Aviation and Roads – Page 24

T5 a complete shambles, but Flashmob a success

27.03.2008
Heathrow’s Terminal 5 opened today with a great fanfair. By mid afternoon the much vaunted, computerised, luggage system was shut down and dozens of flights cancelled.

However the 11am Flashmob went ahead without a hitch.

27.03.2008
Heathrow’s Terminal 5 opened today with a great fanfair. By mid afternoon the much vaunted, computerised, luggage system was shut down and dozens of flights cancelled.

However the 11am Flashmob went ahead without a hitch.

10.59, and the International Arrivals area was a predictable dull grey.

11.00, and it turned red, as hundreds of activists stripped off their outer layers to reveal their ‘Stop Airport Expansion’ T-shirts.

We’d all taken cameras, expecting to crack of a couple of shots and run to the bogs to hide the memory cards but – no need!. The balcony above was packed shoulder to shoulder with photographers and film crews, all ignoring the meedja ops provided by BAA in favour of covering the Flashmob.

Later coverage was disappointing (dunno about tomorrows papers) but because even better news was emerging that the T5 opening had turned out to be a complete fuck up. After promising to the flying world that Heathrow’s problems were licked, the place ground to a miserable halt within hours.

Amongst others, www.news.bbc.co.uk writes:

“The suspension of luggage check-in was just the latest problem to hit passengers hoping to leave T5 on its opening day.

BA earlier announced “initial teething problems” with car parking provision, delays in staff security screening and staff familiarisation had resulted in a backlog of baggage. “

Very good news indeed for everyone except BA and BAA. Now all we have to wait for is for BAA and its parent company Ferrovial to go bust, widely expected to happen less than a year from now, see:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3ca6b20a-fad7-11dc-aa46-000077b07658.html

Mainstream media links:

Earth First! summer gathering date change & contact details

The dates of the EF! Summer Gathering have been changed, to work better with other events happening over the summer such as the Saving Iceland protest camp and the Camp for Climate Action.

The new dates are Wednesday 27th August to Monday 1st September 2008.

This should give us all the space to recover & reflect, and to plot & plan onwards and upwards.

The dates of the EF! Summer Gathering have been changed, to work better with other events happening over the summer such as the Saving Iceland protest camp and the Camp for Climate Action.

The new dates are Wednesday 27th August to Monday 1st September 2008.

This should give us all the space to recover & reflect, and to plot & plan onwards and upwards.

The new contact details for the EF!SG collective is summergathering@earthfirst.org.uk

You can download publicity – 2 posters & leaflet all in one: (front & back)

Watch this space for more info nearer the time.

Fossil Fools Day – 1 Month to Go!

Whether you’ve been plotting for months or have just been inspired, there’s plenty of time left to plan your action. Read on for loads of resources and support…

With one month to go until April 1st, actions are being plotted up and down the country and around the world, ranging from street theatre and town centre demonstrations to high profile direct actions targeting industry operations and headquarters. Networks from Earth First! to People and Planet have got on board in helping to spread the word. National press have been in touch and are planning to cover the day. People are emailing from around the country asking for more info on planning their prank, and looking for local actions to get involved in.

We are in the middle of an unstoppable rise of creative, radical, necessary direct action against climate change… be part of it, on Fossil Fools Day and beyond.

Whether you’ve been plotting for months or have just been inspired, there’s plenty of time left to plan your action. Read on for loads of resources and support… and whatever you do, make sure to call or email us on the day so we can add your action to our end-of-day round up, and show the world what grassroots action against the fossil fuel industry can achieve.

Happy Fossil Fools Day everyone!

CONTACTS
www.risingtide.org.uk/fossilfoolsday
info@risingtide.org.uk
0796 191 7535

RESOURCES AND SUPPORT

Resources available at www.risingtide.org.uk/fossilfoolsday (get in touch if you’d like anything mailed to you in hard copy):
-actions booklet with 15 ideas for action against the fossil fuel industry, including planning tips, target locations, examples of successful actions and more
-posters, leaflets and graphics to make your own materials
-coming soon: a generic leaflet you can adapt to hand out on the day and a Q&A sheet for answering media questions

Want to find an action to get involved in?
If you’re looking to get involved where you live, get in touch and we may be able to link you up with something in your local area… or give you advice on getting your own action off the ground… or put you in touch with a local group for future actions!

Publicity
If you’re planning a publicly announced action, let us know ASAP and we can help spread the word.

Media
We’ll be sending out a national press release and may be able to direct journalists to you on the day if you wish, so any info you can let us know in advance will be really helpful – and/or a phone number to contact you on the day if that’s possible. And call or email us as soon as your action’s happened so we can include it in the end-of-day actions round-up, which we’ll be press releasing as well. Get in touch if you’d like help writing and/or sending your own press release – there’s a great guide here:
http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk/toolkit/press_and_media/guides_for_using_the_mainstream_media/short_guide_to_the_media.pdf

And if your action’s all sorted and you just can’t get enough of FFD… Help spread the word!
• Send an email or letter to everyone who might be interested, or who supports your group, letting them know about Fossil Fools Day and where to find out more.
• Post a Fossil Fools Day link or event description on your website, or to any other lists, blogs or websites you can think of.
• Distribute Fossil Fools Day leaflets and put up posters wherever you can – mailed to your local groups, in your community centre, office, pubs, bookshops, cafes, library, wherever you can think of. Just let us know how many you need and we’ll send them out to you!

