Author: earthfirst

Linslade Demonstration – Saturday 5th March 9.15 and more trees threatened

On SATURDAY 5th MARCH @ 9.15 a demonstration against the bypass will be held at the Wing Hill roundabout, junction of A418 and A505.

This is where the bypass is intended to end and six magnificent oaks have already been felled, with seven more marked with the cross of death (these could still be defended with a treehouse if anybody is interested). The local (Tory) MP Andrew Selous, will be at the demonstration. Whilst predictably he remains in favour of the bypass, he has agreed to ask some questions in parliament about the way in which it received permission. There is also the possibility of a Samba band coming along.

Transport from Oxford: Details have yet to be finalised but a vehicle should be leaving from Manzil way at 8am and return to Oxford shortly after midday.

This should enable those who want to attend the Azim Anzari demonstration also at 1pm. More details will follow. The only other way to get to Linslade this early from Oxford is by train via London, but this is expensive (£20-£30). The protest site is about a 20-minute walk from the station.
Links:  http://www.linsladeprotest.org.uk or  http://www.roadalert.org.uk/

Whilst sadly it looks as though the road will be built it is still worth protesting.
This bypass is only the start of a four-section road from Aylesbury to Milton Keynes, which could effectively form another motorway parallel to the M1. Continued protest will hopefully make the council think twice about continuing this scheme and further actions / camps on the bypass site will increase security costs.

About two miles north of where Saturday’s demonstration is due to take place the full scale of destruction can be seen. Where 2 weeks ago stood several lovely old trees and the protest camp now is mud, machinery and fencing. Sections of oil pipeline are visible in the field south of the road in preparation for the pipeline diversion.

Climate Change activists STOP London’s oil traders

Thirty-five Greenpeace volunteers halted trading on the global oil market by occupying the International Petroleum Exchange in London. They entered the high security building near Tower Bridge shortly before 2pm, just as the world market in Brent crude was about to switch to London.

They attached distress alarms to helium balloons, blew foghorns and handcuffed themselves to the trading pit, forcing the exchange to shut down. The International Petroleum Exchange does one thousand billion dollars of business each year and trading at the London exchange sets the price for 60 percent of the world’s oil.

The Exchange specialises in so-called ‘open outcry’ trading, where all orders have to be shouted in a clear and audible voice. But the Greenpeace volunteers with their floating alarms and foghorns have made that form of trading impossible.

An IPE spokeswoman said open outcry trading was suspended for an hour but electronic trading continued throughout.”

“I have to say we weren’t listened to by the traders. They were more interested in punching us than listening to us,” Tindale said.

“They pulled a metal bookcase down on our heads. They were trying to use that to push us back out so that was the moment we decided to retreat for everyone’s safety.”

One protester was injured. He was treated at the scene before being taken to a hospital.

“It was to send a message to the oil industry on the day Kyoto comes into force that business as usual is no longer an option,” Tindale told journalists by telephone from the central London building on Wednesday.

“The oil industry has been key to preventing progress on climate change which is why it has taken so long for Kyoto to come into force. But scientists are telling us we are getting dangerously close to the point of no return,” he added.

“To be ramping up production — which the oil industry seems to be doing — on the day Kyoto comes into force is simply irresponsible,” he added.

The Greenpeace raid was one of a number of protests staged across the globe.

Green groups marked the day with protests outside U.S. embassies and consulates, street parades in Japan and by carving fast-melting ice sculptures of kangaroos in Australia.

Today is a day for action. After a long and arduous process the Kyoto Protocol comes into force and business as usual is not an option.

The Kyoto Protocol is designed to cut emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels like oil. But Kyoto targets, which are now legally binding, fall well short of what is needed to seriously fight climate change. We are rapidly approaching a point of no return. Tony Blair and other world leaders must use this year’s G8 to move the world onto a different track.

Dangerous climate change is already with us. According to the World Health Organisation 150,000 people are killed every year by climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a UN body comprising the world’s most eminent climate scientists, predicts temperatures will rise this century by as much a five degrees Celsius.

Tony Blair has said he will put climate change at the top of the agenda for this summer’s G8 meeting in Scotland, but he has thus far failed to push for a strong European position or extract concessions from President Bush, while UK carbon dioxide emissions have not gone down since New Labour came to power.

