Our Principles

These principles offer guidance on how we do our work. We commit to uphold these principles throughout our work in this movement.

• We unite to fight climate change. We do this by taking action in our communities to stop new fossil fuel projects, demand a swift transition to 100 percent clean energy and ensure that the transformation of our energy system is just and equitable.
• We are people across America, ready to get to work. Anyone who wants to fight the climate crisis can be a part of the Fossil Free movement. We need people across age, race and geography if we are going to win. Each of us has a role to play in this fight, we welcome and want to work with everyone.
• We have strength in numbers. To change everything, it takes everyone. We are committed to constantly bringing new people into our work, because this is how we believe we will win. Our messaging, actions and events are oriented towards building an ever growing movement.
• We know there’s not a minute to waste. Our time is precious in this fight, so when we gather for meetings or events, we are intent on accomplishing tasks and moving projects forward. We come to meetings and events prepared and focused.
• We know how climate change impacts us and others. Climate change will impact everyone’s lives, but it will not impact everyone equally. We take time to recognize our own stake in this fight. We also take time to understand how this crisis disproportionately impacts low income communities, communities of color and many developing nations.
• We mourn, but we do not despair. All of us have something to lose to climate change, and everyday we see it cause death and devastation. We take time in our work to mourn lives and livelihoods lost to climate change, but we do not let despair overcome us. We never lose hope.
• We are non-violent. Principled nonviolence allows the most people to participate in our movement and we believe we need maximum participation in order to achieve our goals.  
• We see each other in our humanity. We dance, sing and play together because it lifts our spirits, gives us hope, and keeps us motivated for the many challenges and victories ahead of us. We might disagree from time to time, but we are united by our shared goals, and strive to see everyone’s humanity.
• We rise or fall together. We are all responsible for this movement and its ability to win. We support other campaigns, events and leaders. We celebrate one another’s commitment and work. We pick each other up when we stumble. We are in this together.