earthfirst – Page 176

Climate campers stroll to Ffos-y-fran opencast mine

August 15th 2009

Climate campers reclaim Ffos-y-fran

Campers at Climate Camp Cymru near Merthyr Tydfil have upped the ante and have set off to enter Ffros-y-fran open cast coal mine, just yards from the camp.

Jill Lloyd said,

August 15th 2009

Climate campers reclaim Ffos-y-fran

Campers at Climate Camp Cymru near Merthyr Tydfil have upped the ante and have set off to enter Ffros-y-fran open cast coal mine, just yards from the camp.

Jill Lloyd said,

“We have been talking to local people at the camp, in the town and on the housing estates. The story is the same everywhere — people feel abandoned and used. Their hillside is being ripped apart, a massive incinerator is proposed and a third phase of this monstrous coal mine is now on the horizon, with plans to destroy the peaceful wooded hillside opposite.

“This action wasn’t planned at the start of the camp, but we feel it is important to show our opposition to the mine with a ‘climate stroll’ to symbolically reclaim the land for the community

“We have been hearing about people with respiratory conditions such as asthma which have started or worsened since the mine opened, people unable to put their washing out because it gets black, vegetables coated in filthy dust.”

Wales could soon be self-sufficient in clean energy but is still generating fossil fuels for England. The coal from Ffos y Fran will generate the same amount of CO2 per year as Mozambique. We have to stop climate change, not make it worse. Coal is nearly all carbon and must be left in the ground.

Angharad Jones said:

“Reclaiming the land is a symbolic act. Coming here has been a real lesson for us, and we feel privileged to be part of the resistance to this mine. We have had talks from scientists and ecologists, but the most memorable lessons came from the local residents.

History has shown that changes can be made by ordinary people doing extraordinary things. The suffragettes and the civil rights movement took action that was often illegal but very necessary. As our politicians fail us, we need deeds and not words.”

Between now and the Copenhagen climate summit in December, activists will take decentralised or collective action in Wales against the root causes of climate change.

Contact

* 07780914369 or 07875 868232 for Welsh language interviews
* 07789898374 for English language interviews
* 07973298359 for video footage

Notes for editors

Climate Camp Cymru is being held in a green field near Merthyr Tydfil between 13 – 16 August. For maps and site information, go to www.climatecampcymru.org

Access for journalists is restricted to the hours of 11am – 1pm on Saturday, but there is an edge of site media area where filming can take place at any time.

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Stroll photo essay

Get Your Selves Down to Climate Camp

The site was taken on Wednesday.Kitchens, compost loos, wind and solar energy and kids spaces are all up and running; workshops are go and we’ll soon have a cinema. The sun’s been shining all day. Friendly locals!

We’re roughly the same distance from Ffos y Fran, the UK’s largest open-cast coal mine, as the nearest houses (36 metres!) – that’s so close the marquee pegs are hitting coal. Good to know, considering how much dust and air pollution is emitted by the mine, the coal from which will generate as much CO2 per year as the whole of Mozambique.

Come and join us for four days of sustainable living, education, movement building, and building the capacity for action.

200+ people at camp now, with lots still arriving. 2 kitchens running, 2.5 wind turbines up (possible?) & the welcome space is all go!

The Residents Against Ffos-y-fran (RAFF) workshop was very popular & went down well, no surprises! http://stopffosyfran.co.uk

Follow updates at
http://twitter.com/CampCymru09

See: http://www.climatecampcymru.org for directions etc.

Vestas Rooftop protesters to head down to NIMBY MP’s office

Vestas Rooftop protest to move to local MP constituency offices on Friday morning

Press statement- Thursday 13th August 4.30pm

After being on the roof for eleven nights, rooftop protesters will descend from the Vestas factory in East Cowes tomorrow morning (Friday) at 11am. They will then take the protest to the local MP Andrew Turner’s constituency office in Newport.

Vestas Rooftop protest to move to local MP constituency offices on Friday morning

Press statement- Thursday 13th August 4.30pm

They say: ‘Despite the green rhetoric from the main political parties, the truth of their attitude is apparent where green jobs are allowed to be lost and local MP Andrew Turner actively opposes a wind farm on the Isle of Wight. This typifies the NIMBY attitude which is blocking the progression of on-shore wind in the UK.’

‘Andrew Turner’s justification for the opposition to Wind power on the Island includes a statement that having a windfarm on the Isle of Wight would have no effect on the Vestas work force,(1) when in fact it is the cumulative effect of decisions like these which effects demand for wind power in the UK and has directly let to the closure of Vestas with the loss of over 600 jobs.’

