Progressive Democrat Issue 37: ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

The Exxon/Mobil boycott is in full swing. I covered this in a previous issue. Exxon/Mobil is the rock bottom company in an industry that as a whole is not so good. So there is a coalition of environmental and scientific groups that are targeting Exxon/Mobil for a boycott.

Why Exxon/Mobil? Here are some examples of what Exxon/Mobil does (excerpted from Truthout.org):

Despite making a record profit of $25 billion last year, ExxonMobil is still shirking payment of the full amount it owes fishermen and natives hurt by the Exxon Valdez oil spill sixteen years ago.

-ExxonMobil is the only oil company that's still part of Arctic Power, the group lobbying Congress to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. The rest bowed out due to public pressure.

- ExxonMobil has spent more than $15 million since 1998 to deny the existence of global warming by funding junk science groups to cloud the debate. BP, for example, not only admits we have a problem but is investing in solar energy research and selling real solar panels today to help deal with the problem.

Here is an update. First, from SaveOurEnvironment.org:

The campaign is off to a great start! On the day of the launch, we held more than 50 news conferences in front of ExxonMobil gas stations around the country to raise awareness of ExxonMobil's misdeeds and get the word out about the campaign.


The media responded well with an exclusive in the New York Times and a feature story about the campaign on NPRís Morning Edition the day of the launch.


Since the launch, there have been hundreds more stories about the campaign in newspapers and on radio and TV shows across the country.


In just the first two weeks of the campaign, more than 100,000 people sent letters to ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond telling him how they feel about the company's policies and letting him know they won't buy the company's gas, invest in the companyís stock, or work for the company.

Let’s keep this going! First, tell the CEO of Exxon/Mobil that you are boycotting.


Then spread the word to the media. Here is a letter writing campaign from the Union of Concerned Scientists:

Will you help Exxpose Exxon even more by sending a Letter to the Editor of your local paper?

Letter to the Editor Instructions and Details

Information on how and to whom to submit a letter-to-the-editor is usually found right on the Letters Page in your paper. Many papers now accept letters via email. If you can't find the information you need, simply call the paper and ask how to go about submitting a letter in response to a recently published article.


To increase the chances that your letter will be published, do the following:


* keep it under 200 words and stay focused on one or two main points you'd like to make;
* make it personal by talking about how Exxon's policies impact you or someone you know;
* keep it local by referencing a recent article or opinion piece that appeared in the paper;
* be sure to include your name, address, and daytime phone number;
* submit the letter within the next few days, if possible; and
* whether or not your letter gets printed, send a copy to CEO Lee Raymond at Exxon Mobil Corporation, 5959 Las Colinas Boulevard, Irving, TX 75039-2298.

Key messages to put into your own words:


* ExxonMobil is making record-breaking profits because of high gasoline prices but refuses to invest that windfall in renewable energy, calling it "uneconomic."
* Instead of using its record-breaking profits to move America toward a cleaner energy future, ExxonMobil is spending millions on junk science, lobbying, and advertisements to block meaningful action on global warming.
* ExxonMobil is content to keep America dependent on oil while reaping the financial benefits. The company’s president has said we "need to accept the reality" of America’s dependence on oil rather than undertake "expensive" steps trying to avoid it. It is ironic that one of America’s largest corporations shows so little faith in American ingenuity.
* ExxonMobil is making record-breaking profits because of high gasoline prices, but ExxonMobil continues to challenge the 1994 court ruling ordering the company to pay $4-$5 billion in punitive damages to fishermen and others injured by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.
* Because of ExxonMobil’s environmental policies, I’ve pledged not to buy the company’s gas, invest in the company, or work for the company. Readers interested in joining the campaign can sign up at www.ExxposeExxon.com.

I also want to give you some alternatives to Exxon/Mobil. Three oil companies, while still oil companies and thus inherently bad for the environment, stand out as being better than the rest of the pack. First there is Citgo. The main reason progressives are pushing this company is that they buy NO OIL WHATSOEVER from Saudi Arabia. They are strictly Venezuelan oil and are nationalized. So buying Citgo helps President Chavez, the popular and populist Venezuelan president that Bush hates so much. In addition to Citgo I can recommend BP and Chevron because overall their environmental records are far better than any other oil companies. Their records are NOT as good as they want you to believe. But they are still better than anyone else’s. So please patronize Citgo, Chevron, and/or BP over Exxon/Mobil.

Finally, for those who want to take the next step in reducing oil use, join the nationwide eRideshare network and start carpooling.