Harvard Alumni for Divestment rally in the Yard/crowdsourcing divestment

            According to Divest Harvard via its Facebook page, “over 100” people attended the Harvard Alumni for Divestment rally this afternoon (Monday, September 16, 2013). 

            So far the only footage from today’s Harvard Alumni for Divestment rally in front of Massachusetts Hall in Harvard Yard is still footage, available online, here: 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441914865926125.1073741832.279651215485825&type=1

            Calls have arisen for public access to audio and video coverage of the day’s events, and for a text transcript of the presentations, a package of media that could be produced with funding from Kickstarter, if someone would just organize that connection.

            In fact, a continuing fund for the digital documentation of the divestment movement should garner even more support than one just committed to the production of content dealing solely with today’s Harvard Alumni for Divestment rally.

            Crowdsourced investment in divestment could underwrite a fund dedicated to the production of high-quality, multi-media materials dealing with divestment.

            A Divestment Investment Fund fueling a diverse and powerful movement for divestment.

Harvard reiterates its presumption against divestment

In an e-mail message sent to Etopia News today by the Harvard Public Affairs & Communications office, the University has reiterated its “strong presumption” against divestment of its fossil fuel holdings.

This as the University community prepared for a demonstration at 5:30 pm EDT this afternoon outside Massachusetts Hall in Harvard Yard by Harvard Alumni for Divestment calling upon the University to sell off its stocks and other negotiable financial instruments implicated in the oil, coal, and gas industries.

In an e-mail from Kevin Galvin, Harvard’s Director of Public Affairs and Communications, the University’s position is explicitly spelled out, as well as the justification for its stand:

“The University has traditionally maintained a strong presumption against divesting stock for reasons unrelated to investment purposes. Harvard is first and foremost an academic institution, and the endowment's primary purpose is to support the research and educational activities through which institutions of higher education make their distinctive contributions to society.”

Questions about the details of the University’s planned meeting with representatives of the alumni haven’t been forthcoming yet, but further efforts may avail.

Harvard Alumni for Divestment 9-16-13 Rally Preview

Paul Stanford on Oregon cannabis initiatives, 8-30-13

Paul Stanford, author and chief proponent of 2012’s cannabis legalization initiative for Oregon, Measure 80, talks about his own new-and-improved 2014 cannabis legalization statute initiative, and his willingness to withdraw that initiative should the State Legislature put a similar measure on the November, 2014, ballot.  He also briefly discusses the status of New Approach Oregon’s proposed cannabis legalization initiative and offers a warning about Attorney General Holder’s new director on cannabis enforcement.  Recorded from Portland, Oregon, on August 30, 2013.

 

Henry Waxman calls for an end to Republican "fishing expeditions" designed to derail the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Henry Waxman is doing all he can to help the Affordable Care Act work.  He's sent a letter to the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce asking him to call off time-consuming and expensive investigations at a time when the institutions to be investigated need to meet ACA deadlines.  Waxman considers these "investigations" to be predatory efforts to derail the implementation of the Act.  Read his letter here:  http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Upton-ACA-Navigator-Grantee-Information-Request-2013-8-30.pdf

Some text relevant to fossil fuel divestment

These words from a solar energy crowdfunding entrepreneur resonate strongly with the arguments made by Divest Harvard in support of Harvard University's divestiture of its fossil fuel-based investments:

From Why Is Solar Energy A Good Investment? By Billy Parish

http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2013/08/solar-energy-good-investment/

Second, our investments hedge against the increasingly systemic risks facing fossil fuels. Energy is the world’s largest industry, and so it should come as no surprise that energy investments make up a large chunk of the portfolios of institutional and individual investors alike. Global energy markets have experienced major swings for fossil fuel prices in recent years — oil, for instance, running up two historic price peaks with a crash in between, or gas plummeting in cost, and now rapidly rising — and it’s only going to get worse. In particular, we think it’s important for investors to understand that fossil fuel companies are betting against action on climate change. HSBC recently warned that the top 200 fossil fuel companies could see a 40-60% decline in their equity value if governments take action to curb climate change. Mosaic investments represent a way to start moving away from fossil fuels before the bubble bursts.