Protestors NOT evicted at Linslade. The protestors retreated under the cover of darkness as a surprise tactic against the Council

Bucks Council arrived this morning with the heavy mob at Linslade to murder half a dozen more ancient trees. Hundreds of security and police, some on horses, as well as professional climbing baliffs, accompanied the Council goons to evict protestors from the six treehouses.

However the murderous councillors were left with egg on their faces when it emerged that there was nobody in the trees to evict. The protestors had retreated under the cover of darkness as a surprise tactic against the council, who had already paid for police, balliffs, security and climbers.

Nothing was to be gained by fighting a pitched battle on this day. These trees were doomed but the road is far from built and the battle goes on.

Local protestors were on the verge to show their opposition to the destruction. There were no arrests, but the trees are gone and a bit of us has gone with them.

Unlike the trees we are free to fight another day.

http://www.linsladeprotest.org.uk

Greenpeace greenwash lecture guerilla-ed

The 4th Greenpeace Business Lecture took place on Tuesday 25th January 2005 at the Royal Society of Arts and was delivered by Lord Oxburgh, Chairman of Shell. Greenpeace Business said in advance that “The lecture will focus on the future of oil companies in the light of growing evidence on the dangers of climate change.”

Wearing protective radiation suits and wielding top-of-the-range (home-made more like) greenwash detection and clean-up equipment, The Greenwash Guerrillas were on site to declare the event a ‘Toxic Greenwash Hazard’. Passers-by and would-be attendees were advised to move away from the building, while those insisting on entry were warned that direct physical contact with the levels of “Corporate Social Responsibility” (CSR) anticipated could cause long-term damage to spiritual health. Not to mention the likelihood of becoming a bit-player in a Shell-choreographed CSR soap opera. Sadly, none took this advice – perhaps the gas masks made it too hard to decipher.

A banner reading “TOXIC GREENWASH HAZARD” (with the “A” of “GREENWASH” an oil derrick pumping out flames and clouds of CO2) was tied to the railings of the very fancy Royal Society of Arts. One operative detected high levels of greenwash below street level. “They”re smuggling Oxburgh in through the sewer!” cried another, a theory which could not be verified at time of writing.

At one point, who should be seen stepping from a black cab but Dr. Robin Bidwell, Chairman of Environmental Resources Management (about whom, see our spoof website of a few years back at www.erm-concerns.com) He expressed no regrets for his company”s complicity in laundering BP”s Baku-Ceyhan pipeline, and wouldn”t be drawn about the number of contracts with BP had been lost since his offices were occupied in 2002/3.

Soon after, the freezing Guerrillas were thrilled to feel the heat of righteous indignation coursing through their veins as a Shell public relations representative emerged onto the steps and began to instigate a little dialogue. “Oil companies can save the planet, (if their shareholders will let them)”, he declared, before being wrapped in hazard tape…through which he kept spouting top-drawer corp-speak, swearing on his mother”s SUV that Shell was “trying really hard”, and “really, really cared” about the climate. The GG”s were stunned into silence by this bare-faced display – either that or they were smart enough not to be lulled by the prospect of “having their say” at the big mahogany boardroom table of power. (One who was tempted had to be disinfected by a less credulous colleague.)

Rumours that this Shell rep was a plant to create a little frisson of a full and frank exchange of views are a shocking barrel of lies.

Most attendees were drawn from the world of oil companies, renewables companies, big NGOs, media and politics. Almost all accepted a non-toxic leaflet while some stopped to talk through the issues, often implacably opposed to Shell and determined to throw Oxburgh a tough question. One asked if we were Greenpeace picketing Shell, as did an Independent reporter; there”s nothing like a little confusion to get the issues to show up in a clearer light.

As the punters queued to enter the lecture, a few GGs took advantage of their protective clothing to accept a Greenpeace Business offer to come inside and watch the lecture on the live video feed. At first they just checked the room for high but manageable levels of greenwash. But once Oxburgh came on screen, the equipment was under too much pressure, so they beat a swift retreat. This equipment is cutting edge, high-tech prototype stuff on its first outing, and we need it to be in good order for the doubtless large numbers of events which we will have to attend and contribute our unpaid, unsung public service. This is the year of the G8 in the UK after all, so unprecedented levels of climate-related greenwash will be sticking to our shoes all the way to July at least.

For that reason, (nothing at all to do with the biting January wind), we decided to retreat tactically to a nearby hostelry to wash away dangerous internal traces of Shell greenwash that might have evaded our anti-Shell suits earlier on.

