This Living Lent series is motivating me to action that is far more challenging than simply "giving up something for Lent". The past week has challenged us to check out whether our banks invest in fossil fuels - and if they do to change to a bank that doesn't.
I've known for a while that ANZ (the bank I've always used) is one of the biggest investors in fossil fuels. I've written to the powers that be expressing my concern and received the usual polite reply that in a roundabout way justifies their actions. But changing to another bank has always felt too much of a hassle! Now the "reality check" is: am I prepared to put my money where my mouth is! So I am in the process of investigating changing to Kiwi Bank. I'll keep you posted about how it goes!
The four biggest banks (here in NZ) ANZ, ASB, BNZ and Westpac are all big fossil fuel investors. Kiwi Bank, Rabobank, TSB and Heartland are not. (Just saying ... in case you want to act too!)
As another interesting "reality check" I recently received
this You Tube link to a 17 minute presentation called
Reality's Rules: Ten Commandments to Avoid Extinction. The presenter
Rev Michael Dowd is an "evolutionary eco-theologian and pro-future evangelist". You may not agree with (or even like) what he has to say in this Video but it is very well presented and has a great deal of food for thought.
