Written by Deborah McNamara  Since the global divestment movement launched just ten years ago at Swarthmore College, over 12 trillion dollars have been moved away from fossil fuel investments, representing one of the most impactful forces in the climate movement today. There are now thousands of divestment campaigns underway across the globe, calling on individuals, educational and religious institutions, governments, foundations, endowments, and other institutions that serve the public good to divest from fossil fuels and reinvest in solutions to climate change.

Try to find a building in Colorado without a gas connection. It isn’t easy. According to the National Association of Home Builders, more than 40,000 new homes, including 20,000 in Denver, were permitted in Colorado in 2018 alone. Of those residences, less than two percent – fewer than 300 in Denver and around 600 statewide – can be categorized as net zero energy (NZE) projects.

What’s the cost of carbon? 350 members know it’s rising sea levels, coral bleaching and unprecedented wildfire just to name a few. The climate cost of greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacture and transport of goods and the burning of fossil fuels to keep our homes comfortable is a factor to consider in any budget.