The 13th February was an important day in the People and Planet calendar, as it marked Global Divestment Day. On this day the divestment movement united across the globe in the co-ordination of various actions designed to promote the pro-divestment cause and put pressure on institutions such as our Universities to retract their investment in an unsustainable future.
In Sheffield this day had even greater significance as we were awaiting the University’s response to our divestments request. To mark the occasion, the Student’s Union Concourse hosted the ‘Save the Polar Bear Challenge.’ The rules of the game were simple, with Paul O’Bear facing off against three evil fossil fuels companies - Shell, BP and Chevron - on an ice-sheet. This ice-sheet was made of cardboard painted white on one side to represent ice, and the fossil fuels had to turn this over to the other side, painted blue, symbolic of the melting of ice. However, in order to stop the fossil fuels from reaching Paul O’Bear and sinking him, members of the public were encouraged to join in and throw flour-filled orange balloons at the fossil fuels - knocking them out.
Thankfully, all those who joined in managed to knock the fossil fuels out and Paul O’Bear survived the day - which can only be a positive omen for the future!
Sadly the University rejected our request to divest, but the day was a success in making more people aware of the divestment movement both globally and in Sheffield, and this will only help speed up the inevitable - divestment.
In Sheffield this day had even greater significance as we were awaiting the University’s response to our divestments request. To mark the occasion, the Student’s Union Concourse hosted the ‘Save the Polar Bear Challenge.’ The rules of the game were simple, with Paul O’Bear facing off against three evil fossil fuels companies - Shell, BP and Chevron - on an ice-sheet. This ice-sheet was made of cardboard painted white on one side to represent ice, and the fossil fuels had to turn this over to the other side, painted blue, symbolic of the melting of ice. However, in order to stop the fossil fuels from reaching Paul O’Bear and sinking him, members of the public were encouraged to join in and throw flour-filled orange balloons at the fossil fuels - knocking them out.
Thankfully, all those who joined in managed to knock the fossil fuels out and Paul O’Bear survived the day - which can only be a positive omen for the future!
Sadly the University rejected our request to divest, but the day was a success in making more people aware of the divestment movement both globally and in Sheffield, and this will only help speed up the inevitable - divestment.