One important action complementing the Bentley protection is divestment of funds from finance institutions supporting CSG and other fossil fuel industries. To quote the Echo editorial this week: this movement ‘is growing faster than the historic movements against tobacco and apartheid.’
If you are supporting the Bentley action, check that your money is actually helping not hindering the effort. The Big 4 Banks, super funds and investment groups loan your money to the fossil fuel industries. Ask your financial institutions how they invest your funds. They are required to reply. Small accounts or large — they all count. If you are unhappy about the answers from your financial institutions, there are many positive alternative institutions you can consider.
More info on Facebook at Fossil Free Northern Rivers and also at the major website gofossilfree.org/australia/
A national day of divestment action is May 3 and in Byron Bay on May 2.
People who divest do so for many ethical reasons. But, increasingly, there are also practical reasons. As the world begins to respond to challenges raised by climate change, fossil fuel companies are at risk of becoming bad investments and their works stranded assets.
Mary Gardner, Byron Bay
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