And one last time… the call-out:

FOSSIL FOOLS DAY, April 1st 2008
Pull a prank that packs a punch.

Roll up, roll up! The climate circus is in town. Climate change threatens our very survival, but the fools at the head of the fossil fuel empire continue to plunder the earth, with governments the willing court jesters at their side.

They would have us believe that we can escape climate change with techno-fixes, market mechanisms and offset schemes – all technocratic acrobatics that distract us from the truth: the only real solution to climate change is to keep fossil fuels in the ground.

For over a century the fossil fuel industry has been fooling with our lives. From extraction to combustion they have poisoned our air, polluted our water and ruined our climate. On April 1st, 2008, we’re going to turn the tables and show them who the real fools are.

Find a local fossil fool – the coal-mining clown, the offset contortionist, the aviator tripping on the high wire, the supermarket food mile freak show, the oily strong man, or any other fool that deserves your attention – and take direct action to end the fossil fuel empire.

On Fossil Fools Day, bring the spirit of carnival and mischief to the fight for climate justice.

PS. Don’t forget, Fossil Fools Day kicks off a season of action…
3 MONTHS, 3 DAYS OF ACTION
April 1st: Fossil Fuels
May 1st: False Capitalist Solutions
June 3rd: Food and Climate Change
www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk
www.daysofclimateaction.org.uk

and…
August 4-11: Camp for Climate Action 2008
www.climatecamp.org.uk

CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 77, MARCH 2008

CONTENTS:
———————————————-
UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS:
———————————————-
1) FOSSIL FOOLS DAY – INTERNATIONAL, 1.4.08
2) MAYDAY! MAYDAY! INVASION OF THE CLIMATE SNATCHERS – INT’L, 1.5.08
3) CLIMATE ACTION WITH A BITE! – INTERNATIONAL, 3.6.08
4) “PEOPLE ARE STILL THE SAME” – BRECON, 8.3.08
5) PADDY’S DAY OF ACTION AGAINST SHELL – IRELAND AND BEYOND, 17.3.08
6) BIKES NOT BOMBS TOUR – LONDON TO ALDERMASTON, 22-24.3.08
7) TERMINAL 5 FLASHMOB – HEATHROW, 27.3.08
8) CLIMATE BILL PUBLIC MEETING – LONDON, 22.4.08
9) COIN WORKSHOPS – NATIONAL, MARCH-APRIL 2008
10) NATIONAL CLIMATE FORUM – LONDON, 14-15.6.08
11) EARTH ACTIVIST TRAINING – GLOUCESTERSHIRE, 12-26.7.08
12) ENVIRONMENT CAMPAIGNER AWARD – 2008
13) LILI COURSES IN APRIL – BUCKS/LONDON/SHEFFIELD

———————————————-
RECENT HAPPENINGS:
———————————————-
1) CLIMATE EMERGENCY AT HEATHROW, THEN WESTMINSTER – 25.2.08 / 27.2.08
2) RATCLIFFE ACTION VERDICT – NOTTINGHAM, 25.2.08
3) BP AMERICA, EXXON MOBIL AND CO. IN THE DOCK – ALASKA, 27.2.08
4) HANDS OFF IRAQI OIL! ACTIONS – UK AND NETHERLANDS, 23.2.08
5) EARTH FIRST! BLOCKADES POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTION – FLORIDA, 18.2.08
6) RTNA/EARTHFIRST! PIPELINE ACTION – PORTLAND, U.S. 23.1.08
7) SABOTAGE AT GLENSANDA – YORKSHIRE, FEBRUARY 2008
8) PLANKTOS DUMPING SCHEME DEFEATED BY ANTI-WHALERS – MADEIRA, 14.2.08
9) COMMUNITY HALTS SHELL – IRELAND, 12.2.08
10) CRITICAL MASS HERO CLEARED – BRISTOL, 7.2.08
11) KLIMAX SURGE ON! – SWEDEN, JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2008
12) TARA CAMPAIGN UPDATE – FEBRUARY 2008
13) 15 ACTIONS TO TOPPLE THE FOSSIL FUEL EMPIRE – FEBRUARY 2008
14) RISING TIDE POP-ED RESOURCE PACK – FEBRUARY 2008
15) “RISING TO THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE” BOOKLET – FEBRUARY 2008
16) “BURNING CAPITAL” – FEBRUARY 2008
17) SPIRIT OF FREEDOM – FEBRUARY 2008
18) CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS CENTRE – FEBRUARY UPDATE 2008
19) “THE AGE OF STUPID” – FEBRUARY 2008
20) AIRPORT WATCH BULLETIN – FEBRUARY 2008
21) CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE – WEBSITE 2008

