MacDivest aims to better inform and increase engagement with students on climate crisis advocacy through Fossil Free Fridays
On Friday Oct. 20, McMaster Divestment Project launched their new outreach initiative, Fossil Free Fridays , which will run biweekly on Fridays throughout the semester.
Fossil Free Fridays aims to engage with students, raise awareness about the climate crisis and educate students on McMaster University’s investments in fossil fuel companies.
MacDivest was initiated three years ago as a McMaster OPIRG project. Their goal is to advocate for the university to pull out of their investments in fossil fuel companies and to increase awareness about the climate crisis.
“For three years as a group we've been pushing for the university to take its money out of fossil fuel investments, and to reinvest in green energy,” said Mila Py, a member of MacDivest.
Presently, McMaster holds 2.7 per cent of its investment portfolio in fossil fuel companies. Additionally, McMaster is building four natural gas-powered electric generators near campus on Cootes Drive, which was protested by MacDivest last spring with a hunger strike.
Fossil Free Fridays were first discussed by the group this past summer. Py stated that the intent is for them to be friendly and welcoming to attract students with a focus on raising awareness.
"With a high student turnover [and] so many new people on campus every year, the message that Mac is investing in fossil fuels doesn't stay in the minds of students,” explained Sydney Szijarto, another member of MacDivest.
With a high student turnover [and] so many new people on campus every year, the message that Mac is investing in fossil fuels doesn't stay in the minds of students.
Sydney Szijarto, member, MacDivest
Through these events MacDivest hopes to ensure that new students are made aware of McMaster’s reluctance to shift its fossil fuel investments into industries whose actions are not major contributors to rising global temperatures.
For their first Fossil Free Friday, a picnic was held on campus in front of the Burke Science Building and cookies were given out to students who stopped and engaged with MacDivest members. Informative flyers and stickers were also given out to students.
For future events, Py explained that many ideas are being considered, including having a climate-related chalk-art event, a coffee house, a potluck and sharing art and poetry relevant to climate activism.
Future updates on these events as well as others by MacDivest will be posted to their Instagram, @mcmasterdivest.
Five McMaster students are striking for divestment and to suspend the Cootes generator project
On Monday, McMaster Divest announced that five McMaster University students have officially begun hunger striking. The strikers are located in the MUSC atrium, where they have set up signs and posters advocating for divestment from fossil fuels.
The strike began with a rally at 11:00 a.m. on March 20. The rally featured speakers from McMaster Divest and from other community organizations, including Environment Hamilton and Grand(m)others Act to Save the Planet.
The strike began with a rally at 11:00 a.m. on March 20. The rally featured speakers from McMaster Divest and from other community organizations, including Environment Hamilton and Grand(m)others Act to Save the Planet.
Amarah Hasham-Steele, News Editor
Speakers led chants and discussed the impact that fossil fuels have on the environment.
Don McLean, representative of Hamilton 350 and an honorary degree holder at McMaster University, expressed his support for the strike. He emphasized in his speech the disproportionate impact of climate change on the Global South, highlighting that investment in fossil fuels harms the home countries of many international students.
“What the students in Mac Divest are doing is right, it’s just and it’s brave,” said McLean, in an interview with the Silhouette.
In an email to the Silhouette, McMaster University stated their commitment to a net-zero carbon campus and to divestment, but they also acknowledged that their approaches and timelines differ from McMaster Divest. The university also stated that they will be providing striking students with physical and mental health services, as well as regular checks with McMaster's Emergency First Response Team.
Dr. James Quinn, who has been a professor at McMaster since 1992, spoke at the rally about the urgency of the climate crisis, advocating for more immediate climate action.
In an interview with the Silhouette, Quinn also discussed the gas-powered generators being built at Cootes Drive, arguing that the desired result of peak-shaving could be achieved through conservation instead.
In an interview with the Silhouette, Quinn also discussed the gas-powered generators being built at Cootes Drive, arguing that the desired result of peak-shaving could be achieved through conservation instead.
Amarah Hasham-Steele, News Editor
According to Quinn, the university attempted conservation as a peak-shaving method once in 2016, shutting down air conditioning units during select peak times. This, Quinn said, negatively affected ongoing lab experiments at the time and received some negative attention.
“They didn’t do it the right way. But, in this day and age, when people understand what a climate crisis [is], if it was handled properly, it would be easy to repeat [the conservation] approach,” said Quinn.
On Mar. 15, McMaster Daily News released an article stating that McMaster has remained committed to divestment from fossil fuels and that fossil fuel companies make up 2.7 per cent of McMaster’s investment portfolio, down from 4.5 per cent in 2018.
“The university has committed to reducing the carbon exposure of our investments by 65 per cent by 2025; 75 per cent by 2030 and the rest as soon as possible after that,” reads the article.
