Verizon Wireless: Sponsoring Mountaintop Removal

By scott parkin

Why on earth has Verizon Wireless decided to sponsor a climate-denying, mountain-destroying, union-busting, PRO-MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL labor day rally being organized by Massey Energy, featuring noted right-wing nutjobs Ted Nugent and Sean Hannity?

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Massey Energy is the poster-child of mountaintop removal and has been under fire for many years from everything to political corruption to destroying the Appalachian Mountains with it’s ruthless strip mining operations. Now as the intensity and anti-coal movement has escalated, Massey is sponsoring a “Friends of America” rally on Labor Day in response. The day’s keynote speaker will be Lord Christopher Monckton, a science adviser to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and one of the world’s most infamous global warming-deniers.

Verizon often promotes itself as a trendy green company with various eco-initiatives that include pushing energy efficiency to it’s suppliers and solar panels. How is sponsoring one of the most anti-environmental companies in the U.S. adhere to those values. Big props to Jeff Biggers for letting us all know about this and sparking a campaign.

Anyway, this is taking off in the blogosphere and amongst online advocates.

Take action with Credo or the Center of Biological Diversity and check out some of these blogs (Nation; WVBlue;Dem. Underground).

Or contact the execs yourself and say “WTF!” Call or text or email Verizon Wireless corporate leaders and let them know. Their CEO’s email is Dennis.Strigl@verizonwireless.com, and his site is here.