———————————————-
UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS:
———————————————-
1) FOSSIL FOOLS DAY – INTERNATIONAL, 1.4.08
Roll up, roll up…the circus is coming to town, and it’s going to be big!
For over a century the fossil fuel industry has been fooling with our lives. From extraction to combustion they have poisoned our air, polluted
our water and ruined our climate. On April 1st, we’re going to turn the
tables and show them who the real fools are. Rising Tide’s call has been
backed by Network for Climate Action, Global Exchange and Rainforest
Action Network. There are actions planned across the country and around
the world – let us know what you get up to! (Or tell us in advance if you
can and we’ll help spread the word, get media attention, etc.) Contact
local groups or just do it yourself. Show the fossil fool clowns what you
think of their freakshow – It’s time to Pull a Prank that Packs a Punch!
Resources and ideas are available from;
http://risingtide.org.uk/fossilfoolsday/resources
http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk/
Also see; http://www.fossilfoolsday.org/
and; http://risingtide.org.uk/node/241
Contact no: 07961 917 535

2) MAYDAY! MAYDAY! INVASION OF THE CLIMATE SNATCHERS – INTERNATIONAL, 1.5.08
From biofuels to nuclear power, carbon-trading to hydrogen fuel cells,
dumping urine in the ocean to carbon capture – everywhere corporations are
seeking the elusive elixir which allows them to continue with business as
usual. All these technologies are a distraction from the real solutions –
a massive reduction in our consumption and far-reaching social change. On
May 1st, International Workers Day, we will challenge these false
solutions to climate chaos.
http://networkforclimateaction.org.uk

3) CLIMATE ACTION WITH A BITE! – INTERNATIONAL, 3.6.08
Climate action starts on your dinner plate, in the supermarket, at the
food processing and distribution centres, on the farm, in your allotment
or your back yard. The foods we eat are responsible for about a third of
our greenhouse emissions. It’s time for us to switch to plant-based,
organic, seasonal and locally produced food. Whether you’re into local
food, permaculture, animal rights, allotments, humanitarian issues, food
politics or transport campaigning, make the links and take action to
highlight the role of the food industry in climate chaos.
http://networkforclimateaction.org.uk

4) “PEOPLE ARE STILL THE SAME” – BRECON, 8.3.08
A one-day event showcasing artworks created in response to interviews,
dialogues and documentation of the construction of the South Wales gas
pipeline.
From 3pm till dusk: Current State Dystopia – a video projection in the
tunnel underneath the A40 road and: Books – a sound and slide installation
in Dingle Wood. 6pm: Going Home – projection and music in Penpont Church.
RSVP morag@cooptel.net or telephone 01874 636269 www.penpont.com

5) PADDY’S DAY OF ACTION AGAINST SHELL – IRELAND AND BEYOND, 17.3.08
This year´s St Paddy´s day, 17th March, has been called as an
International day of action against shell, in solidarity with the people
of Rossport. People from all over Ireland are set to join forces and show
their united strength by going all the way to London to demonstrate on
Shell´s front door step.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20124
http://gluaiseacht.nologic.org/wordpress

6) BIKES NOT BOMBS TOUR – LONDON TO ALDERMASTON, 22-24.3.08
Bikes not bombs are planning a bicycology bike tour from London to
Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment to mark the 50th anniversary of
the Aldermaston Peace March. The ride is expected to take 3 days
(22nd-24th March). More than 5000 people are expected to attend the
“Surround The Base” event at Aldermaston on the 24th. If you are
interested please email; info@bikesnotbombs.org.uk
Also see www.cnduk.org/aldermaston

7) TERMINAL 5 FLASHMOB – HEATHROW, 27.3.08
Be at T5 International Arrivals at 11am to put on (or strip to reveal)
your brightly coloured “Stop Airport Expansion” t-shirt: a visible
presence of public opposition to the madness of airport expansion. Wander
round for a bit, have a coffee, leave when you like. Wearing a t-shirt is
not (yet) a crime!
Order your free T-shirt today: stopairportexpansion@gmail.com or 0845 458
2564.
The Government/BAA see the opening day of Terminal Five (the biggest
terminal ever built in the UK, and the subject of the longest Public
Inquiry in British history) as an opportunity to put the case for further
airport expansion. Join the flash mob to highlight the real problems that
airport expansion causes: climate change, noise, air pollution and
community destruction.
http://www.t5flashmob.com/

8) CLIMATE BILL PUBLIC MEETING – LONDON, 22.4.08
Friends Meeting House, Euston, London, 7.30pm. A chance to attend a public
meeting with Hilary Benn MP (Environment Secretary) and Peter Ainsworth
(Shadow Environment Secretary) and join the calls for a strong climate
change law.
More info: howard.whitehead@foe.co.uk