Timings for photo and interview opportunities;

7.30 am We will be available for interviews over the phone from this time Telephone 07944 744922.

11am Protesters will abseil down from the side of the Vestas building, Columbine Road, Venture Quays, East Cowes, Isle of Wight and, alongside vestas workers, will be available for media interviews.

1pm – We will be at Andrew Turner’s constituency surgery requesting to talk to him on camera, to discuss his objections to Wind power on the Isle Of Wight, and his stance on NIMBYism

There will be a photo and interview opportunity at this time.
Address: 24 The Mall, Carisbrooke, P030 1BW
tel. 01983 530808

Rooftoppers Email address: vestasrooftop@googlemail.com
Telephone on the roof: Martin: 07944744922

Notes to editors:

1) Based on Andrew Turners response to windfarm application: ref. TCP/27774,P/01400/06)
paragraph begining: ‘I do not accept that a convincing…’
Copies of which will be available tomorow.

London climate camp summer swoop update 1

Dear Campers,

*IF YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SWOOP – SIGN UP TO THE TEXT MESSAGING
SERVICE ON THE WEBSITE NOW !!*
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/swoop-update

Dear Campers,

*IF YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SWOOP – SIGN UP TO THE TEXT MESSAGING
SERVICE ON THE WEBSITE NOW !!*
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/swoop-update

Over 900 people have signed up for the Summer Swoop in the first 2 weeks,
which is a brilliant start. If every single one of you is in London by 12
noon on Wed 26th August, we’ll be an unstoppable swooping force! But the
swoop is now ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY today, and we still need more people, so
please keep inviting your friends.

(1) HERE’S THE PLAN…
(2) CHOOSE YOUR COLOUR
(3) BE PREPARED TO SWOOP AND STAY
(4) WHAT TO BRING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

(1) HERE’S THE PLAN…
Everyone needs to be in London and prepared to swoop from 12 noon on
Wednesday 26 August. Swoop starting positions will be announced online –
keep your eye on the website in the preceding 48 hours… !

Everyone needs to sign up to be in one of the coloured groups detailed on
the website. Each of these will have a different meet-up point on the day.
After that the fun will begin.

(2) CHOOSE YOUR COLOUR
If you want to be in the same group as your friends, you’ll need to sign
up for the same group. Get chatting now and then all sign up for the SMS
updates on the website. This is the primary way that we will know that
we’ve got enough people in each group and everything’s on track. The 10
colours are:

Green – Accessible and child friendly group
White – North Bike group (Cyclists only!)
Brown – South Bike group (Cyclists only!)
Pink – North (On foot/public transport)
Blue – South (On foot/public transport)
Purple – West (On foot/public transport)
Red – West (On foot/public transport)
Yellow – East (On foot/public transport)
Silver – East (On foot/public transport)
Orange/Invisible – not meeting up in a public place (On foot/public
transport)

Some of you may prefer to choose your own meeting point in London – one
that won’t be publicly announced. If you’d like to choose your own
meeting spot, sign up for the Orange/Invisible swoop group!

You can sign up to your chosen colour here:
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/swoop-update

If you don’t have a mobile phone, it’s probably best to pair up with
someone who does. Once you’ve chosen your colour, get creative! Wear
something in your chosen colour on the day. There may be loads to do in
your swoop group, so get involved.

(3) BE PREPARED TO SWOOP AND STAY
The crucial thing about the swoop is that we get large numbers of people
to take part, and that we all stay to set up and defend the Camp until
everyone else starts arriving. This means it’s a 24 hour thing, so you
need to bring your stuff for the Camp, take the day off if you need to,
and bring food to feed yourself until the kitchens are up and running. If
everyone thinks they’re coming for an hour and then goes home we won’t
have a defendable site.

