University of Michigan students know a little something about how difficult it can be to get a resistant administration to stop investing in fossil fuels.

It took years of demonstrating, building coalitions, and hard work, but this year that middle finger turned into a hard-won handshake. The University of Michigan has committed to discontinue its investments in fossil fuel companies and approved $140 million in renewable energy investments.

Many schools argue they won't divest because they have a responsibility to increase income from their donations, and they are working to find climate change solutions via university research versus withholding their pocketbooks, the Associated Press reported. Some also generally contend that as investors in fossil fuel companies they can develop stakeholder sway over energy company decisions.

While there's no magical formula to get any school to abandon the fossil fuel industry, Mashable spoke with University of Michigan students and alumni and Clarke, about how they accomplished their divestment goals. Their tactics, which were honed through trial and error, may help streamline your own divestment advocacy.

  1. Start small and then escalate
  2. Support other student groups 
  3. Understand and flip power
  4. Organize targeted actions
  5. Use social media wisely
  6. Involve press
  7. Rally support in unlikely places

Read the full article about divesting from fossil fuels by Siobhan Neela-Stock at Mashable.