Eco-Group Questions Earth Day Corporate Sponsor

The Chicago Greens at their monthly meeting agreed not to affiliate or participate in any upcoming Earth Day activities sponsored by the Exelon Corporation, which they feel is effort to “greenwash” what they maintain is a firm which advances anti-environmental policies and operations. One can trace the company back through generations of mergers and acquisitions to its beginnings as Commonwealth Edison.  

According to a recent article, “Exelon’s agenda included the expansion of nuclear power in America. Commonwealth Edison had for years focused on building and operating nuclear power plants. The company is renowned for its ability to extend the life of its reactors. And it has many of them. If Illinois were a country it would have the 12th-largest number of nuclear reactors (with 11), behind China. Exelon owns all those nuclear reactors and six more scattered about other states.”

Although no calling for a boycott, the Greens are recommending instead that groups affiliate with, and participate in activities such as those being planned by the local organizers of the “Global Climate Convergence,” which they maintain is authentic, and not corrupted by an energy monopoly which seeks to cover-up what it does, and present a good image.

Charles Paidock, a long-time member, stated: “Exelon called the Chicago Police and wanted them to arrest us for protesting their presence at an earlier Earth Day event. Exelon’s corporate logo appears prominently at the top of a website advertising Earth Day. You’ve got to be kidding me. I think it’s time someone pointed out that the emperor has no clothes.  Considering the ecological disaster which just took place at Fukushima, our views of a firm whose operations we feel as damaging to the Illinois environment I believe are justified.”

Chicago Greens
An affiliation of the Illinois Green Party

Press Release          March 25, 2014         http://www.illinoisgreens.org/

For Information:      
(312) 719-5719     
(312) 842-5036     
(773) 306-5402      
Robert Rudner      
Charles Paidock    
Wes Green           
Exelon offered to give the Illinois state government $500 million to help with its budget crisis, in exchange for the state giving it permission to hike rates on its utility customers.   article