(4) WHAT TO BRING
– A one-day Zone 1-6 Travel Card (you may be required to travel on all
forms of public transport)
– Water
– Snacks/food
– Sleeping stuff
– Your tent
– All weather clothing
– A luggage label in case you get separated from your stuff
– Anything else you want to bring to Camp

That’s it for now. As we say, the starting points for the Swoop will be
announced closer to the time, and the location of the Camp itself won’t be
announced until the moment of the Swoop! But make sure you’re signed up to
as may methods of communication as possible so you receive the news as
soon as we have it:

SMS updates: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/swoop-update
Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=238893455547
Climate Camp Newsletter: https://lists.riseup.net/www/subrequest/climatecamp
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/climatecamp

If you’ve got any questions for us, drop us a line via
summerswoop@googlemail.com

Happy swooping,
Summer Swoop

ps. We know, we know, swoops are like buses – you wait all summer for one
and then two come along at once. For anyone confused, the Great Climate
Swoop is a mass action to shut down Drax or Ratcliffe-on-Soar on 17-18
October – see http://www.thegreatclimateswoop.org/ to vote for which one
to shut down. It’s also going to be incredible! But first things first…

Protesters seize site of Wales’ first Climate Camp

12.8.2009
At 7.30am this morning, around 60 protesters set up the site of Wales’ first Climate Camp on the edge of Merthyr Tydfil, next to the controversial Ffos-y-Fran opencast coal mine.

The Camp, which runs until 16 August, aims to highlight the hypocrisy in government policy of claiming to act on climate change while expanding coal mining. Coal is the most carbon-intensive fuel, and campers argue it should be left in the ground to avoid catastrophic climate change.

Campers also aim to build a strong grassroots movement against the causes of climate change in Wales. They are inviting anyone concerned about climate change to come for several days of family-friendly discussions, workshops and sustainable living.

The protest site is only 36 metres away from the edge of the mine – the same distance as several homes. This proximity is despite continuing local opposition to the noise, dust and fumes from the 1,000 acre site. A report funded by the Welsh Assembly Government in June 2007 [1] expressed concern about the health effects of air pollution and dust particles.

Local campaign groups such as Residents Against Ffos-y-Fran (RAFF) have long been ignored by planners and government.

Camper Jill Lloyd said: “We need work that does not destroy lives or trash the planet, and we urgently need green-collar jobs for Merthyr. Wales could soon be self-sufficient in clean energy but if we keep mining fossil fuels such as coal, we will cause death and hardship for millions of people around the world. To stop devastating climate change we must leave coal in the ground.”

————————————————————————————————————————

[1] The 2007 Health Impact Report can be found at http://www.stopffosyfran.co.uk/files/Final%20report%20June%2007.pdf

A map to the site is available at www.climatecampcymru.org

3 tonne boulders to sabotage fishing trawlers

Greenpeace are sinking 150 boulders, weighing up to three tonnes off the Danish/Swedish coasts to stop fishing trawlers operating in the area by ensnaring/damaging nets.

“Greenpeace has begun sinking boulders in EU-protected cod fishing grounds to prevent what it says are destructive forms of fishing in the area.

Greenpeace are sinking 150 boulders, weighing up to three tonnes off the Danish/Swedish coasts to stop fishing trawlers operating in the area by ensnaring/damaging nets.

“Greenpeace has begun sinking boulders in EU-protected cod fishing grounds to prevent what it says are destructive forms of fishing in the area.

The environmental group says it will drop 180 boulders off the Swedish and Danish coasts to prevent fishing boats from dragging nets along the sea bed.

Greenpeace says the bottom-trawling fishing method destroys both the sea bed and the marine environment.

Greenpeace spokesman Staffan Danielsson told AFP news agency that the granite boulders, weighing as much as three tonnes, would be sunk over the next week.

They would have “no negative impact on the environment”, he said.”

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8194105.stm

Vestas action – Fish and Chips Day 11

Video by Emily James, hosted on Vimeo – http://vimeo.com/5953877

EF! summer gathering – exact location, travel info & updated workshop programme announced; coal-blighted communities visit

Earth First! Summer Gathering, 18th-24th August 2009, Cumbria

Never has halting the destruction of our planet been so important… Learn how to make them stop!

The gathering this year will be held at Seathwaite in the beautiful Borrowdale. The site is right in the heart of the Lake District and surrounded by mountains, streams and tarns. The nearest train station is Penrith. More detailed directions, public transport, walks & cycle rides to the site

Workshop programme in a variety of formats

Earth First! Summer Gathering, 18th-24th August 2009, Cumbria

Never has halting the destruction of our planet been so important… Learn how to make them stop!

Workshop programme in a variety of formats

WHO
Earth First! is a network of people and campaigns who fight ecological destruction and the forces driving it. We believe in doing it ourselves rather than relying on governments or industry. Direct action is at the heart of what we do, whether we’re standing in front of a bulldozer, shutting down an opencast mine or ripping up a field of GM crops.

