A protest against Bank of America funding for mountain-top removal mining is currently in the works for one of The University of Tampa organizations.
“We wanted to do something proactive this year,” said UT Sociology Club President Ashlea Whitney. “Even though we’re small, we can make a big impact.”
The protest is being planned for next semester.
Mountain-top removal mining, the practice of disassembling entire mountain ridges to obtain coal, has been highly controversial since its start in the 60s. Though a highly lucrative form of mining, the process is nevertheless detrimental to the biomes and local communities in which it is practiced.
Runoff from mining has been known to pollute local rivers and streams, and explosives used in the process present danger to nearby inhabitants. It is also, of course, an affront to the natural beauty of the landscape.
The aim of the Sociology Club in this matter is not only to protest funding of such mining techniques, but to involve and educate UT students in the environmental issues of which they are an integral part.
“A lot of students here have Bank of America accounts,” pointed out Whitney. “It’s important for them to know where their money is going.”
Despite the Sociology Club’s conviction, they recognize the views and feelings of Bank of America, as well.
“We don’t just want to protest, but give Bank of America a chance to tell its side of the story,” said Whitney.
As a prelude to the planned protest, the club has sent a letter to the corporation explaining their goals and inviting feedback.
As the Sociology Club consists of only a handful of members and the issue at stake is one relevant to UT, the club hopes to enlist the support and participation of as many concerned students as possible. Because the tangle of bureaucracy involved in executing a protest is so convoluted, no concrete date has yet been set for the event.
“We want to do this right,” said Whitney. “And that takes time.”