Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Tell UPS: Stop funding ALEC 76% We've reached 19,158 of our goal of 25,000. Sign the petition The petition to UPS CEO David P. Abney reads: 'UPS must stop funding ALEC's climate change denial, anti-environmental advocacy and right-wing extremist agenda.' Peter Burgess peterbnyc@gmail.com 18324 Sign Petition You'll receive periodic updates on offers and activism opportunities. Tell UPS: Stop funding ALEC When you still belong to a climate change denial club that even Exxon thinks is too extreme, you're doing something wrong. Exxon finally announced it will quit the far-right lobbying group American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).1 The shadowy organization is notorious for promoting climate change denial and pro-corporate laws harmful to workers, the environment, public education and consumers. Exxon joined the exodus of dozens of other corporations that quit ALEC in recent years because of the group's extreme stances. Many, including Google and eBay, explicitly called out ALEC's climate change denial. But one familiar brand continues to fund ALEC: UPS. Despite claiming to have a commitment to sustainability, what UPS is actually sustaining is one of the most harmful anti-climate groups in the United States. Tell UPS: Stop funding ALEC and its extremist right-wing agenda. UPS claims to be a leader in sustainable shipping and a pro-environment company, giving millions of dollars to environmental organizations, planting trees and switching to cleaner fuels.2 But this stance is completely at odds with funding ALEC, which has a long track record of promoting climate change denial3 and anti-climate policies.4 UPS is even on ALEC's 'Energy, Environment and Agriculture' task force, the pro-fossil fuel committee responsible for its anti-climate stances. Exxon left ALEC after some members of that committee tried to pass a resolution opposing the EPA's 2009 'endangerment finding,' a policy statement that acknowledges that greenhouse gases threaten human health.5 Because the endangerment finding is the legal justification behind the Clean Power Plan and other government efforts to fight climate change, getting rid of it is a key priority for the anti-climate right wing.6 UPS is funding ALEC's long-term strategy to dismantle our environmental protections and block climate action. ALEC's ultimate goal is to block any government action on climate – a disaster for us all. UPS can't have it both ways: either it gives up its claim to be an environmentally friendly company or it leaves ALEC – now. Tell UPS: Stop funding ALEC and its extremist right-wing agenda. References: Kevin Crowley and Ari Natter, 'Exxon Quits Koch-Backed Business Group After Climate Change Row,' Bloomberg, July 12, 2018. UPS, '2016 Sustainability Fact Sheet, 'accessed July 27, 2018. Center for Media and Democracy et al., 'ALEC's climate change denial: Their speakers,' accessed July 27, 2018. Center for Media and Democracy et al., 'ALEC's climate change denial: Their agenda,' accessed July 27, 2018. Crowley and Natter, 'Exxon Quits Koch-Backed Business Group After Climate Change Row.' Dana Nuccitelli, 'Climate contrarians want to endanger the EPA climate endangerment finding,' The Guardian, May 2, 2017. home terms of use privacy contact CREDO Action is a publication of Working Assets | credomobile.com