Glimpses From Third Act Rallies in Portland and Vancouver: Holding Dirty Banks Accountable for Funding the Fossil Fuel Industry

With my husband in Vancouver at Chase Bank

Several people had photos of children and grandchildren on their posters

It's always wonderful to stand with the young ones

Standing in front of Wells Fargo in Portland ― even Bigfoot was there.

A grandmother and her precious grandchild

With my friend Jennifer

 Standing in Protection of Life on Earth

 

On March 21st I participated in two Third Act rallies, one in Portland and one also with my husband in Vancouver. The goal is to illuminate and hold accountable the dirty banks — Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Citibank — who are the major funders of the fossil fuel industry. It is these big banks which are actively fueling the climate crisis — a crisis which is the greatest threat to a habitable planet and to life on Earth.

 

Ron and I also join millions of others who are over 60 and in the "third act" of our lives. Our intention is to stand with the younger generations, knowing full well that already it is youth who have driven so much of the climate justice movement and carried too much of the burden. It is their futures which are at such enormous risk.

 

As is stated on the Third Act website (https://thirdact.org/about/working-principles/): "We understand that our generations, taken as a whole, have helped create some of the troubles we now face. We think we have important roles to play in dealing with those troubles—but we also know that one of our big and joyful jobs is to support younger people leading movements for environmental and social justice. They often ask for support, not direction, and that’s what we should provide."

 

Many of the people at these rallies carried posters with photographs of their children and grandchildren. I, too, am a mother and grandmother. And I am aware that the futures for my loved ones, and indeed the threats that exist this very day for life across the planet, is at risk due to the human caused climate crisis. Grave risk. 

I am in deep agreement with Bill McKibben: "There should be a word for when you commit treason on a whole planet." Absolutely! And there should be consequences — and there should be more and more of us who are standing up demanding accountability. These are indeed "the things we have to do before we go."

 

Bless our Earth Mother and all of her inhabitants. Another world is possible. It is up to each of us to do our part, whatever that is. There are countless ways in which we can make a difference.

— Molly