Open MIC: Setting New Standards for Media in the Digital Age
Shock jock Don Imus recently captured headlines and focused national attention on the question of media responsibility. He did so with a racist, misogynist jibe at a women’s basketball team that drew widespread censure from civil rights activists, media watchdogs and, most importantly, advertisers like GM and Proctor & Gamble. Suddenly the airwaves were crackling with debate over the significance of Imus’ offense, the public’s response, and how his corporate employer, CBS, should deal with the situation. At Trillium we’ve been thinking a lot about how responsible investors should answer questions like these. What is the social responsibility of media …
Shareholders Withdraw ConocoPhillips Climate Change Proposal
In response to today’s announcement by ConocoPhillips to take measures to reduce its climate impact, Trillium Asset Management Corporation will withdraw a shareholder proposal encouraging the company to invest more in developing low- and zero-carbon technologies …
Coal Plant Expansion Challenged by Conservation Groups
Kansas City — The refusal by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to fairly consider objections to a new massive coal-fired power plant near Holcomb was challenged in court today. The plant at the heart of the suit is the proposed Sunflower 2100-megawatt coal-fired power plant. The environmental law firm, Earthjustice, representing the Sierra Club, filed a lawsuit today against the state of Kansas seeking to get a complete and fair hearing for objections to the state’s rush to approve and build this new coal facility. The proposed power plant is one of the largest, if not the …
Keep Things Small, Stop Buying All That Stuff At Costco
Bill McKibben’s new book, Deep Economy, may be a landmark publication like Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, published in 1962. Carson’s revelation of the lethal effects of the pesticide DDT ignited public concerns about degradation of the environment at the hands of a mindless industrial economy. Carson died, tragically, of breast cancer in 1964 but her work raised public consciousness about man-made dangers to natural systems and led to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. A writer who lives in the Adirondacks in upstate New York, McKibben doesn’t dabble in palliative efforts by companies to curb pollution and/or commit to …
Investing With A Mission
A Guide for Foundations and Non-Profits to Mission Related Investing …
Christmas Lights(A)
The ushering in of 2007 is behind us, with all the promises and parties, and the removal of holiday lights from lawns, bushes, trees, rooftops and windows. Not to be missed by some of us are the giant inflated Disney-like lighted characters that die rather messy deaths during the day and come to life at night. We asked one owner of four such characters why she has them crowding her lawn and she candidly said “to keep up with the neighbors”. A good friend of mine (with tongue in cheek and undoubtedly blinded by an exuberant neighbor) sent these scary …
2006 Advocacy Roundup(A)
Progress on Climate Change, Sustainability Reporting and Political Contributions …
Bedfellows and Our Independence(A)
"Mr. Chairman, it's Shelley Alpern from Trillium Asset Management again but this time I'm representing the Presbyterian Church, not Catholic Healthcare West." Greenberg asked, "And what religion are you?" which drew a big laugh. "I'm Jewish, actually," I replied a little sheepishly. …
A Big Step for Ford, a Small Step for Humankind?
"It’s carbon and monoxide, the ole Detroit perfume…" — Paul Simon …
Religious Shareholders Force Disclosure by General Electric that Company Spent Tens of Millions to Delay Clean-up of Hudson River, Other PCB Site Discharges
Shareholders Declare Victory in Getting Company to Disclose Information; Even Though Proxy Struggle Is Over for Now, Shareholders Still Urging GE to Clean PCB Pollution Immediately …
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