Check if your bank funds polluters
Earth Points40 
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Summary
Banks are funding the climate crisis by investing a fortune in fossil fuels. Check if your bank is part of the problem by using Bank.Green. Consider moving your money to a more sustainable option.
Description
During the five years following the Paris Agreement, the top 60 banks pumped 3.8 trillion USD into fossil fuels. Our banks are literally funding the climate crisis. Is your bank one of them? Are they using money from your checking, savings, and credit card transactions to finance new pollution-creating projects?
You can check using Bank.Green! It is a free online tool that highlights the environmental damage our banks are funding. Simply input your bank and see how they stack up.
Moving your money to a bank that does not support the fossil fuel industry takes little time. From that day onward, your money will be changing the world — even when you are sleeping. How many other climate actions continue making a positive impact when you are asleep?! Turn your money into a weapon for positive change.
You can check using Bank.Green! It is a free online tool that highlights the environmental damage our banks are funding. Simply input your bank and see how they stack up.
Moving your money to a bank that does not support the fossil fuel industry takes little time. From that day onward, your money will be changing the world — even when you are sleeping. How many other climate actions continue making a positive impact when you are asleep?! Turn your money into a weapon for positive change.
Tips
• If your bank is part of the problem, you can also use Bank.Green to find alternatives that do not fund fossil fuels or at least are not among the worst contributors.
• Do not feel like you need to make the transition all at once. Start by opening up an account at your new bank. At that point, you can phase in using it and phase out using the old polluting account.
• If you intend to move your money, sign the Bank.Green pledge. This growing list of signees is used to apply pressure on the industry by demonstrating how many people no longer want to finance fossil fuels. The pledge also allows signatories to be sent a reminder email and to receive regular information and tips if interested.
• Usually, a bank will ask why you are leaving, which is an ideal opportunity to explain that you are unhappy with its funding practices. Businesses react when they start to lose business. Be a part of the trend to send the message and hopefully influence future practices.
• There is a template on Bank.Green to tell your bank why you made the move if you want to use it as a detailed starting point example.
• Do not feel like you need to make the transition all at once. Start by opening up an account at your new bank. At that point, you can phase in using it and phase out using the old polluting account.
• If you intend to move your money, sign the Bank.Green pledge. This growing list of signees is used to apply pressure on the industry by demonstrating how many people no longer want to finance fossil fuels. The pledge also allows signatories to be sent a reminder email and to receive regular information and tips if interested.
• Usually, a bank will ask why you are leaving, which is an ideal opportunity to explain that you are unhappy with its funding practices. Businesses react when they start to lose business. Be a part of the trend to send the message and hopefully influence future practices.
• There is a template on Bank.Green to tell your bank why you made the move if you want to use it as a detailed starting point example.
Additional Resources
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Photo Credit
Photo by Marcin Jozwiak on Unsplash