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Today its #EarthDay 
so its a good time to reflect on the incredibly brave organizing work that tech workers have done this past year to demand climate justice from their companies.
so its a good time to reflect on the incredibly brave organizing work that tech workers have done this past year to demand climate justice from their companies.
1) Our story starts with @AMZNforClimate, who, just over a year ago, sent Bezos a letter, signed by nearly 9k employees, demanding climate justice from Amazon. https://medium.com/@amazonemployeesclimatejustice/public-letter-to-jeff-bezos-and-the-amazon-board-of-directors-82a8405f5e38
The letter to bezos showed how much appetite there is in organizing for climate justice in tech.
2) In May, @emahlee of @AMZNforClimate delivered an impassioned speech at Amazon's shareholder meeting urging the company to adopt a strong climate plan. https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/5/22/18635604/amazon-shareholder-meeting-2019-climate-change-proposal
2) In May, @emahlee of @AMZNforClimate delivered an impassioned speech at Amazon's shareholder meeting urging the company to adopt a strong climate plan. https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/5/22/18635604/amazon-shareholder-meeting-2019-climate-change-proposal
By the summer, it became popularly known (in large part thanks to @bcmerchant 's reporting) that Google, Amazon, and Microsoft were quietly winning massive contracts with oil companies to accelerate fossil fuel extraction. https://gizmodo.com/how-google-microsoft-and-big-tech-are-automating-the-1832790799
3) In Sept, 1700 Amazon employees signed an internal petition pledging to participate in the Sept-20 climate strike.
Their demands were:
- Zero emissions by 2030
- Zero contracts to accelerate fossil fuel extraction
- Zero funding for climate deniers https://medium.com/@amazonemployeesclimatejustice/amazon-employees-are-joining-the-global-climate-walkout-9-20-9bfa4cbb1ce3
Their demands were:
- Zero emissions by 2030
- Zero contracts to accelerate fossil fuel extraction
- Zero funding for climate deniers https://medium.com/@amazonemployeesclimatejustice/amazon-employees-are-joining-the-global-climate-walkout-9-20-9bfa4cbb1ce3
4) Microsoft and Google employees ( @ClimateGooglers, @msworkers4) joined Amazon, pledging to take part in the climate strike.
This became one of the first times that these 3 companies coordinated an action an action around the same demands. https://fortune.com/2019/09/16/global-climate-strike-protest-google-amazon-microsoft-walkout/
This became one of the first times that these 3 companies coordinated an action an action around the same demands. https://fortune.com/2019/09/16/global-climate-strike-protest-google-amazon-microsoft-walkout/
5) Days before the climate strike, Microsoft announced a major partnership with 2 of the biggest oil corporations. @MSWorkers4 responded with a fiery statement condemning the partnership:
"As Microsoft workers, we've been made complicit." https://github.com/msworkers/for.climateaction
"As Microsoft workers, we've been made complicit." https://github.com/msworkers/for.climateaction
6) On Sept 20, thousands of tech workers across the industry and across the globe participated in the climate strike.
Workers at FB and Square also joined. You can follow them here: @SquareWorkers @FBClimateAction https://www.wired.com/story/tech-workers-global-climate-change-strike/
Workers at FB and Square also joined. You can follow them here: @SquareWorkers @FBClimateAction https://www.wired.com/story/tech-workers-global-climate-change-strike/
7) In Nov over 2k Google employees signed a letter demanding climate justice for marginalized people. They added a 4th demand:
"Zero collab with entities enabling the incarceration, surveillance, displacement, or oppression of [marginalized] communities" https://medium.com/@googworkersac/ruth-porat-497bbb841b52
"Zero collab with entities enabling the incarceration, surveillance, displacement, or oppression of [marginalized] communities" https://medium.com/@googworkersac/ruth-porat-497bbb841b52
8) Before thanksgiving, @logic_magazine published an exposé from an anonymous Microsoft engineer that documented how the tech giant used AI and cloud computing to help Chevron increase oil production in Kazakhstan. https://logicmag.io/nature/oil-is-the-new-data/
After nearly year of climate justice organizing, Bezos responded by threatening to fire those who have spoken up
9) In response @AMZNforClimate collected over 400 intentionally policy-violating quotes from fellow workers and published it on Medium. https://medium.com/@amazonemployeesclimatejustice/amazon-employees-share-our-views-on-company-business-f5abcdea849
9) In response @AMZNforClimate collected over 400 intentionally policy-violating quotes from fellow workers and published it on Medium. https://medium.com/@amazonemployeesclimatejustice/amazon-employees-share-our-views-on-company-business-f5abcdea849
But the problem of climate justice extends to all who work in the tech industry.
10) In feb of this year, over 100 AI researchers and engineers from around the world signed an online open letter: Tech Won't Drill It. https://medium.com/@techwontdrillit/tech-wont-drill-it-a63594dc6e66
10) In feb of this year, over 100 AI researchers and engineers from around the world signed an online open letter: Tech Won't Drill It. https://medium.com/@techwontdrillit/tech-wont-drill-it-a63594dc6e66
During this crisis, many who have fought for climate justice are now stuck at home. But we must show solidarity with our coworkers on the ground, who are more vulnerable than ever.
11) Again, @AMZNforClimate has set an example for the rest of us: https://twitter.com/AMZNforClimate/status/1243641186704715776?s=20
11) Again, @AMZNforClimate has set an example for the rest of us: https://twitter.com/AMZNforClimate/status/1243641186704715776?s=20
Organizing works. Climate justice is now a central topic among tech companies. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft now have more ambitious sustainability goals. All this is thanks to the militant work of these tech organizers.
#Earthdays is a good day to recognize these wins.
#Earthdays is a good day to recognize these wins.
But the battle for climate justice is still young. Despite the free fall in oil prices, Big Tech continues to collaborate with oil companies, & continues to prioritize profit over the planet.