Join us for 5 days of workshops, networking and planning actions at a low impact eco-living camp organised non-hierarchically

WHAT
Planning actions and campaigns, meeting and sharing skills with others who care. Over 80 training workshops plus games and evening fun:
• Learn skills for direct action. Tree Climbing, Orienteering, Security for activists, Legal briefing, Escaping public order situations, street medics – first aid, self defence, Boat blockading using kayaks, radio procedures and rock abseiling.
• Network your campaign against ecological destruction. opencast mining, genetic engineering, agrofuels, dam-building, hunt-sabbing, climate actions, oil pipeline resistance, road stopping, anti-whaling, squatting, rainforest protection.
• Learn about ecology, ecocentric ethics and alternatives to the corporate world of exploitation.
• Practical skills for ecological restoration and sustainable living, field trips and hands-on work.

YOU
We are all crew! This is your gathering come prepared to help run the camp and contribute to the programme. Contact us in advance with ideas for workshops, help with organising the gathering, come early to help setup the site or stay on for a couple of days for takedown.
If you can help get in touch!

BRING
Bring tent and sleeping bag. You can either cook food for yourself or for £4 per day chip in with collective cooking of delicious vegan organic food. There’ll be quiet sleeping areas, toilets and running water, a children’s space and spaces for workshops and info stalls.
Veggies will provide vegan cake and snacks. Children and young adults welcome with subsidized meals.

Arrive Tues pm. Workshops from Wed am until Sun pm.

Loads of campaigns are taking to the water in defence of the planet, like at Rossport where Shell are trying to lay onshore pipelines and the Great Rebel Raft Regatta at last summers climate camp. This summer’s EF! gathering will be building on these tactics with training in water based actions.

An excursion to visit communities in the North East threatened by an expansion of coal mining on Monday 24th August. Visit beautiful valleys and strong spirited communities and make links for ongoing resistance.

We aim to make the site as accessible as we can please contact us in advance if you have special needs, questions or concerns.

WHERE
The site is near in the Lake District, Cumbria. The nearest train station is Penrith and there is a bus service to the site, there are car and living vehicle spaces outside the camp.

Dogs: We are fortunate this year to be able to accommodate well behaved owners with dogs on leads but think about whether your dog will feel comfortable in workshops. Please call beforehand so we know numbers.

Cost: £20 – £30 according to what you can afford. We are not for profit all extra cash goes to help fund next year. Under 14’s free.

For more info contact us at :
summergathering@earthfirst.org.uk
www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk

South Lanarkshire Locals And Climate Campers Confront Council

10.8.2009
Scotland’s first Camp for Climate Action culminated today by directly confronting South Lanarkshire Council whose members have approved new open cast coal extraction despite massive local opposition. They were protesting about the serious health impacts of this kind of ‘mining on the cheap’ and concerns about coal’s contribution to climate change.

A group held a ceremony outside the offices to give out awards such as ‘worst conflict of interest’ to people wearing masks of the individuals they accuse of putting Scottish Coal before the interests of their constituents. These include local Councillor Daniel Meikle, the Earl of Home, Karen Gillon MSP and Jim Hood MP.

Marty Sheal from Douglas said, “The council have consistently put the profit of Scottish Coal and the companies they work with before the health of the people of Douglasdale. Some councillors have apparent conflicts of interest, which some people believe may have been behind these decisions.”

The Camp for Climate Action Scotland has also released a dossier of the health impacts of open casting entitled Adverse Effects of Opencast Mining which paints an alarming picture of a whole host of effects from cancers, to asthma and depression caused not just by the coal dust, but by noise and increases in heavy goods traffic. Burning coal has also been responsible for most of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that is pushing us towards runaway climate change, In climate terms it is also the dirtiest fuel by far.

Anna Craig of The Camp for Climate Action Scotland added, “Coal means misery and death, not just for the thousands of people seriously affected by mining in South Lanarkshire but also in other disadvantaged communities around the world who are being hit first and hardest by climate change – the death toll is already at 300,000 people every year.”

Campaigners are particularly angry at local Councillor Daniel Meikle, and are concerned about conflicts of interest presented by his family business, Meikle Construction, and his position in the council, which, for many years included being chair of the planning committee. Cllr Meikle represents the area where Scottish Coal and Lord Home’s plans to create a new opencast mine are being frustrated by a coalition of local people and the Mainshill Solidarity Camp.

