Business as usual
For business, the threat of climate change is but a minor concern when
set against the need to continually increase profits.
This is true even of those companies who trade on ethical principles or profess
to have our children's best interests at heart.
In this section of the site we will attempt to highlight the hypocrisy
of some the companies concerned, and take them to task for their flagrant disregard of
our children's well being.
See below for a letter recently written to the Co-Operative Bank, regarding the content of their latest consumer magazine, 'change'. I have not to date received a reply.
Co-operative Bank
“Our house is burning down and we're blind to it...The earth and humankind are in danger and we are all responsible. It is time to open our eyes. Alarms are sounding across all the continents . . . We cannot say that we did not know! Climate warming is still reversible. Heavy would be the responsibility of those who refused to fight it.”
French President Jacques Chirac, August, 2002
Co-Operative Bank
Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) are very proud of their response to the threat of climate change. Indeed, CFS have taken some significant steps on this issue. In particular, the Co-operative Bank, along with CIS, are one of the biggest business users of green electricity in Europe, and the Co-Operative Bank claims that as a result they have reduced co2 emissions by 87 % since 2002 ('change' customer magazine, Winter 2005, page 5). In addition, the CFS ethical requires the organisation to avoid investing in businesses involved in the extraction and production of fossil fuels.
However, recent communications from CFS indicate that the organisation still has a long way to go in recognising the dire nature of the threat posed by climate change, and as a result is failing to respond adequately to this most serious of challenges, possibly the most serious challenge humanity has faced. Indeed, it is apparent that CFS is actually encouraging people to act in ways which negate any good that might be achieved by the CFS ethical policy
1. Winter blues?
CFS' avoidance of companies involved in the extraction and production of fossil fuels seems of little worth when balanced against business practices which encourage the profligate use of fossil fuels amongst its customers.
A recent mailing from CFS contained a leaflet promoting insurance for worldwide travel, and pictured the normal scenes of people frolicking in paradise, enticing us all to hop on a plane and fly off to distant climesHowever, air travel is one of the most environmentally destructive acts a human being can legally enjoy.
A company which trades on its ethical principles should have the courage to take the lead on such issues, and work to educate people to the dangers posed by air travel. Instead CFS seeks to profit from environmentally destructive activities, just like the businesses it purports to avoid on the basis of ethical principles.
2. Make this a year to remember
The back cover of 'change' has an advert for loans. Underneath yet another picture of carefree people sunning themselves in far off lands we are reminded that true happiness comes from spending money and consuming resources. "Desperate for a holiday? Fancy something a little sportier..." reads the introduction to the advertisement. Thus is the desire to fly long distances or drive a fast car normalised, giving lie to the idea that CFS really cares about environmental constraints, at least when set against the need for ever increasing profits.
3. Watch and wonder
Another item in the most recent issue of 'change' (I have to assume the magazine title is some sort of joke enjoyed by CFS at the expense of the public) is for a prize draw, where we are invited to watch and wonder. Wonder at what? Wonder at the magnificence of the new Panasonic TX-32PD50 digital tv that you could win in the prize draw.
The promotion shows a picture of a family, brought together in joyous harmony courtesy of this new 'energy efficient' television, with its 5mhz processing rate, accurate motion compensation and smooth curves.
Thus, a magazine from an ethical magazine, a magazine titled 'change', in fact communicates the same messages as all other business have been doing for the past 100 years, a message that encourages us in our destructive consumption, a message that cries out loud and clear, new good, newest best.
It is worth reminding ourselves that current scientific opinion indicates that if we wish to bequeath our children a world spared at least the worst effects of climate change, we will have to get used to living a lifestyle that reduces our personal carbon dioxide emissions to a tonne a year. Such a lifestyle would have no room for the delusion that happiness derives from the ownership of new electrical goods. Indeed, it seems fair to say that the production and transportation of a tv such as the one promoted by CFS would exceed that 1 tonne limit, before it was even plugged in. So much for energy efficiency.
4 . And finally...
CFS wants us to take out mortgages with them because they 'offset' 20% of the co2 generated by heating the average home. But no credible climate scientist views offsets as a meaningful response to the climate change threat, and some view such programmes as downright fraudulent. The critique of offset schemes cuts across a broad range of subject areas, and you can find out more about the problems with offset schemes
here, where you will find details of an ongoing investigation into an official complaint made to the Advertising Standards Authority regarding the claims made by the company employed by CFS for their mortgage offset programme.
In summary CFS, by continuing to glorify the very same habits which have brought us to the brink of ecological catastrophe is, at best, the same as any other corporation willing to ruin our lives in the name of ever increasing profits. At worst, CFS is helping prevent society from making the very drastic steps needed to safeguard our future. CFS is lulling a concerned and aware public into thinking it is doing its bit by banking with CFS, whilst giving people permission to continue acting in the very ways responsible for bringing us to the brink of ecological catastrophe. Thus, the need for action is transformed into inertia, and instead of change we have business as usual. As a result our children are being condemned to a very dangerous and uncertain future.
http://www.sinkswatch.org/pubs/ASA%20complaint%20letter%20format.doc
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