You raise a good question Jesse – who are the most effective targets of actions like this? What are the goals?

I actually feel that groups like USCAP are very strategic targets of such stunts. You could view them as the “best of a bad bunch” – or you could view them as being very smart (in their own way) by creating the USCAP to ensure they dominate public discourse and have strong lobbying positions for any future climate/carbon legislation. Perhaps I’m being a cynic here (though I think I am one of the most optimistic people you’ll meet), but groups like USCAP are very much responsible for at least inhibiting, or perhaps even derailing the power and momentum of grassroots groups calling for more radical and visionary change.

It’s telling that USCAP represents some of the biggest polluters and the companies that have the most to potentially gain economically from carbon cap-and-trade systems. And despite their rhetoric – they still have business practices that ensure massive continued pollution. From producing gas-guzzling cars to building more coal-fired power plants, to creating toxic waste disasters and simply maintaining our dependence on fossil fuels – are the members of USCAP really leading the pack? Or are they waging smart PR and lobbying campaigns to ensure that the climate movement doesn’t threaten their bottom line and fundamental business models?

But thanks – fun action that got very positive response from allies, media, and friends in Bali. There are still a number of articles that we are hoping to see surface in the next few days as well, including some more in-depth pieces around carbon trading, fossil fuels, offsets, and global equity issues around climate initiatives.

If anything, we helped educate some people these issues, and encouraged folks to look more critically at the role corporations are playing in determining climate policy.

-Matt

You know, it’s really not USCAP partners that need to be the targets of an action like this – it’s the many many more companies who haven’t even come as far as US CAP (which to be fair does call for a 60-80% cut by 2050). Not that I’m a big fan of US CAP partner companies… it’s just that they are some of the best of a bad bunch, and targeting those who are trying to lead their pack – even if they’ve yet to come far enough – might be a misplaced priority.

Then again, I don’t know what the real objectives/targets of this action were… So I’m going to shut up now…

Nicely executed in any case!