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As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare for their home opener on Thursday, a coalition of environmental activists is gearing up for a protest aimed at ending the team’s contentious partnership with the oil company Phillips 66. The event, organized by a group titled Dodgers Fans Against Fossil Fuels, will take place two hours before the game starts, outside Dodger Stadium.
The activists are advocating for team owner Mark Walter to sever ties with Phillips 66, a Texas-based firm that has recently come under fire due to legal troubles. In November, the company was indicted for allegations involving the discharge of hundreds of thousands of gallons of industrial wastewater into the sewer system of Los Angeles County.
A press release from The Climate Reality Project’s Los Angeles chapter revealed that a federal grand jury charged Phillips 66 for sending contaminated water containing oil and grease into the sewer system. This situation has drawn significant public attention, particularly because the logo of this company appears prominently at Dodger Stadium, as the owner of the 76 gas station brand.
The indictment, issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, outlines six counts against Phillips 66. The charges predominantly allege violations of the Clean Water Act, emphasizing the company’s purported negligence in the handling of hazardous waste. Environmental activists view the partnership as a form of greenwashing, a tactic that misleads the public regarding corporate sustainability efforts.
In response to these troubling allegations, over 27,000 individuals have signed a petition urging Walter to end the sponsorship arrangement with Phillips 66. Activists assert that continuing this relationship poses a significant threat to environmental integrity and contradicts the growing movement toward sustainable practices.
The environmental concerns associated with Phillips 66 are not new. In a serious incident reported on November 24, 2020, the company allegedly released approximately 310,000 gallons of non-compliant industrial wastewater into the Los Angeles County sewer system. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California reported that the contaminated water contained around 64,000 pounds of oil and grease.
Additionally, another alarming event occurred on February 8, 2021, when Phillips 66 reportedly discharged 480,000 gallons of wastewater. These incidents have raised serious questions about the company’s environmental practices.
The Dodgers have not yet commented on the protests or the ongoing issues surrounding their partnership with Phillips 66. However, the mounting pressure from public opinion and environmental leaders suggests that this is a watershed moment for the franchise.
Earlier this month, California State Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez added her voice to the calls for the Dodgers to terminate their partnership with the oil company. In a letter addressed to Mark Walter, Gonzalez argued that severing ties with Phillips 66 would signify a meaningful shift toward addressing the negative impacts of fossil fuel dependency.
Gonzalez’s correspondence to Walter included the statement that ending the sponsorship would convey a profound message about the necessity of moving away from polluting fossil fuels. This sentiment resonates with a growing number of constituents advocating for a cleaner, greener future.
The Dodgers are set to kick off their season at home against the Detroit Tigers, and the outcome of this protest may influence not only public perception but also the future partnerships the team chooses to pursue.
As the date of the demonstration approaches, anticipation builds around how the Dodgers and Walter will respond to the calls for action from both the activist community and concerned fans. The landscape for sports teams grappling with their environmental responsibilities continues to evolve, and the actions taken by large organizations like the Dodgers may serve as benchmarks for others.
While the focus on environmental justice intensifies across various sectors, the Dodgers find themselves in a position where their choices reflect on their commitment to community values and ecological sustainability. The eyes of many will be watching how they navigate this pressing issue amidst the excitement of the baseball season.
As the home opener draws near, supporters of the cause urge fans and community members alike to join in the protests, signaling a pivotal moment in the fight for environmental accountability.
In a world increasingly focused on sustainability, the actions taken by impactful organizations like the Los Angeles Dodgers will undoubtedly play a role in shaping public discourse about corporate responsibility in the face of pressing environmental challenges.