9) COIN WORKSHOPS – NATIONAL, MARCH-APRIL 2008
(a) Climate Change Condensed will be happening in Cheltenham on the 6th
March.
(b) Climate Action Groups matchmaker evening, Tue 11th March 4:30 –
7:30pm, The Environment Council, London. Anyone who has attended any of
the COIN/TEC series of trainings can attend this for free.
(c) Do you work for the NHS? COIN is offering a tailored Climate Change
Speaker Training in London on March 14th. See;
www.healthandsustainability.net
(d) Communicating Climate Change, a one-day workshop, in partnership with
Vale
Royal Borough Council on Friday, April 11th.
Further trainings coming soon in Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland.
Would you like COIN to run trainings in your local area? – give Mim a call
on 01865 727911 or email mim@coinet.org.uk
See the COIN website for details on all the above; www.coinet.org.uk

10) NATIONAL CLIMATE FORUM – LONDON, 14-15.6.08
This event offers a wide range of workshops and seminars all dealing with
different aspects of the climate change crisis, probable solutions and
future developments in national and international climate policies. Venue;
South Camden Community School, London. Follow the link below to look at
the program and speakers from last year climate conference.
http://www.campaigncc.org/conference.shtml

11) EARTH ACTIVIST TRAINING – GLOUCESTERSHIRE, 12-26.7.08
A permaculture design course and more for activists! Learn the skills to
transform a piece of land, a community, and our political and economic
systems.
COSTS: (Including tuition, two weeks accommodation and all meals) £150 –
£500 sliding scale according to income. If you are interested in taking
part in the course, download an application form from:
http://www.earthactivisttraining.org/
Or write to: Earth Activist Training, c/o 59 Chelsea Park, Bristol, BS5 6AH.

12) ENVIRONMENT CAMPAIGNER AWARD
The Environment Awards (organised by the Sheila McKechnie Foundation) are
an opportunity for grassroots campaigners to receive a bespoke programme
of support and skills development designed to help them take their
campaign to the next level. See www.sheilamckechnie.org.uk for details of
how to apply.

13) LILI COURSES IN APRIL – BUCKS/LONDON/SHEFFIELD
Low-Impact Living Initiative: (01296) 714184 www.lowimpact.org

———————————————-
RECENT HAPPENINGS:
———————————————-
1) CLIMATE EMERGENCY AT HEATHROW, AND THEN WESTMINSTER – 25.2.08 / 27.2.08
On the 27th, campaigners opposed to Heathrow expansion scaled the roof of
the Houses of Parliament and hung protest banners from the building. The
protesters also made paper aeroplanes out of confidential Whitehall
documents and flew them into the MPs’ car park below! The documents –
obtained under the Freedom of Information Act – prove that airport
operator BAA wrote parts of the consultation document and that the
government has already decided to build a 3rd runway and 6th terminal at
the world’s biggest international airport.
http://www.planestupid.com/?q=content/plane-stupid-scales-parliament
Two days earlier Greenpeace campaigners had climbed on to one of
Heathrow’s short-haul flights and covered the tailfin of the plane with a
huge protest banner that read “CLIMATE EMERGENCY – NO 3rd RUNWAY”.
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/climate-campaigners-bring-peaceful-protest-to-heathrow-20080225
Also on the 25th, the Heathrow end-of-consultation rally at Westminster
was a packed-out success, with thousands of residents, politicians and
environmental campaigners pledging to resist plans to extend Heathrow –
http://www.airportwatch.org.uk/
The distribution of 50,000 leaflets and the actions of anarchist art troop
Weird Load helped make the rally such a success:
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20050

2) RATCLIFFE ACTION VERDICT – NOTTINGHAM, 25.2.08
Following their attempts to halt operations and thus diminish CO2
emissions at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station last April, 10 activists
were recently back in court. Unfortunately the defendants’ defence of
environmental necessity was rejected and they were found guilty. The judge
had earlier said that he wished to compliment all the defendants on the
presentation of their case.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/392323.html

3) BP AMERICA, EXXON MOBIL AND CO. IN THE DOCK – ALASKA, 27.2.08
Meanwhile, in Alaska, lawyers for the native coastal village of Kivalina
have filed a suit arguing that 5 oil companies, 14 electric utilities and
the country’s largest coal company were responsible for the relocation of
villagers because of flooding caused by the changing Arctic climate.
“There has been a long campaign by power, coal and oil companies to
mislead the public about the science of global warming,” the suit says.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/us/27alaska.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Flooded+Village+Files+Suit%2C+Citing+Corporate+Link+to+Climate+Change+&st=nyt&oref=slogin

4) HANDS OFF IRAQI OIL! ACTIONS – UK AND NETHERLANDS, 23.2.08
In solidarity with the Iraqi peoples’ struggle against the plunder of
their oil reserves, there were actions in Birmingham, London, Liverpool,
Wrexham, Coventry and Amsterdam.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/392315.html

5) EARTH FIRST! BLOCKADES POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTION – FLORIDA, 18.2.08
Dozens of concerned community members from Palm Beach County and across
the States put their bodies on the line to halt construction of a massive
gas-fired power plant. A dozen activists locked themselves together
through metal pipes as 200 supporters rallied around them. The blockade
stopped work on the construction site for six hours before a total of 27
people were arrested.
http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/wordpress/2008/02/19/blockade-shuts-down-south-florida-power-plant-construction-27-arrested/
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20038