MESSAGE FROM THE GREENWASH GUERRILLAS (distributed outside lecture)

Shell vs. planet
WARNING! – you are within choking distance of a serious spillage of ultra-powerful super-sophisticated extra-toxic Shell greenwash. (Greenwash = environmental whitewash.) Tonight, Lord Ron Oxburgh, Shell Chairman, delivers the Greenpeace Business Lecture on “People, Climate and Natural Resources”. We trust you have brought your gas mask & sick bag.

In terms of climate chaos, the solution is simple: LPG (Leave Petroleum in the Ground). And in the battle against greenwash, here”s another simple acronym: DBI – Don”t Buy It. If not, then we will see the gradual selling out of all meaningful opposition to industry and government-peddled fossil fuel madness. You can”t put a price on the atmosphere, and market environmentalism will not prevent market-driven catastrophes.

FOUR EXAMPLES FROM OVER A CENTURY OF PLUNDER:
* Growth at all costs? Shell “has promised to close the growing gap with rivals such as BP and ExxonMobil by finding new reserves equal to 100 per cent of the oil and gas it pulls from the ground on average for the next four years.”
Action aims to restore reserves, FT, 19.1.05.
* Nigerian destruction: 2005 is the 10th anniversary of the Shell-sanctioned murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa; “Shell”s commitment to corporate social responsibility looks shallow in the light of the sustained misery of the people of the Niger Delta.”
Sustained misery – Shell in the Niger Delta;www.christian-aid.org.uk
* Iraqi sell-off: “Oil majors, including Shell and BP, are moving closer to establishing a long-term presence in Iraq…it emerged yesterday.”
Shell advert seeks ‘our man in Iraq’, Gdn 11.8.04.
* Sakhalin sacrificed: “Clean up the oil spill, not just your image, campaigners tell Shell”;www.sakhalin.environment.ru/en/sakhalin2/msakhalin.html

With many civil society groups climbing into bed with rapacious, PR-savvy corporations, it”s a relief to know that Greenpeace will never take corporate cash. But Shell has pulled off an invaluable coup in appearing to have tamed the group best known for anti-oil direct action.
Since Big Oil”s triple bottom line is profit, profit & profit, since it is trained to lie to protect that profit, and since it has no place in a sustainable, socially just future, we look forward eagerly to news of Greenpeace and other direct actions on Shell, (not to mention BP, Exxon, SustainAbility et al) in the future. After all, there”s no such thing as a good oil company.

Let The Greenwash Guerrillas know what you think, c/o
Mal Branded or Jude Boynton from London Rising Tide:
london@risingtide.org.uk c/o 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES
Tel: 07708 794665 londonrisingtide.org.uk See also risingtide.org.uk

Anti Linslade Bypass Protestors go to Road Builders Bucks County Council

Linslade council banner hang

Protestors against the Linslade Bypass today took there protest to the Bucks County Council Offices in Aylesbury, hanging a large banner on a car park opposite the council offices reading Challenge Car Culture. (Oh the irony!)

Challenge Car Culture! – The banner opposite Bucks County Council Offices.

The protest was held to time with Bucks County Councils efforts in the High Court today to get a ruling forbidding further protests on the site, and was also at the same time as head of transportation Garret Emerson was holding a meeting with Bedfordshire County Council regarding the Bypass.

The aim of the protest was to show opposition to the construction of the Linslade bypass and secondly to encourage the council to develop a transport policy based upon increased support for public transport and local facilities. For example new housing (if really necessary) could be based around a reopened east-west rail link and express inter-town bus routes. It is hoped that the protest will also give encouragement to the more Eco-minded members of the Council to put across their views more strongly.

The banner was visible to anybody working within the main council office tower and would have would have been visible to anybody working within the council offices. Unfortunately as the banner was tied to the side of a private car park it was taken down by security within about 20 minutes, however those present felt it was there long enough to make a significant impact. The protest also got good local press and was covered by the Bucks Herald, Mix 96 Radio and BBC local radio.

4 security guys turned up to remove the banner and escorted the two protestors from the car park. Although technically within their rights as the protest was on private property, they were slightly mob handed in their actions. Where as the police on facing a situation like this will usually politely ask what you are doing and give you a chance to take down a banner yourselves, these guys moved in with little preamble and started to tear down the banner. Fortunately pleading with them worked to a small extent, as we were able to rescue the banner from their knives for use on another occasion.
Also to be fair to them they are probably paid very poor wages and are unlikely to be given training as to what to do in such situations.

