The Cost of a Costco Credit Card
Celebrating Maine's first Costco--with a big hitch
Costco’s grand opening in Scarborough: Taking on Citi
In the excitement about the opening of Maine’s first Costco in Scarborough this weekend (and we are all excited), we cannot lose sight of the fact that Costco’s credit card is affiliated with Citi, which is the second dirtiest bank on the planet. Let’s celebrate Costco and go ahead and get our memberships— but say NO to Costco's Citi credit card. Join us in an action this Sunday!
DETAILS
What: Welcome Costco. Protest its use of a Citi credit card
Date: Sunday, November 19, 2023
Time: 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Where: Scarborough. Park at the abandoned Beech Ridge Raceway parking lot on Holmes Road
Equipped with leaflets, we will address customers in the Costco parking lot. “Enjoy your shopping, but please do not sign up for Costco’s dirty Citi credit card when you become a Costco member. “ We will also be waving, smiling—and protesting Citi—on public land just before the Costco driveway.
Can you join us? RSVP here!
Can’t come? Sign the Third Act petition here!
The LNG Carbon Bomb
The fossil fuel industry plans to export liquified natural gas (LNG) around the world from 20 or more LNG terminals to be constructed in the Gulf Coast area—all within “Hurricane Alley.” Many construction plans also fall into an area already known as “Cancer Alley.” Fracked gas is liquified at the coastal terminals and huge quantities of methane are emitted at every step of the business, especially during tanker shipping. When fully developed, this massive enterprise would emit more climate gases than coal-fired power plants. Methane is a super potent climate gas having 20 to 80 times the climate impact of carbon dioxide. As Bill McKibben writes, “new data from the dean of methane scientists, Cornell’s Bob Howarth, shows that so much methane escapes from the ships carrying LNG abroad that when all is said and done it’s at least 24 percent worse for the climate than coal.” (See McKibben’s entire piece here.) These plans represent a catastrophe the world’s climate cannot endure.
Seven of the LNG terminals are already operating or under construction. Thirteen or more are on the planning table. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm must approve or deny each project based on whether it serves the national interest. Third Act is campaigning to convince Granholm to deny all the remaining approvals.
ACTION: Urge Secretary Granholm to deny new LNG terminal permits. Please
send a handwritten letter to Secretary Granholm (which Bill McKibben really wants us to do. It makes a bigger impact! This is something our generation knows how to do.)
The Honorable Jennifer Granholm
Secretary of Energy
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave. SW
Washington DC 20585
This is urgent. Spread the word to folks who are also concerned. This is a fight we must win for our planet. Let us know at ThirdActMaine@gmail.com if you have taken action. We’d love a photo of your letters!
Hundreds Sign to Support Fossil-Free Treaty
Third Act Mainers tabled at polling stations in Brunswick, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough on election day to draw attention to the Fossil Free Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. Hundreds of Maine residents learned about the initiative and signed gladly. TAM has already helped Portland and Belfast sign on to this treaty. More to come!
Pine Tree Power: Putting the Referendum Loss in Perspective
No one said this fight for a better future was going to be easy, and the disappointing results of the November 7 referendum are a stark reminder of the power of money and misinformation in advertising. CMP and Versant spent $40M compared with Pine Tree Power’s $.8M. Even in our disappointment, there are lessons to be learned.
Four years ago, in May of 2019, twelve people from Friends Meetings in Portland and Durham offered to buy CMP from its out-of-state corporate owners. They brought their offer of $200.00 to CMP headquarters in Bangor and held a public action, complete with press releases, a sheet cake, speeches, signs and a woman dressed as a native-to-Maine spotted salamander. Two Friends engaged in civil disobedience, refusing to leave—and were arrested.
Look at what happened just four years later. The Pine Tree Power referendum garnered 30% of Mainers’ votes. From a small band of one dozen activists—to one-third of the state voting in favor.
In the run-up to the election, Third Act Mainers could be found all over the state, holding “VOTE YES on 3” signs for Pine Tree Power at rush-hour intersections, on sidewalks, and on bridges. Bill McKibben came to Portland to speak on behalf of Pine Tree Power and consumer-owned utilities, and he drew national attention to the cause. He said, “This is the most exciting thing on any ballot in the country.”
So even though Pine Tree Power lost (for now), consider the phenomenal trajectory of this initiative in four short years. Every day more and more Mainers understand that Pine Tree Power is an idea whose time has come. The Editorial Board of the Portland Press Herald noted the progress that has been made. Let’s see what the next chapter holds.
In Praise of Hands
It’s not just the people
who live in the city
who’ve lost the thread
that ties them to the woven
world of stones and earth,
fields alive with pollen and wings.
Who among us understands
how oceans rise and fall,
currents swirling around the planet
with messages in bottles
floating on the water.
When the tide is out
we can go to the shore
dig clay with our bare hands
and make something beautiful from it,
a vessel with thin walls
that holds a canyon.
In both hands, like an offering,
we can hold the memory
of eroded stones and earth,
eons contained in this empty bowl.
We can fill it with water
that reflects the sky that has
witnessed everything since
time began, we can drink and be blessed,
clouds gathering over us.
—Stuart Kestenbaum
From Prayers & Run-on Sentences (Deerbrook Editions 2007)
© Stuart Kestenbaum. Reprinted with permission.
Great issue with such timely information on Costco’s opening and why this well-run company significantly misstepped by pairing with Citibank. I really appreciate the inclusion of such lovely, thoughtful poetry.