The largest technology companies, including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, are worsening the climate crisis. Though publicly these companies pledged to become fully carbon-neutral, in practice they are increasing their assistance to oil corporations, which knowingly damage ecosystems, land, and people. In February of 2019, Gizmodo published How Google, Microsoft, and Big Tech Are Automating the Climate Crisis on the “ growing trend that sees major tech companies teaming with oil giants to use automation, AI, and big data services to enhance oil exploration, extraction, and production.” Author Brian Merchant details how Google’s oil, gas, and energy division is using artificial intelligence to help oil companies compete AGAINST renewable energy; how Amazon is providing artificial intelligence and automation to “help oil companies MAXIMIZE carbon emissions”; and how Microsoft, through its Empowering Oil & Gas with AI initiative, is “actively working against the very ventures and climate action plans Gates is proposing on the philanthropy circuit.” The article is worth reading to get a sense of how implicated technology corporations are in worsening climate change.

Amazon employees formed “Amazon Employees for Climate Justice” to fight back.

In their April 2019 Open Letter to Jeff Bezos and the Amazon Board of Directors, Amazon employees point out how Amazon’s greenwashing covers up heinous activity that worsens climate change, including recently increasing their “diesel vans by 20,000,” donating “to 68 members of congress in 2018 who voted against climate legislation 100% of the time,” that Amazon’s solar commitment will only cover 6% of their buildings, “a fraction of our overall carbon footprint;” and much more.

Employees are demanding:

• Public goals and timelines consistent with science and the IPCC report

• A complete transition away from fossil fuels

• ending all custom solutions specifically designed for oil and gas extraction and exploration

• Reduction of harm to the most vulnerable communities first

• Advocacy for local, federal, and international policies that reduce overall carbon emissions

• Fair treatment of all employees during climate disruptions and extreme weather events

In support of the global climate strike, Amazon employees are walking out on September 20, 2019. You can track the activism of Amazon employees here.

For more information, Rebecca Sheppard, who works at Amazon and pushes for innovation on climate change explains more on this IRL podcast on Tech Worker Resistance.

Corporate greenwashing is prevalent in the tech industry. Who better to fight the negative effects of tech corporations than the employees of the companies themselves. Bravo!!!