On Saturday, January 25 a panel discussion on state divestment from fossil fuels took place in the Springfield Central Library Community Room to answer the question:
[quote]Why do community leaders, faith groups, investment professionals and students think that divestment from fossil fuels is a smart and ethical choice for Massachusetts?[/quote]We focused on the state fossil fuel divestment legislation (S. 1225) as a strategy to diminish the power of the fossil fuel industry to block a clean energy transition.
Panelists were from the network of constituencies where campaigns to divest are full blown – in colleges and faith communities – and from the developing area of fossil free investing.
Bill S. 1225 requires that Massachusetts divest the state employee pension plans from fossil fuels. Constituents used this forum as an opportunity to learn about the bill and ask our panelists questions about this critical issue.
Introduction by Malcolm Bliss
350MA Statewide Coordinator & Moderator
Tim Rapczynski
Western New England University – Divest WNUE
Carlos Rodriquez
Community Organizer – Neighbor to Neighbor, Holyoke
Eric Packer
Investment Advisor – Progressive Asset Management Group
Chuck Collins
Director of Inequality and the Common Good – Institute for Policy Studies
Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas
Missioner for Creation Care – Episcopal Diocese of Western MA
Question and Answer
along with ending remarks
… processing …
Co-sponsors
- 350MA
- Climate Action Now MA
- NAACP, Springfield Branch
- Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) Holyoke
- Arise for Social Justice
- Unitarian Universalist Society of Greater Springfield
- Green Sanctuary Committee
- Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst
Video courtesy: East Longmeadow Cable Access Television
Producer – Kelly Glover