6) RTNA/EARTHFIRST! PIPELINE ACTION – PORTLAND, U.S. 23.1.08
The above blockade followed another combined action where Cascadia Rising
Tide joined forces with Stumptown Earth First! to hold an action and rally
at the Portland office of NW Natural in protest at their involvement in
Liquefied Natural Gas pipelines, which threaten to clear-cut strips of
forest throughout Oregon for new fossil fuel infrastructure. Activists
piled trees around the office entrance and hung a large banner which read
– “There’s nothing Green about Clear-cuts, No new pipelines”.
http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/wordpress/2008/01/23/cascadia-rt-organizes-anti-lng-action-at-nw-natural/

7) SABOTAGE AT GLENSANDA – YORKSHIRE, FEBRUARY 2008
An aggregates processing plant on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National
Park has been sabotaged. 20% of the stone extracted will go to major road
network construction across Europe. The plant in Yorkshire was entered and
vehicles, including all bulldozers, had holes drilled in vital parts of
their engines and their tires. Both control rooms were broken into and all
computers and instrument panels were smashed. Keys to all buildings and
machinery were removed from the site. The message “Stop Glensanda” was
left.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20043

8) PLANKTOS DUMPING SCHEME DEFEATED BY ANTI-WHALERS – MADEIRA, 14.2.08
Planktos, the California company trying to turn a profit by fertilizing
the ocean with iron dust, has pulled the plug on planned field tests. On
the company’s web-site, a simple notice blamed the shutdown on a “highly
effective disinformation campaign waged by anti-offset crusaders.” In
November 2007, the anti-whaling ship Sea Shepherd confronted the Planktos
vessel and forced it to move onto Madeira. And there it stayed until its
recall last month.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/19989

9) COMMUNITY HALTS SHELL – IRELAND, 12.2.08
The Erris community continues to protect the land – survey work was
stopped and trucks were blocked. Local people prevented Shell from illegal
work for 4 hours until Gardai forced through workers, injuring protesters.
http://www.corribsos.com/index.php?id=1686
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/19977

10) CRITICAL MASS HERO CLEARED – BRISTOL, 7.2.08
In May last year, someone stood in the road and tried to stop a car that
had hit a Critical Mass cyclist, from driving away. For that he was
arrested for obstructing the highway, thrown to the floor by his neck
whilst handcuffed, and then – surprise surprise – also arrested for
assaulting a police officer.
After 9 months of nervous waiting, he was finally cleared of all charges,
as Bristol Magistrates Court accepted a submission that the police
evidence was at best ‘severely flawed’ and at worst, fabricated, and the
trial was stopped.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/19971

11) KLIMAX SURGE ON! – SWEDEN, JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2008
Groups of activists connected to Klimax, Sweden’s direct action movement
against the root causes of climate change, struck repeatedly last month.
At Malmö Airport, seven activists were apprehended when trying to break
into the runway, some of them dressed as polar bears. Some 30 activists
put up a blockade in the middle of the highway running through Umeå, the
largest city in northern Sweden.
A similar number staged a protest outside the office of Swedish Meat, a
major meat corporation, to highlight the severe effects the industry is
having on our climate. Another 50 activists marched into the traffic on
one of the major streets in inner city Stockholm, seizing it for 15
minutes. The action was directed against a planned mega-highway, to be
built in the western parts of the capital.
http://klimatet.org/2008/02/17/action-report/
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20019
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20035

12) TARA CAMPAIGN UPDATE – FEBRUARY 2008
Lock-ons and digger-diving, plus protest camp contact.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/19996
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/20126

13) 15 ACTIONS TO TOPPLE THE FOSSIL FUEL EMPIRE – FEBRUARY 2008
Rising Tide’s newest resource, on why and how to take direct action
against the fossil fuel industry… including planning tips, target
locations, examples of successful actions and more. Email us for a hard
copy or download it here:
http://risingtide.org.uk/resources/other

14) RISING TIDE POP-ED RESOURCE PACK – FEBRUARY 2008
A popular education resource packed with tools to help you run engaging,
interactive workshops on all aspects of climate change for a wide range of
people. Download it here: http://risingtide.org.uk/resources/other

15) “RISING TO THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE” BOOKLET – FEBRUARY 2008
Climate change myth-busting booklet designed to help people cut through
the fog of confusion and mixed messages about climate change and to be a
useful resource for community groups and individuals all over Scotland.
Download from the website at www.sead.org.uk

16) “BURNING CAPITAL” – FEBRUARY 2008
This compelling series of short films explores the role of Britain’s
largest corporation in the growing climate crisis. Burning Capital is a
video voyage through the murky world of oil giant BP, who kindly delivered
1.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere last year.
Watch the films now at; http://www.platformlondon.org/burning

17) SPIRIT OF FREEDOM – FEBRUARY 2008
Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network newsletter. They’re in there
for us out here – Please write!
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/19960

18) CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS CENTRE – FEBRUARY UPDATE 2008
A group of environmental and community-based organisations in the South
West have made a bid to found an independent, inter-disciplinary ‘Climate
Change Solutions Centre’, on the site of an ex-agricultural college
currently owned by Plymouth University. For more details, and information
on how to support the plans, please see; www.climatechangecentre.co.uk

19) “THE AGE OF STUPID” – FEBRUARY 2008
A climate change documentary for the big screen from Franny Armstrong
(McLibel) and John Battsek (One Day In September). Mixing documentary
footage, drama and cutting-edge animation, and starring Pete Postlethwaite
as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055. As he watches
‘archive’ footage from 2007, he asks himself: Why didn’t we stop climate
change when we had the chance? http://www.ageofstupid.net

20) AIRPORT WATCH BULLETIN – FEBRUARY 2008
For information about the campaigns against suicidal expansion at
Heathrow, Bristol, London City, Lydd, Carlisle, Newquay and other airports
see; www.airportwatch.org.uk

21) ‘CAUSES CLIMATE CHANGE’ WEBSITE
Subvertising ideas and resources.
http://www.causesclimatechange.blogspot.com/

———-

Please send anything you’d like included in this news sheet to:
newssheet@risingtide.org.uk

To view previous editions of the Rising Tide News Sheet, visit the News
Sheet Archive at http://risingtide.org.uk/newssheet

This News Sheet was brought to you by Rising Tide, a grassroots network
of groups and individuals committed to taking action and building a
movement against climate change.

For more information…
email: info@risingtide.org.uk
Phone: +44 (0)845 458 8923 / +44 (0)7708 794665
Address: 62 Fieldgate St, London, E1 1ES
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A Climate Camp visits the Government Office in Leeds

29.2.2008
Residents from flood stricken areas of Yorkshire and Humberside today blockaded the Government Office in Leeds to protest at its continued promotion of airport expansion. Inspired by last year’s camp for climate action at Heathrow, the protestors from Hull, South Yorkshire and the Calder Valley used pop-up tents to set up camp outside the main entrance.

This morning, concerned and moderate local people have blockaded the entrance to their Government Office. Their message; that with its continued support for expansion of air travel in the region, the Government is flying in the face of science.

Residents from flood stricken areas of Yorkshire and Humberside today blockaded the Government Office at 8 City Walk, Leeds to protest at its continued promotion of airport expansion.

The timing of the protest coincided with the final stages in the adoption of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) – the area’s fifteen year development plan which is currently on the desk of government minister Baroness Andrews, awaiting final approval. The plan allows for a threefold expansion of passenger flights from Yorkshire and Humberside. Bizarrely, voices which you might have expected to argue against this madness seem all to eager – Friends of The Earth made a submission to the RSS suggesting that an expansion of air travel was acceptable. (Maybe they should rename themselves Foes of the Earth?)

Government transport policies were singled out for criticisim by the plan’s Sustainability Appraisal, which commented that any positive impacts of proposed changes to the RSS might not be able to counter wider negative trends.

The protestors made a formal presentation of a scientific briefing for consideration by Baroness Andrews and issued the following statement::-

“We are continually bombarded with messages asking us to “do our bit”, but this should go for government too. It is shameful that their policy to expand aviation and unsustainable economic development is totally at odds with their stated policy to reduce CO2 emissions.

They are flying in the face of science, and undermining any hope of preventing climate change accelerating beyond control. Yorkshire and Humberside will be particularly hard hit, because of our vulnerability to coastal erosion and flooding. This will spell misery for hard working families throughout the region”.

It’s clear that Baroness Andrews needs to instigate a major revision of the regional transport plan element of the RSS to remove the emphasis on airport growth, and to ensure a significant decrease in carbon emissions from our area. A fifteen year plan that ignores its own sustainability appraisal is a bad fifteen year plan, but maybe science and common sense aren’t enough on their own when Government policy is made in the boardrooms of multinationals like BAA?

Stop Heathrow Expansion: Terminal 5 flashmob

ON THE OPENING DAY OF HEATHROW TERMINAL 5

11am on the dot, Thursday 27 March
International Arrivals (Ground Level), Heathrow Terminal 5

ON THE OPENING DAY OF HEATHROW TERMINAL 5

11am on the dot, Thursday 27 March
International Arrivals (Ground Level), Heathrow Terminal 5

www.stopairportexpansion.org

Be at T5 International Arrivals at 11am to put on (or strip to reveal) your brightly coloured ‘STOP AIRPORT EXPANSION’ t-shirt: a visible presence of public opposition to the madness of airport expansion. Wander round for a bit, have a coffee, leave when you like.

ORDER YOUR FREE T-SHIRT TODAY: stopairportexpansion@gmail.com or 0845 458 2564.

The Government and BAA see the opening day of Terminal Five – the biggest terminal ever built in the UK, and the subject of the longest Public Inquiry in British history – as an opportunity to put the case for further airport expansion. Join the flash mob* on 27 March to highlight the real problems that airport expansion causes: climate change, noise, air pollution and community destruction.