According to a McMaster Divest Instagram post, McMaster Divest is advocating for a commitment to total divestment by 2025 and reinvestment in clean energy, with full public disclosure.
This is an ongoing story.
This article was updated to include a statement from McMaster University
Student divestment group urges McMaster to halt the installation plans for four new natural gas-powered generators at Cootes Drive
MacDivest is a student-run advocacy group whose mission is to end McMaster University’s $40 million in fossil fuel investments. Some of MacDivest’s most notable advocacy work includes their “Canada Is On Fire” protest at Hamilton City Hall in Sept. 2021 and their school-wide walk-out and rally in March 2022.
On Dec. 1, the student divestment group conducted an on-campus Keep Cootes Green rally, protesting the installment of new natural gas-powered generators next to Cootes Drive. This installation is being carried out as a part of Ontario’s Industrial Conservation Initiative, which aims to reduce the university’s overall energy costs.
MacDivest called out this initiative as counterintuitive and rallied for an alternative, greener solution. Cordelia McConnell is a Network Weaver for MacDivest, whose role involves connecting with other organizations. While speaking with The Silhouette, McConnell shared the importance and urgency of MacDivest’s advocacy for climate action.
“It's really key that we take action against this kind of thing. The numbers [McMaster] is releasing on the gas generators say they're going to produce 415 tonnes of carbon emissions every 60 hours operating on Cootes Drive,” said McConnell.
It's really key that we take action against this kind of thing. The numbers [McMaster] is releasing on the gas generators say they're going to produce 415 tonnes of carbon emissions every 60 hours operating on Cootes Drive.
Cordelia McConnell, a Network Weaver for MacDivest
In their Net Zero Carbon Roadmap, McMaster shared that the generators would be utilized to reduce demand on the provincial electrical grid, reduce the university’s electrical costs and ultimately improve energy security by lowering reliance on the grid.
McConnell shared that McMaster’s plans to move towards a net zero in climate disruption will not be effective in the current climate emergency and the damage already done can no longer be offset.
“There's not enough time for this planet if we're going to keep below the two-degree threshold to be continuing to invest in fossil fuels and these harmful methods of energy creation, just so [McMaster] can move towards being better. It's like we're taking three steps back so that we might take three steps forward. It makes no sense and it's just too late,” said McConnell.
There's not enough time for this planet if we're going to keep below the two-degree threshold to be continuing to invest in fossil fuels and these harmful methods of energy creation, just so [McMaster] can move towards being better. It's like we're taking three steps back so that we might take three steps forward. It makes no sense and it's just too late.
Cordelia McConnell, a Network Weaver for MacDivest
Leading up to the Keep Cootes Green rally, MacDivest has shared informational posts on their Instagram and hosted an Art Build for protestors to prepare signage. MacDivest also shared a letter they recently sent to the McMaster Board of Governors regarding the natural gas-powered generators, urging them to pull away from the project and opt for a green solution.
In their letter, MacDivest explained that the deadline to combat climate change is fast approaching. They shared that the time to start implementing sustainable energy solutions is now, and it should begin with halting the construction of the generators.
“It's very ironic for a university that markets based on being a school that is so close to these natural spaces, where you can always go for a hike in Cootes whenever you want, and then simultaneously be destroying the very earth that they claim to be supporters of,” said McConnell.
It's very ironic for a university that markets based on being a school that is so close to these natural spaces, where you can always go for a hike in Cootes whenever you want, and then simultaneously be destroying the very earth that they claim to be supporters of.
Cordelia McConnell, a Network Weaver for MacDivest
MacDivest looks to continue to hold McMaster accountable and advocate for sustainable, climate conscious and energy efficient solution.
C/O Yoohyun Park
MacDivest paints mural to demand attention from the Board of Governors
On March 4, 2021, McMaster University announced that President David Farrar had urged the Board of Governors to divest from their use of fossil fuels as an investment pool.
“President David Farrar has asked the Board of Governors to put in place a strategy to divest fossil fuels from the university’s institutional investment pool as soon as possible,” stated the University.
Farrar spoke about how the McMaster community wants to see consistent changes.
“It is necessary, alongside our carbon reduction activities, to confirm that we want to be a leader in these areas and so today I asked the university’s Board of Governors to work with us to put in place a strategy to divest fossil fuels from our institutional investment pool as soon as possible,” said Farrar.
These sentiments rang through the McMaster community. Groups like MacDivest are curious about what this could actually mean for the future of McMaster.
MacDivest is a public interest project under OPIRG McMaster, a nonprofit organization that offers students the chance to take action on social justice and environmental issues.
As a group, MacDivest has two goals. The first is a continual attempt to raise awareness about McMaster’s investment in fossil fuels. The second aims to create a plan for divestment that has a basis behind it, factoring in McMaster and the current environmental climate.
