Letter writing made easy:
Tell the Teacher’s Retirement Fund to Stop Funding Climate Destruction — Send a Letter to the Editor
Daily the news is filled with reports of climate disasters and reporters are finally telling us that it’s caused by global warming. But the reports don’t tell us what the cause of our current climate crisis is and what needs to be done. Letters to the editor are a great way to get the word out about the importance of taking climate action.
If you have questions or if you sent a letter – please send a copy to rmfosterny@gmail.com
Letter writing tips:
- Each letter must be unique – Do not submit the same letter to two different papers.
- Letters that refer to a recent article or letter that was printed in the paper have a greater chance of getting published.
- Keep the letter short – under 200 words is best.
- Personal or local references will make it more likely to be published. For example, I’m a teacher and I’m angry that my pension invests in climate destroying fossil fuels.
- Read the submission guidelines for the paper and follow them carefully.
- Choose a couple of the talking points below and add your personal touch.
Talking Points:
Climate:
- We are in the midst of a climate crisis. – wildfires, super storms, record temperatures.
- We must stop releasing greenhouse gases into the air.
- The burning of fossil fuels is the main cause of the climate crisis.
- Divesting from fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) will reduce funding for the industry to invest in new projects.
- Investing in renewable energy (wind, solar, geothermal and energy efficiency) will help the transition to our new energy future.
NYSTRS:
- The NY State Teachers Retirement System (NYSTRS) has billions invested in fossil fuels. Before the pandemic estimated at $4.5 billion.
- Is the 10th largest public pension fund in the US.
- Provides pensions for 264,000 active members and 169,000 retirees and beneficiaries. All NY teachers except in NYC and other school personnel are members of the pension fund.
Why teachers care:
- Teachers depend on their pensions for their future.
- Teachers prepare students for the future – Lets make sure there is a future.
- Students have taken to the streets to demand climate action. We should support them and stop funding climate destruction.
- Institutions around the world have agreed to fully or partially divest including Cornell, Columbia and Syracuse university, World Council of Churches, the Republic of Ireland, the California Teachers Retirement System and NYC’s pensions including NYC teachers.
Save our Pension:
- Fossil fuels have been the worst performing financial sector over the past decade. It is irresponsible to invest in fossil fuels.
- A recent study found that the New York State Common Retirement Fund (CRF) lost $22 billion over the past ten years by not divesting from fossil fuels. The CRF is about twice the size of the teachers fund.
- The world is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning away from fossil fuels. It makes no sense to invest in a dying industry.
- New York’s new climate law requires NY to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% in just ten years requiring a quick transition away from fossil fuels.
- NYSTRS pension funds’ fossil fuel investments are estimated to have lost half of their value since the pandemic. That’s a loss of over 2 billion dollars in just a few months.
- Black Rock – the largest investor in fossil fuels is telling its clients that fossil fuels are a risky investment and they should divest.
Where to send your letter
Send it to your local paper. Look for instructions on their website. Here is a listing of daily papers in NYS. Also please send a copy of your letter to rmfosterny@gmail.com so we can keep track.
- The Buffalo News – Buffalo
- The Citizen – Auburn
- Columbia Daily Spectator – New York City
- Daily Freeman – Kingston
- The Daily Gazette – Schenectady
- Daily Messenger – Canandaigua
- The Daily News – Batavia
- The Daily Star – Oneonta
- Democrat and Chronicle – Rochester
- The Epoch Times – New York City
- The Evening Telegram – Herkimer
- The Evening Times – Little Falls
- The Evening Tribune – Hornell
- The Ithaca Journal – Ithaca
- The Journal News – White Plains
- The Journal-Register – Medina
- The Leader – Corning
- The Leader-Herald – Gloversville
- Lockport Union-Sun & Journal – Lockport
- Metro – New York City
- New York Daily News – New York City
- New York Law Journal – New York State
- New York Post – New York City
- The New York Times – New York City
- New-York Tribune
- Newsday – Melville
- Niagara Gazette – Niagara Falls
- Observer – Dunkirk
- Observer-Dispatch – Utica
- Olean Times Herald – Olean
- Open Air PM – New York City
- The Post-Journal – Jamestown
- The Post-Standard – Syracuse
- The Post-Star – Glens Falls
- Poughkeepsie Journal – Poughkeepsie
- Press & Sun Bulletin – Binghamton
- Press-Republican – Plattsburgh
- The Record – Troy
- The Register Star – Hudson
- Salamanca Press – Salamanca
- The Saratogian – Saratoga Springs
- Star-Gazette – Elmira
- Staten Island Advance – Staten Island
- Times Herald-Record – Middletown
- Times Union – Albany
- Tonawanda News – North Tonawanda
- The Wall Street Journal – New York City
- Washington Square News – New York City
- Watertown Daily Times – Watertown