I went to a great event last night: the premiere of “Do the Math.” It’s a powerful short (45-minute) documentary about what the indomitable Bill McKibben and 350.org have set in motion with their stunning and timely movement to get universities and others to divest from the fossil fuel industry. I wrote about what I called McKibben’s Manifesto, a blockbuster piece in Rolling Stone last summer and a call to arms. I subsequently wrote about the first stirrings of the divestment movement. Well, the movement has grown exponentially in only a few months: as of today, there are initiatives at 302 colleges and universities, in 74 cities and states, and beyond. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, for one, has already set the wheels in motion in his city. See what Fossil Free is doing and how you can get on board.
Besides the wonderfully articulate McKibben, the movie also features Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine, Rep. Henry Waxman (one of my all-time environmental heroes), Van Jones, also hugely articulate, and other climate and progressive leaders. Great movie! There were over 700 screenings yesterday all over the world.
Watch it here and then get on board today for divestment. If you don’t find a group to join at Fossil Free then find out from them how to start one at your church or temple, town or city. As McKibben says in the film, if you’re depressed at all about the state of the climate system the best antidote by far is action.