Earlier today there was an unsuccessful attempt by media activists to confront him with question being asked by the local community with three people being detained.

http://www.climatecampscotland.org.uk

Update

Councillor Daniel Meikle of South Lanarkshire has arrived at the protest by anti-open cast campaigners where he abused and threatened the protesters. Police have now escorted him inside the Council Offices. In a separate development a load of coal has been dumped outside the front of the offices to highlight the strength of local opposition to a proposed new open cast mine at Mainshill near Douglas.

Camp for Climate Action Scotland

—-

News from Climate Camp Scotland

Thirty or so Scottish Climate Camp activists and residents of Douglas visited South Lanarkshire Council offices in Hamilton at 11am today to further highlight health risks associated with open cast mining and climate change in general. ‘Think globally, act locally’ one of them said. They held banners saying ‘coal kills’ and ‘community health not Lord Home’s wealth’. Police, however, prevented them from entering the building.

Environmentalists staged street theatre in several parts of Hamilton ‘awarding’ coal criminals for their involvement in letting Mainshhill Wood (South Lanarkshire) open cast mine go ahead. These shamed individuals were: Mr Danny Meikle Cllr, Ms Karen Gillon MSP, Mr Jim Hood MP and Mr David Alexander Cospatrick Douglas-Home.

Kirstie Stramler, Ph.D. atmospheric scientist and researcher called for an independent study to investigate the health effects of open cast mining on local residents. Ms Stramler has just written a preliminary report ‘Adverse effects of open cast coal mining. Health Stats.’ Publicly available NHS statistics indicate a higher rate of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) amongst people of Douglas village compared to the UK average or the coastal town of Prestwick, upwind from the mines.

Three independent journalists were detained by the police in a separate incident near Mr Meikle’s home. This councillor tried to enter his office building unnoticed and was heard saying ‘Stay away from my f****** house’ to the protesters.

Climate Camp in Mainshill Woods near Douglas is the first event of this kind in Scotland featuring a 320W solar panel, composting toilets and grey water systems. Activists received a warm welcome from local residents who hope to stop the extraction of 1.7 million tonnes of coal. Burning of fossil fuels adds more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

Flotilla against new Bradwell nuclear reactor sails on Essex coast

On Sunday, 9 August, a flotilla of 20 boats, many with colourful banners saying ‘Save the Blackwater estuary and ‘No to new nuclear’ and flying yellow and white sheets from their masts, sailed from West Mersea and other locations on the Blackwater to Bradwell. The 50 or so sailors on board were protesting against the new nuclear power station and highly radioactive nuclear waste store proposed for the Bradwell site.

Several of the boats sailed along the West Mersea shore in front of protesters and holiday makers before heading over to Bradwell and anchoring in front of the old station.

Some of the sailors landed on the Bradwell beach and asked those who were there enjoying the beautiful weather to sign the BANNG (Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group) petition. The petition asks the Government to reject the proposal to build a new station and demands that the old station site be returned to greenfield within 25 years of closure, as originally proposed, and not the 100 years it is reported it will now take.

Varrie Blowers, the Secretary of BANNG said: ‘We believe that what is proposed would have a detrimental impact on the environment and marine ecology of the vulnerable Blackwater estuary, particularly on its oyster, fish and huge overwintering bird populations. The estuary is a beautiful amenity which is enjoyed by sailors and members of the public alike. All those who love and fear for the Blackwater need to protest at these proposals.

BANNG believes that the Bradwell site is particularly unsuitable for a new nuclear power station and waste store. As well as being on a shallow estuary, it is liable to flooding and increased incidence of storm surges as a result of climate change. We are particularly opposed to the production of yet more highly radioactive spent fuel which would have to be stored on site for more than 100 years, when there is not even a solution in prospect for dealing with the wastes that already exist’.

Charles Clark, who organised the vigil, said: ‘The vigil is the second in a series of protests organised by BANNG. The first, before Easter, drew attention to the impossibility of evacuating Mersea Island in the event of a nuclear incident. The purpose of Sunday’s vigil was to draw attention to the potential impact of the proposals on the Blackwater estuary itself. We were very pleased with the turnout of boats and sailors and the positive reaction of people on the Bradwell beach to the petition’.

For further information about BANNG and the petition contact Varrie Blowers (Tel.: 07932.644482).

We want to highlight:

* Environmental damage to the Estuary foreshore, wildlife, pleasure and commercial fishing and local oyster industries
* Potential restriction on access for recreational use to the Estuary and its foreshore
* Long term on site storage of highly radioactive waste
* Increased health risks to surrounding population resulting from toxic waste and from the lack of long term evacuation plans for the surrounding areas
* Negative Visual impact of the new facility and the retention of the former station