Download the flyer

* Flash Mob: ‘A large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual action for a brief period of time, then quickly disperse’ (Wikipedia).

www.t5flashmob.com

PLEASE NOTE: Almost everything is against the Heathrow byelaws, but wearing a t-shirt is not a crime. So as long as you’re not demonstrating, you’re not breaking the law!

Greenpeace campaigners climb on top of Heathrow short-haul flight (& video clip)

As the banner on top of this London – Manchester flight says, we’re in the middle of a climate emergency. The fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK is just about to get another boost from Brown’s government. On Wednesday, the consultation on whether to nearly double the size of Heathrow by building a new runway will close, and the government looks set to cave in to the aviation industry.

This morning, four of our volunteers have climbed on top of a plane at Heathrow and are wrapping a banner around the tailfin. The plane – one of 32 flights every day between London and Manchester – had just arrived in Heathrow and the passengers had disembarked when four volunteers walked through the double doors at Heathrow Terminal One, crossing an area of tarmac and climbing onto the fuselage of the British Airways flight.

100,000 flights a year go between Heathrow and destinations that are easily reachable by train (the most popular destination is Paris – easily reachable by the Eurostar). And, looking at the price of train travel in Britain, it’s understandable that some people are still choosing to fly. If the £9 billion tax subsidies the aviation industry receives to make flying cheaper and airports bigger were spent on making trains cheaper and better, we could reduce the environmental impact of Heathrow instead of vastly increasing it.

Security threat? Yes, we’ve exposed a security hole at Heathrow, but we’ve done it to expose the gaping hole on Brown’s climate change policy. Brown’s carrying on as though climate change has never happened. The planet’s leading scientists are warning us we only have a few years left to get climate change emissions down, yet, if the aviation industry is allowed to expand as predicted, aviation alone would destroy any hope of hitting his emissions reductions targets.

The move came as protesters were gathering in Westminster on Monday to oppose plans to expand the airport.

A government consultation on the plan closes on Wednesday.

We are here to draw a line in the sand and tell Gordon Brown his new runway must not and will not be built

Anna Jones, Greenpeace activist

Greenpeace said protesters put a banner reading “Climate Emergency – No Third Runway” over the plane’s tailfin at about 0945 GMT.

It said two women and two men crossed the tarmac at the airport after the passengers had disembarked.

One protester, Anna Jones, said: “Our planet and the people who live on it are in danger.

“Climate change can be beaten but not by almost doubling the size of the airport.

“We are here to draw a line in the sand and tell Gordon Brown his new runway must not and will not be built.”

The four were arrested and taken to Heathrow police station at about 1100 GMT, a BAA spokeswoman said.

Video

Weird Load visits leafy Chiswick

23.02.2008
After January’s thousand strong meeting against Heathrow expansion, protest continues apace.

23.02.2008
After January’s thousand strong meeting against Heathrow expansion, protest continues apace.

This week saw a 50,000 leaflet doordrop, and today local campaigners were joined by Baroness von Reichardt, partner Mr Spunky and members of her World Famous Treatment Rooms.

WEIRD LOAD

Saturday morning shoppers – more accustomed to bumping into Richard Briers or Ant’n’Dec than an anarchist art troop – were handed leaflets headlined “Last Chance to Stop This”, encouragement to turn up and show their opposition at Westminster’s Central Hall this Monday at 7pm

A straw poll outside Marks and Spencer indicated a likely showing of around 500 residents promising to meet up at Turnham Green Station for a mass move on Westminster. Past experience of active opposition in W4 however means that might well be an underestimate.

They join residents from all over London and the Heathrow villages – 6 coaches have been reserved from Sipson already – traveling to hear speakers as diverse as Lib Dem top banana Nick Clegg, Green MEP Caroline Lucas, Climate Change guru Mark Lynas and Plane Stupid’s Leo Murray.

This is a battle that can and will be won by the people, but only if the people act together. Do everything you can to be there on Monday and show the government and the corporations what they’re truly up against.

Swedish climate action update

Climate activists in detention after trying to break into airport

On Friday, groups of activists connected to Klimax, Sweden’s direct action movement against the root causes of climate change, struck against the country’s domestic aviation industry. At Malmö Airport, seven activists were apprehended when trying to brake into the runway, some of them dressed as polar bears. They were transferred to a detention centre in another city in southern Sweden and kept in solitary confinement for more than 60 hours. The seven activists were interrogated throughout the days, charged with “intent to sabotage air traffic” and threatened with four years in prison if convicted.

Climate activists in detention after trying to break into airport

– It’s totally absurd to place people in solitary confinement for more than two days when they’ve done nothing but attempting to cross a fence, in a peaceful, symbolic action. The activists did what everyone should do: they tried to stop climate change from accelerating. With their heavy-handed repression, the police are trying to deter us from further direct action, but we vow to step up our struggle. Since the police succeeded in nabbing the activists in Malmö this time, we will have to be more creative when planning our next actions, says Shora Esmailian, media spokesperson for Klimax.

