newscentermaine.com
Third Act Mainer Tom Mikulka described the joint action with Divest Maine
“It was supposed to rain but it turned into a hot, humid day in the Parking Lot of MainePERS in Augusta. However, the main heat came from 40-50 protesters from Divest Maine. About half of those were Third Actors from Midcoast, Central Maine, Western Mountains and Greater Portland. It was also great to be joined by students. The mood was joyful as Marcia Taylor, accompanied by Chuck Spanger, ended the protest with music and a Conga line of protesters singing and carrying signs. News Center Maine also came through with accurate coverage of the event. It was telling that MainePERS executives refused to comment about the event or their need to divest from fossil fuels. Let the Summer of Heat continue!”
Maine Public’s Peter McGuire covered the event for Climate Desk: Climate activists push Maine pension fund to divest from fossil fuels
“…Divest Maine campaign manager Hope Light said the agency has dragged its feet. Switching from oil, gas and coal will bring the same or better returns for Maine retirees, Light said, and would limit the system’s risk as the public turns away from fossil fuels.
“So in the future it is not going to be the safe return on their investments that they see. Folks are trying to electrify their homes, they are trying to electrify their vehicles, they are really as a whole moving away from big oil and gas,” Light said.”
Maine Morning Star’s Emma Davis was there too, read her story here: Activists and Maine Public Employee Retirement System at odds over fossil fuel divestment progress,
“The group rallying Thursday, which ranged in ages, concluded the event with a song summarizing their stance. “We’ll have a say so, in how our money grows, in our retirement plan,” the crowd sang. “We who are older, we’re getting bolder, foot dragging we refuse, and we who are youthful, we must be truthful, we’ve got the most to lose.””
Keenan Mills of WABI Channel 5 also reported on the rally, with video.
”Divestment is not only a moral imperative. It’s easy to lean into the moral imperative, we shouldn’t fund the climate crisis,” said Maine Youth Action Advocacy Director Anna Siegel. “But, it’s more than that. It’s an action that we must be taking to protect pensioners, folks whose retirement funds are invested in the fossil fuel industry, and as a result, they are losing money.”
And the Kennebec Journal put us on the front page today, July 12, 2024.
