In March 2023, Sierra Club staff and supporters joined activists across the country during Third Act’s national day of action to stop dirty banks in calling out the fossil fuels industry’s biggest funders for their role in the climate crisis. These actions were critical for raising the alarm on Wall Street’s bankrolling of climate chaos and for demanding change.
In DC, Sierra Club executive director Ben Jealous spoke alongside Third Act founder Bill McKibben, Greenpeace USA co-director Ebony Martin, and Rev. Lennox Yearwood, president and CEO of Hip Hop Caucus, rallying up a crowd of activists to call on big US banks Citibank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Chase to stop funding climate destruction.
“It is time for these banks to start acting responsibly.” -Bill McKibben, Third Act founder
“Two options await us in the immediate future: Climate crisis or climate revolution. Let’s choose revolution!” -Rose Abramoff, climate scientist
“We must have banks that are serious about betting on a better future for all of us.” -Ben Jealous, Sierra Club executive director
Events across the country
The DC event was one of 100+ events across the country, one of the largest mass mobilizations led by retired activists in their “third act” of life. From San Francisco to New York, thousands of older Americans called out Chase, Citi, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo for funding the expansion of fossil fuel projects.
The day was organized by Third Act, a group for climate and democracy activists over 60 years old, co-founded by veteran campaigner Bill McKibben, and more than 50 partner groups, including the Sierra Club, Elder’s Climate Action, GreenFaith, People’s Action, The Hip Hop Caucus and local groups around the country.
In Washington, DC, the “rocking chair rebellion” was the highlight of the event. In New York, activists held giant scissors to cut up a cardboard credit card. There was a giant street mural in San Francisco, chainsaws in Juneau, AK, a paper mache orca in Seattle, WA, dancing in Portland, ME, and an event organized by the Hip Hop Caucus in Dallas, TX.
Media coverage
The day of action generated significant media coverage, including in the New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, Democracy Now, The Independent, and Sierra Magazine, as well as a Guardian op-ed by Ben Jealous & Bill McKibben.
Media coverage highlights include:
- New York Times: A ‘Rocking Chair Rebellion’: Seniors Call On Banks to Dump Big Oil
- Washington Post: Why seniors are blocking entrances to the four largest U.S. banks
- The Guardian: Older Americans protest against ‘dirty banks’ funding oil and gas projects
- Democracy Now: “Stop Dirty Banks”: Bill McKibben & Ben Jealous on Ending Big Bank Funding for Fossil Fuel Expansion
- The Independent: Senior citizens lead climate protest in rocking chairs at major US banks
- Sierra Magazine: Thousands Gather in Nationwide Protests Against Fossil Fuel Financing
- Sierra Club press release from the DC action: Sierra Club joins Third Act and 50+ organizations at national day of action to stop dirty banks
Social media highlights include:
It’s the #StopDirtyBanks national day of action! Our new executive director @BenJealous is alongside @RamonCruzDiaz and @ThirdActOrg to send a strong message telling the big US banks to stop funding climate destruction. pic.twitter.com/wwvIM1hvQk
— Sierra Club (@SierraClub) March 21, 2023
"The banks need to stop funding new projects to extract oil and gas. It's the biggest threat we have to all the work that's going into trying to stop climate change," says @SierraClub executive director @BenJealous, about why financial institutions must divest from fossil fuels. pic.twitter.com/NuDAKKDpQm
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) March 21, 2023
Here's the complete roundup of media coverage and social media posts from the day of action.
What’s next
These demonstrations are only the beginning of what each of us can do to hold the big banks accountable for their role in the climate crisis. After this day of action, we’ll move on to organizing the banks’ biggest clients and shareholders, state and city treasurers, and major companies with climate pledges of their own, to add their weight to this fight.
If you want to learn more about how to engage with the banks’ biggest shareholders during their annual meetings this spring, check out and take action on the Stop the Money Pipeline coalition's Shareholder Showdown campaign, and stay tuned for more actions to come.