[All-postdocs] Fwd: Introducing: Fossil Free @ WHOI

[Postdoctoral Coordinator]

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: 	Introducing: Fossil Free @ WHOI
Date: 	Wed, 5 Feb 2020 23:26:09 +0000
From: 	Lauren Nichole Dykman <ldykman at mit.edu>
To: 	jp-all-students <jp-all-students at mit.edu>, postdoc at whoi.edu 
<postdoc at whoi.edu>



To WHOI JP Students and Postdocs,

As WHOI Sustainability Student Liaison, I am initiating a movement among 
WHOI graduate students and postdocs to divest the institution’s 
endowment from fossil fuel industries.

Divestment is the withdrawal of investments from certain sectors of 
production. Divesting from fossil fuels sends a clear message: that we 
refuse to financially support industries that cause harmful impacts such 
as acidification, warming, arctic ice melt, pollution, and sea level 
rise (IPCC SROCC 2019 
<https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/chapter/summary-for-policymakers/>) in the 
marine ecosystems we study and defend.

Students have been a driving force for divestment in universities 
worldwide. I was a member of Fossil Free <https://gofossilfree.org/> at 
the University of California, Santa Barbara. After six years of 
persistent pressure from the student body, the entire UC system recently 
agreed to divest its $70 billion pension fund and $13.4 billion 
endowment. 
<https://www.vox.com/2019/9/18/20872112/university-california-divestment-fossil-fuel-climate-change> Worldwide, 
the Fossil Free movement has divested $11 trillion 
<https://financingthefuture.platform350.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/60/2019/09/FF_11Trillion-WEB.pdf>. I 
feel strongly that WHOI should likewise establish itself as a leader in 
this global movement.

WHOI’s endowment is overseen by an Investment Committee of the Board of 
Trustees. The trustees are concerned about the health of our oceans, but 
must balance financial returns, energy needs, and climate. The first 
step of a student movement is sending the message that students care and 
will persistently push for change. The second step is providing evidence 
that transitioning to a socially- and environmentally-responsible 
portfolio is not only our duty as informed ocean scientists, but will 
provide better returns and financial security under projected climate 
and economic conditions.

If you would like to be involved in the new*Fossil Free @ WHOI Core 
Team*, send me an email. In the next few weeks, we will draft a petition 
that all grad students and postdocs will have the opportunity to sign.

If you would like to learn more about fossil fuel divestment as a 
strategy for system change, I will be holding an *informational lunch 
meeting (with free food!) on Wednesday, February 26th from 12:00-13:00.*

I look forward to working with you and hearing your thoughts!

Lauren

-------------------------------------------------------------
Lauren Dykman
PhD Candidate in Biological Oceanography
MIT/WHOI Joint Program
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