CHEVRON: NO MORE OIL IN IRAQ! NO DIRTY CRUDE REFINERY EXPANSION IN RICHMOND!

Who are we?
We are people from many Bay Area communities who want Chevron to stop polluting our community and stop profiteering from the Iraq war. We also call for an immediate end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, reparations to the people of those countries, commitment to building sustainable economies at home, and a redirection of military funds to the serious human needs of our communities.

Those of us here today are part of: Communities for a Better Environment, West County Toxics Coalition, Richmond Greens, Richmond Progressive Alliance, Community Health Initiative, Amazon Watch, Rainforest Action Network, Direct Action to Stop War, and Greenaction.

What are we doing?
People all over the country and all over the world are taking action today and this coming Wednesday to end the war and clean up our communities. We are acting today at Chevron because Chevron’s offenses are two sides of the same coin- Chevron profits from war in Iraq and cuts corners by dumping asthma and cancer causing pollution on us here at home.

We are doing nonviolent direct action to bring the war home to the Bay Area’s elected and unelected political leadership and the corporations who profit off of war. We are in solidarity with the students who are protesting at the UC Regents’ meeting nearby, with those who are protesting at the Marine Recruiting Center in Berkeley, and with those who will protest on the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war on Wednesday.

Why are we taking direct action today?
We are demonstrating our outrage over:
• Chevron had record-breaking $18.7 billion in profit in 2007 – equivalent to nearly $600 a second in pure profit.
• Chevron’s Richmond Refinery process 1 million barrels of dirty Iraqi crude a month, and Chevron wants to expand operations to process even dirtier crude. (source: Department of Energy)
• The EPA reported almost 300 pollutant spills from the Richmond Refinery from 2001 to 2003 alone. These are highly toxic, often cancerous, chemicals spilling directly into residential communities.
• Chevron has been charged in a $6 billion lawsuit in which five indigenous groups and 80 Ecuadorian communities are demanding recompense for the dumping of 18.5 billion gallons of toxic waste directly into the rainforest - a spill roughly 30 times larger than the amount spilled in the Exxon Valdez disaster.
• Chevron is on trial in Nigeria for the participation of its personnel in the shooting of peaceful protestors.
• We have had to endure five years of war, which Chevron has actively supported, in which more than one million Iraqis have been killed and over 3,900 U.S. soldiers killed and 29,000 wounded.
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Americans want a world without war and with a lot less pollution, but as long as Chevron can make millions off of war in Iraq and dumping toxic waste on Richmond while lining the pockets of politicians, we won’t get what we want. That is why we are here taking action against one of the worst war profiteers and polluters, right here in our community.

Who are we targeting and why?
Chevron Corporation
If you think the price of Chevron gas is too high, you’re right. In Iraq they pay with their lives; in Ecuador, Burma and Nigeria they pay with their human rights; in Richmond they pay with their health; and we all are paying with Global Warming.

Chevron and big oil are a driving force behind wars for oil and global warming. Over a million gallons a month of occupied Iraq’s oil is processed at Chevron Richmond Refinery. Now Chevron threatens the Bay Area with massive additional toxic pollution from expansion of it’s Richmond oil refinery to refine dirty crude oil - which is being fought by community and antiwar groups.
We are paying billions for this war that the majority in America and around the world oppose, and for what? So Chevron can rake in millions more in profits; bring the oil over here to Richmond and dump cancer and asthma causing pollution on the same folks who are forced to fight this war. All the while, our schools, hospitals and economy are falling apart.

Chevron’s got a sweet triple play. They’re raking in millions in profits from War, Warming and Pollution. Given how badly they are destroying communities, the environment and the economy, it is amazing anyone left to spend $3.50/gallon on their gas.

The politicians have failed to get pollution, global warming or war profiteering under control, despite the overwhelming demands of the people, so we will do what Americans have always done when the government doesn’t act on our wishes; we’re taking to the streets.

The Bay Area is already anti-war. Aren’t we just “preaching to the choir”?
We know that most people in San Francisco are opposed to the war and pollution. But it is not enough to be against war, human rights violations and environmental destruction; we have to actively oppose them.

Americans get that the war is wrong; and Americans get that corporate polluters are bad for our health; and Americans get that global warming is a serious problem- but still, Chevron gets to continue to make money off of the war, make money off of our health and make money while global warming gets worse.

What can be done after today?
Join our protest on March 19! Check out http://www.actagainstwar.net for more information.

Join us in calling on cities to follow in Berkeley's lead and implement purchasing boycotts against Chevron. Any relationship that cities have with Chevron unduly benefits a company that is involved in human rights, pollution, severe health problems, and war profiteering. See http://www.chevrontoxico.org for a toolkit to organize in your city.