were organised through Third Act, an activist group of older adults that was established by journalist and climate activist Bill McKibben.
This demographic is perfectly suited to lead the fight against banks. 77% of U.S. wealth is held by Americans older than 55.
Woodby believes that reaching out to banks with big names is a better option instead of contacting Oil companies direct.
“We’re customers. They pay attention to us and, hoping. They know that they can count on them,” he said. “They have the option of. Banks can lend to other purposes, such as the renewable energy sector. .”
Willow Project a rallying point
Alaska was at the heart of a national discussion on fossil fuel development in the last month, as the Biden Administration ratified the Willow Project as an important ConocoPhillips oil drilling venture on the Alaskan North Slope.
Its project was approved with the support of state legislators on both sides and state legislators, will release over 287 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide in the course of its 30 years of operation. equivalent to more than 70 coal-fired power plants.
Much of the project’s funding is expected to come from massive banks. ConocoPhillips has received $10 billion from the four banks following the signing of the Paris Conventions.
Wanda Kashudoha Loescher Culp who is an Alaska Native activist with Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network she spoke at the eventand reminded attendees that the long history of bank-funded extraction of natural resources in Alaska began before the fossil fuel industry came into.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”Our grandparents witnessed the first explorations, and later the explorations that took our resources to do business. This was all the result of a bank loan,” she said.
Moving away from the expansion of fossil fuels will be difficult for a state which is so dependent on it she believes it’s a matter of justice for the environment. She believes that the state has put extraction of resources over the health of people.
span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”Alaska has never been a government that is based on its citizens. It’s always business-oriented,” Culp said. “And we have to alter the way we do business.” .”
Woodby and other national Third Act leaders encouraged demonstrators to take a pledge to shut down their bank accounts in the event that banks do not promise to stop their investments in oil and gas. Prior to Tuesday’s day of action the pledge was signed by more than 17,000 signatures in the nation.
