Environmental Leader

Rainforest Action Network says that “thousands” of activists in more than 50 cities across the U.S. turned out last week to protest Citi and Bank of America’s investments in coal-fired power plants.

RAN is pressuring the two banks to divest from coal and invest in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.

The protests featured everything from flyering and leafletting at local bank branches and ATMs to creative street theater and direct action at bank offices. Cities in which actions took place included San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Portland, St. Louis, Denver, Chicago, Boston and Houston.

A Bank of America spokeswoman said RAN’s actions ignored economic realities, “including that, as a country, more than 50 percent of our electricity comes from coal,” The Charlotte Observer reports.

Bank of America has committed to investing $20 billion to develop and encourage green technology. Citi has said that it will support the growth of alternative energy and clean technology with a $50 billion investment.