Most of us have made sure that we have no personal investments in fossil fuel companies, but your bank may be investing your money in fossil fuel industry projects, like fracking and the Dakota Access Pipeline, unbeknownst to you. Here’s an article with info on the 17 banks funding the Dakota Access Pipeline and how to contact them.

If you’re not sure that your bank isn’t investing your money in dirty fossil fuel projects, we recommend that you give them the following letter (feel free to personalize it):

Dear (name of your bank) management,

I believe in protecting and improving our natural environment, and as a customer, I expect the same from the bank that has custody of my money. The expansion of the fossil fuel industry in Colorado is threatening our air, land and water resources, people’s health and our global climate.

The world is at a point where we need to rapidly transition away from polluting fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy if we are to avoid runaway climate change. Research from Oil Change International has shown that no new fossil fuel projects can be brought online if we are to have any chance of keeping global temperature rise below 1.5-2°C, which ours and other nations of the world have agreed to  prevent the worst climate change impacts.

Any new loans to coal and gas projects represent a massive risk to our prospects of keeping global warming to within manageable limits and delay the necessary action required. Thousands of customers have been leaving the major banks because of your heavy investment in the fossil fuel sector, and moving to banks that are not supporting these environmentally damaging projects. If necessary, I will join them.  

I want you to unequivocally rule out future loans to coal, oil and gas development, production, transport and export projects. I want you to make this commitment directly to me, as well as publicly. If you do not make this commitment, I will be forced to close my account with you and take my money to a bank that won’t use it to finance the expansion of the fossil fuel industry, climate change and environmental destruction.

Sincerely,

(your name)

Together, our actions will make a difference. Thank you for keeping your money out of the reach of fossil fuel projects. If you haven’t yet, please sign our Pledge to Divest from fossil fuels. Thank you!