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To: Board of Trustees at Stonehill College

Divest Stonehill College from Fossil Fuels

As public pressure to confront climate change builds, we call on Stonehill College to immediately freeze any new investment in fossil-fuel companies, and to divest within five years from direct ownership and from any commingled funds that include fossil-fuel public equities and corporate bonds. We believe such action on behalf of our College will not only be a sound decision for our institution’s financial portfolio, but also for the wellbeing of its current and future graduating classes, who deserve the opportunity to graduate with a future not defined by climate chaos.

Why is this important?

Climate change is accelerating. We are witnessing the increasing impacts of a warming planet more and more consistently; in recent years our country has experienced record-breaking heat, droughts, and hurricanes, which impacted hundreds of thousands of people and cost our country hundreds of billions of dollars. Experts agree that global warming caused by humans burning fossil fuels will continue to accelerate and intensify these tragic climate disasters. The scientific consensus is clear and overwhelming; we cannot safely burn even half of global fossil-fuel reserves without dangerously warming the planet for several thousand years.

Stonehill College is "anchored by a belief and the inherent dignity of each person" and "educates the whole person so that each Stonehill graduate thinks, acts, and leads with courage toward the creation of a more just and compassionate world." These statements from the college's mission represent a commitment to social justice. Climate change is impacting the lives of everyone, especially those without means to combat the changing environment around them. By investing in fossil fuels, Stonehill is profiting off of the destruction of Earth and those who live there. By divesting from fossil fuels, Stonehill will be leading towards a more just and compassionate world.

Stonehill College, Easton, MA, United States

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Updates

2015-04-18 14:13:55 -0400

100 signatures reached

2015-04-15 15:13:37 -0400

50 signatures reached

2015-04-15 07:23:15 -0400

25 signatures reached

2015-04-09 11:20:06 -0400

10 signatures reached