Also on Friday, scores of activists entered the terminals at Bromma Airport in Stockholm and Landvetter Airport outside of Gothenburg. Many were dressed as polar bears and penguins. The demonstrations were followed by die-ins in front of queuing passengers. In Uppsala, a city north of Stockholm, yet another Klimax group staged a protest against a planned local airport. Pictures from the actions can be found at this website.

On Saturday, activists in Stockholm broke into a police station to demand the immediate release of their comrades in Malmö, and a solidarity manifestation was held in Gothenburg. All in all, more than a hundred activists were involved in the coordinated activities over the weekend.

On late Sunday, the last remaining Malmö-activist was released from the detention centre. All seven activists will face trial, as will another group of activists who successfully seized the runway at Bromma Airport in April last year.

Klimax is a rapidly growing movement in Sweden. In Stockholm, the group has focused on an upcoming decision to extend the premises of Bromma Airport to the year 2038, allowing it to increase traffic with at least 20 percent. The contract, due for final approval in March, will be impossible to abrogate if politicians elected in Stockholm in the coming decades wish to do so: it can only be annulled by the national government. This is considered deeply undemocratic by Klimax, but even worse, Bromma Airport is now poised to continue propelling domestic flights to Gothenburg, Malmö and other destinations well covered by railway connections, thus increasing unnecessary carbon emissions at a time when they have to be slashed. Already at this date, the aviation industry accounts for at least 10 percent of Sweden’s carbon emissions, according to estimates from the Royal Institute of Technology, and the share is growing. Klimax is determined to fight this wholly irrational development until Sweden’s domestic aviation is abolished in its entirety, as a first necessary step to a fossil-free society

Stop the Swedish “Triangle of Death” Seven polar bears held for attempted air travel

Climate activist group Klimax in Sweden are tired of unnecessary short haul and national flights. Especially between the major cities of Gothenburg, Stockholm and Malmo/Copenhagen, all directly coupled by the nearest thing Sweden has to a high speed train. That’s why that on Friday the 15th of February strange things started happening at airports around Sweden.

Time might be money but how much climate change is ten minutes worth? If you don’t have any luggage and check in on-line that’s about how much time you can save by flying between Sweden’s major cities. Considering that the Swedish trains run on renewable electric energy, that’s a hell of a lot of climate change for ten minutes. Ok, it’s not that simple. Why would any sane person without a climate conscience or a fat wallet take the train when it’s cheaper to fly? A railway system that makes the UK’s look modern could also help weigh the balance when it comes to choosing how to get there.

Here’s a round up of the different actions around the country:

Malmo http://svt.se/svt/play/video.jsp?a=1057410
At the time of writing seven activists are being held in custody. It seems that the crime of running about the countryside dressed as a polar bear is frowned upon in the south of Sweden. The seven were arrested running towards the perimeter fence of Sturup airport outside of Malmo by the large police presence. It seems that the boys in blue were out on a mass training exercise at the time. The police should be happy to get a bit of real life training. Attempting to get onto runways whilst dressed as a polar bear is definitely one of the fastest going crimes of our time. An interesting high publicity court case seems to be in the pipe line. At least one solidarity demonstration (Gothenburg 2pm Gustaf Adolfs Torg) is planned on Saturday in Sweden to demand the release of the Malmo seven.

Stockholm
The polar bears of Stockholm were treated to ice cream by the airport authorities at Bromma. A pleasant gesture but hardly making up for helping to destroy the bears northerly habitat. Sorry you family drowned but here’s a raspberry ripple to make up for it,sort of thing. A die in was staged as other peaceful protesters with banners and flyers roamed the terminal raising awareness of the environmental harm caused by air travel. There are presently plans to enlarge Bromma airport in Stockholm. The question is what are the politicians and planners thinking. In a time and a country where every nine year old knows about global warming and its causes, the authorities get the idea of expanding airports. It might be time to let the kids take over the power. They could hardly do a worse job than the climate criminals doing the job now. But then the kids are selfishly more worried about their future than in the honest business of making short term financial gains.

Gothenburg
A die in was staged in front of the security gate at Landvetter airport outside of Gothenburg. Twenty activists arrived at the airport to stage the protest on Friday evening. The die in was for the benefit of passengers on their way to emit the largest possible amount of greenhouse gases whilst covering the 300 or so miles to Stockholm. After miraculously reviving themselves the activists formed a banner wall to welcome three plane loads of arrivals from the capital. The whole thing went down peacefully with the massive police presence (at least three coppers for every climate crusader) standing around looking bored.

Uppsala
The university town of Uppsala north of Stockholm doesn’t have a nice warm passenger airport to stage an action in. The company Uppsala Air is doing its best to change this. They want to provide a pleasant passenger terminal so that local climate activists would have somewhere warm to stage protests. In the best “make do with what you’ve got spirit“, the Uppsala activist created their own runway in the city center to illustrate how pleasantly an airport can convert a boring piece of countryside into noisy polluting climate challenging strip of asfalt.

This is just the start of the Swedish resistance against climate criminality. Watch this space for the next move. We think cars are also plane stupid. Honest!

http://klimatet.org/