Climate change is real. The past 28 years in a row have had temperatures above global average. Deserts are growing while the world’s ice caps are melting. Our oceans are acidifying, and we can literally see the pollution hanging over our greatest cities. Record-breaking heat, drought and hurricanes threaten millions of people worldwide. These undeniable consequences of climate change are accelerating and threaten the economic and social stability of the United States and abroad. We are at a historical precipice, one where both our decisions as well as our indecisions will directly affect the future of the human species and the survival of planet Earth.
Many people are beginning to fear that it is already too late; the 200 largest oil, gas and coal companies retain most of the world’s hydrocarbon supply that, if burned, would take us past the tipping point. But not all of us are so pessimistic. I recently joined a group of other environmentally-conscious and socially-active students here at DU called Divest University of Denver. Along with hundreds of other factions at other universities across the nation and the globe, we all have one simple goal: Fully divest — that is, end our investment of —our school’s endowment from fossil fuel companies.
If you’ve noticed our banners, our petitioning tables or our photo campaign on Facebook, you’ve seen us around. And if you haven’t, there’ll be plenty more of us. On April 30 from 4-6pm, we will be organizing our biggest divestment event of the year. DJs, food, friends and fun will all be had on the lawn in front of the Anderson Academic Commons to show Chancellor Coombe that our school is in unison on divestment. Our numbers and our enthusiasm will show the university that we have had enough, and that it is finally time to find alternative investments for our endowment.
We are placing an enormous pressure on our school to divest. But the school has done it before with tobacco companies and apartheid in the past, and we are confident that the University of Denver can do it again. We have no fear of rejection because the divestment movement is already growing. Many universities, cities, and religious universities have already officially divested or are on their way to fully divesting. These universities are showing the world that saying no to big money corporations is possible and proves the school’s solidarity on environmental justice.
These select schools have shown us that divestment is easily achievable and that doing so sets that university one step ahead of others. Sustainable development and growth is quickly becoming an advantageous economic tool to establish one’s leadership. Being proud Pioneers, do we not want our university to grow and set an example for other schools around the world? When the children of our children ask us what we did to stop climate change, don’t we want to tell them that we at least tried? It’s wrong to profit from wrecking the climate. Help us make history, and support our cause to divest from fossil fuels immediately.