As such, the group has organized, and continues to plan, different ways to bring light to this issue. On Sept. 13, they banded together to paint a mural with the phrase “No brighter world without divestment” on the front steps of Gilmour Hall.
Simran Dhindsa, a member of MacDivest, explained why this was chosen.
“We were debating multiple places . . . but once we arrived to the area we were like this seems like the perfect place to lay out our image. [We chose that area] because the Board of Governors office is there. Our mural was a message to them, to bring awareness that we have been demanding action about climate change for a while and about divestment,” said Dhindsa.
She went on to explain that the mural was painted due to a lack of action from the Board of Governors.
“Seeing news like [Farrar’s announcement] is motivating, that conversations like that are happening. At the same time, it seems more to just say that ‘conversation’ is happening instead of actually taking action about them. MacDivest earlier this year sent hundreds of letters to the Board of Governors and they didn’t really acknowledge that or even give a reply,” explained Dhindsa.
"MacDivest earlier this year sent hundreds of letters to the Board of Governors and they didn’t really acknowledge that or even give a reply."
Simran Dhindsa, member of MacDivest
Srishti Sharma, a student at McMaster, saw the mural being painted that morning.
“I thought it was very empowering,” said Sharma.
According to Dhindsa, five hours after they had painted the mural it was promptly washed off. She explained that they had begun at 9 a.m. and by 1 p.m. it was being washed off. However, despite the mural being washed off, Dhindsa believes they had made their message clear.
“David Farrar — we had met him that morning and he did see us make the mural. So I think we kind of accomplished our goal of making them aware,” said Dhindsa.
On Sept, 16, MacDivest shared an official response to McMaster’s treatment of the mural.
“We are deeply disappointed at McMaster’s lack of tolerance to a mural that was not obscene or impeding anyone’s experience on campus . . . The power washing of the mural was symbolic of the treatment our efforts encouraging McMaster to divest have endured,” stated MacDivest.
“We are deeply disappointed at McMaster’s lack of tolerance to a mural that was not obscene or impeding anyone’s experience on campus . . . The power washing of the mural was symbolic of the treatment our efforts encouraging McMaster to divest have endured.”
macdivest
When the Silhouette reached out to the Board of Governors, they declined an interview.
Students are advocating for change, now McMaster needs to listen to them
C/O Lewis Parsons on Unsplash
By: Alexandria Peacock, Contributor
This past Friday over 175 students participated in the McMaster Climate Strike. The goal of the strike, aside from raising awareness about climate change, was to push for divestment here at McMaster University. McMaster currently invests about $22 million into fossil fuel companies, which are the leading greenhouse gas emitters.
On March 4, McMaster President David Farrar released a statement asking the Board of Governors to create a concrete plan for divestment within a specified timeline. This demand for a clear timeline and action plan for divestment was the primary goal of the McMaster Climate Strike. The strike was endorsed by several faculty societies and the McMaster Students Union which represents over 20,000 undergraduate students.
The demand for change is clear. We are well aware that climate change is the biggest threat of the 21st century and that action needs to be taken now and not in some vague future. If this strike has shown us anything, it is that the students are prepared to fight for change. So why has it taken this long for the university to commit?
If this strike has shown us anything, it is that the students are prepared to fight for change. So why has it taken this long for the university to commit?
According to a representative from Mac Climate Advocates, one of the many clubs here at McMaster which seeks to raise awareness about climate change, the Board of Governors has yet to respond to the strike. It may have only been a week since the strike, but the issue of divestment is not new. In fact, discussions concerning McMaster’s investments in the fossil fuel industry have been ongoing for the past five years.
Although the Board has recognized the need for divestment, they have yet to commit to any concrete plans on how this is to be achieved. It’s disheartening to see that our school, which is supposed to empower students to speak up and foster an environment in which we feel that our voices are heard, has chosen to ignore our demand for change.
McMaster claims to be committed to creating a “brighter world” and it is evident that the students of this school are more than capable of carrying out this legacy. But while we have the power to demand change, it is those who run this institution that are in the position to actually do something about it.
McMaster claims to be committed to creating a “brighter world” and it is evident that the students of this school are more than capable of carrying out this legacy. But while we have the power to demand change, it is those who run this institution that are in the position to actually do something about it.
I am proud to be part of a community of impassioned students capable of inspiring so many others. Last week’s strike is only one of many strides made by students here at Mac to combat climate change.
The fight for divestment did not begin nor does it end with this strike. According to a representative from Mac Climate Advocates, the McMaster Climate Strike team will continue to raise awareness about this issue and put pressure on the administration until they commit to a legitimate and achievable plan for divestment.
As cliché as it may sound, we are the future and I am glad to know that our future will be led by dedicated and passionate students that continue to fight for a better world. I can only hope that the Board would agree with me.
