Divestment Day is a global movement, driven by people who want to make a change for the better in how we utilise our money. The mission of the movement is to encourage institutions to stop funding fossil fuel extraction which, as we all know, is one of the main causes of climate change.
Nicola and I sense the importance of standing up for our Earth and doing our utmost to make a difference by helping empower individuals to make a difference.
So we stepped out of our comfort zone and held our own divestment night on the 13th of February, coinciding with the global movements chosen weekend of action and protest.
Many more folk turned up than we expected, proof that we collectively know that something is needed. That the time has come to take a stand and seek ways to be heard, to influence and to become the Earth protectors.
After a quick bring and share meal we used videos to help explain how our banks are directly funding the destruction of our environment and, most importantly, we shared ways that we can pull away from that and move any savings we have into places that fund renewable energies. This sends a clear message out to the ‘dirty’ banks that we are concerned and can and will take action.
It was so heartening to hear folk speak their commitment on the night. If you’d like to watch some of the video clips we used here’s one and here’s another.
Perhaps one of the most influential elements of the evening was the game of Divestment Jenga which showed just how many universities, cities, towns, churches and social enterprises have removed their money from banks which fund climate change and moved to the clean alternatives. As a heads up if you want to know more, check out Triodos as the most ethical bank and The Co-operative Bank who are way ahead of the top 5.
The more we come together, the more we’ll be able to claim back our power but we do need to act.
We’ll be planning more events like this in the future so keep an eye on your emails and join us when you can.