Watch this space, more protest against the bypass will follow!
More people willing to get involved in action against the road always wanted. See road alert for contact details.http://www.roadalert.org.uk/

Peat processing plant sabotaged, Somerset

At the end of 2004 a peat processing plant near Glastonbury, Somerset, was sabotaged. The Plant processed peat for several companies distributing to Garden Centres. The peat was extracted from areas in and near 5 different Sites of Special Scientific Interest for their ecological value. These sites were within an Area of outstanding Natural Beauty.

Two large bulldozers, and a turbo engined packing machine had their engines destroyed. A catapilar tracked bulldozer and a JCB excavator had their engines sabotaged. All electrical cut outs for the processing plant were switched off and sealed. Over 200 palets of peat sacks for three different companies had their bags slashed (well over 1000 sacks). This action was taked in defence of the wild species of Somerset. Take action!

Solid Energy HQ Lawns Dug Up (Aotearoa/New Zealand)

Solid Energy HQ mined

More than 20 members of the  SHVC and others arrived at the Solid Energy headquarters in Christchurch and proceeded to dig for coal under their front lawn. As a parady of Solid Energy’s mitigation plans, people dressed as kiwi entered the building and attempted to “relocate” Solid Energy staff so that the mining efforts outside could proceed. Everyone managed to get away before the police arrived, and the efforts were replayed on TV3 news that night

Angels Disrupt Nanotech Conference and Present ‘Can of Worms’ Award to former Monsanto Man.

A host of heavenly angels from THRONG (The Heavenly Righteous Opposed to Nanotech Greed) appeared today unto a nanotechnology business conference in order to bestow a “Can of Worms” Award on a representative of the Nanotechnology Industry. Chosen to receive the award was Mr Harry Swan, formerly of Monsanto, who is Nanotechnology manager of Britain’s leading producer of carbon nanotubes, Thomas Swan & Co.

Nanotechnology, the manipulation of matter at the levels of atoms and molecules (a million nano-angels can dance on the head of a pin), is being touted to Industry as “the next big thing” despite major concerns over its safety and disruptive societal impacts.

Holding a banner that read “Nanotechnology – its not big and its not clever”, a dozen angels sang a melodic chorus of “Hark the throng of angels sing, Nanotech’s a dodgy thing” as the “Can of Worms” award was presented by THRONG archangel Sarah Phimn. She cautioned delegates against the foolish attempt to rush nanotechnology to market: “Where these nano fools rush in we angels fear to tread”, she said.

The “Nanotechnology – Delivering Business Advantage” conference is intended to convince UK businesses to adopt this controversial set of technologies. The conference, featuring speakers from arms company BAE and chemical giant ICI, is in part sponsored by The Institute of Nanotechnology – a UK Nanotech Trade Group whose backers include GM crop company Syngenta, food giant Unilever and defence contractor Qinetiq.

“The same greedy corporations who messed with the genetic basis of life are now seeking to alter and privatize nature right down to the atomic level”, explained THRONG spokesangel Pandora Spocks. “We want to warn companies attending this conference that getting into nanotech is really not a clever idea – for society or their business”

This is the first in what is hoped to become an annual “Can of Worms” award ceremony. This year’s prizewinner, Harry Swan, is very familiar with opening cans of worms: He was responsible for Monsanto’s public relations attempt to convince the public to accept GM foods – just a small taste of the bigger controversy over nanotechnology still to come.

Notes to Editors:

– For more details, photos and video contact Gabriel: +44(0)7746 411539
email: angelsagainstnanotech@crapmail.com

– Copies of the information given to delegates and of Sarah Phimns award presentation speech will be available at http://angelsagainstnanotech.blogspot.comand www.indymedia.org.uk

– Details of the conference can be found athttp://www.imeche.org.uk/

– The Institute of Nanotechnology can be reached atwww.nano.org.uk

– THRONG are not affiliated with THONG (but we offer them a tip o’ the hat!) seehttp://www.chicagothong.org/nanocommerce.php?photo=061

 

Award Speech given by Sarah Phimn, THRONG Archangel, at “Nanotechnology-Delivering Business Advantage” conference, Bucks UK – 9th Dec 2004

“Brothers and sisters
Be not afraid. We have tidings of great importance. We are here on behalf of THRONG (The Heavenly Righteous Opposed to Nanotech Greed) to hand over the first ever “Can of Worms Award” to a representative of the nanotech industry.

