Seniors rally against climate change at Charlottesville bank

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - A group of activists are making their voices heard on the UVA Corner Monday, March 14. They’re asking a major bank to pull fossil fuel development funding.

“We’re calling out Chase Bank as the dirtiest of the dirty fossil fuel funders on the planet,” Third Act organizer Deborah Kushner said.

Third Act is a national organization enlisting locals to try and force changes.

“We as grandparents and elders care deeply about what’s happening to our planet, the next generation, and the next many generations,” Kushner said. “We’re here to let Chase know they’re on notice. If they do not divest from fossil fuel funding by the end of this year, we, Third Act and all of our allies, will withdraw all of their funds from Chase Bank.”

Protesters at one point laid on the ground outside the bank, calling themselves old and bold.

“Third Act has a yearlong campaign to put the banks that fund fossil fuels on notice,” Third Act member Tess Amoruso said. “People are dying of heat stroke, obviously elders throughout the country and throughout the world.”

“Fossil fuels just create strife wherever they are. Wars will never be fought over sun and wind, hydroelectric power, geothermal power,” Kushner said.

NBC29 asked the Chase Bank on the UVA Corner for a comment, but it declined.

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