We have been watching the earthly plain for many millennia and from the firmament we have noticed of late many fools rushing into the great nanotechnology gamble. This causes us much concern. Those we see rushing into nanotech include: the great foolish armies of the world; the foolish US president and of course the transnational companies fresh from making foolish things such as weapons (like BAE Systems), pesticides (like BASF) and GM Crops (Syngenta).
Where these nano fools rush in, we angels fear to tread.

Our angelic host will pass out amongst you hymnals to explain our concern.

And its not just us in the heavenly high getting our halos in a twist about small things. Environmental groups, the insurance industry, trade unions … why even royals and royal societies are issuing stern warnings:
– about the toxicity of nanoparticles.
– about the military use of nanotechnologies.
– about how nanosensors will increase control and surveillance.
– about how nanotechnology will strengthen corporate power.
– about patents on matter.
– about circumventing disability rights.

It is clear to us that the emerging field of Nanotechnology is an almighty can of worms fraught with problems, dangers and, lets face it, really bad PR problems..

And so we are here to present the first ever Can of Worms Award to:
Mr Harry Swan (of Thomas Swan and Co.)

Now.. you might not all realise but Harry is no stranger to opening messy cans of worms.

He was PR spokesperson for Monsanto. He had the job of convincing the British public that they wanted GM foods. Oops!
Later Harry took a job with a company that helps big oil and biotech companies attack environmental and human rights groups. tut tut!

But with an unerring nose for new cans of worms, Harry has now returned to the family firm to stake its future on becoming the UK’s major producer of carbon nanotubes – toxic asbestos-like fibres.

Harry, with neither regulations, safety tests or a clear liability regime in place for nanotechnology we can already hear those worms squirming .. You are a very deserved winner of this can of worms..
But really we would advise you NOT to open it….”

 

A Nano-hymn

Hark the throng of angels sing, nanotech’s a dodgy thing
Piece by piece the world defiled
Godlike science running wild
Careful al ye people wise
Nano could be your demise
We will not cooperate
With your corporate nano-state
Hark the throng of angels sing, nanotech’s a dodgy thing

Leaflet at:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2004/12/302569.pdf More info from:
http://angelsagainstnanotech.blogspot.com/

Video at:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2004/12/302638.wmv

Battle of Sherwood commences as Under-sheriff risks protestors lives

Eviction Aruga!! Sherwood eviction

Eviction underway at Sherwood Green Protest site, Nottinghamshire – Under-Sheriff risks tunnellers’ lives, trees protestors have been cleared, tree-felling underway.

After over 14 months spent protecting a village green from illegal destruction. Protesters in Sherwood forest are facing the toughest day – Police turned up without warning at 8 this morning and started to evict them.

The trees were evicted quite fast , but there is a tunnel network that will take far longer. The tunnels are well stocked and extremely well defended.

No notice was given that the evictions were to take place and the Under-Sheriff of Nottingham (whose ultimately in charge of evictions in the area) told the protesters only last week, that there would not be an eviction while legal cases were still outstanding.

Protesters and local people are currently trying to prevent the police from getting near the tunnels to stop any further destruction of the village green.

As this release goes out, the beech tree which is at least a couple of hundred years old is facing the axe.

Several people are known to be in tunnels, local residents watch in anger, and the Nottinghamshire Police who previously assured them that no tree-felling would take place until the tunnels had been evicted, have now allowed felling to commence  of very large mature trees, directly above the siting of the tunnels which could cause a fatal tunnel collapse.

For information telephone: Olan Trust 08708 080 080 or Fax: 08708 080 081

www.sherwoodgreen.net

Peat Excavation Site Sabotaged – Chat Moss

Earlier this year a peat excavation works at Chat Moss near Manchester was Sabotaged. The site where the extraction was taking place was of high ecological value and in the vacinity of a wildlife Site of Scientific Importance. Peat bogs also have great value as Co2 sinks.

Under cover of a gale people entered the peat excavation site at Chat Moss. A turbo engined peat cutter and a catapilar tracked excavator both had their engines destroyed. Locks on workshops, storage area and office all had their locks sealed. This action was taken in defense of the wild. It was easy, anybody could do it all it takes is the will to act!