Climate Chaos – Page 106

Tyres of luxury cars ventilated

December 5th 2008
This night the action Air gone! started to flatten the tyres of luxury cars as a contribution to the climate action day to paralyse climate killers.

While the climate alliance calls for promotion parodies against the greenwashing of the companies, radical climate activists went a bit further that night.

In different cities the tyres of expensive jeeps and sports cars were ventilated. Aim of the action is not only carbon expulsion, but also to put on the agenda the social and global injustices connected to climate change, the group calling for the action explained. The biggest amount of emissions are caused by the industrial states – and, as it is made more than

clear by the example of luxury cars, it is mainly the rich here as well – while the countries in the South are most affected already by the effects of climate change.

Flyers were left at the cars explaining the actiond and demanding from the owners to immidiately shut them down permanently.

Similar actions happened a year ago in Berlin and aroused a lot of public attention. This year the newspaper taz reported about the call to the action.

Meanwhile the world climate summit discussed about a follow-up of the Kyoto Protocol in Poznan (Conference of the partied COP 14), producing nothing but hot air, as a lot of climate activists think. Background info and statements from a semi-critical NGO perspective on wir-klimaretter.de. For the following summit in December 2009 an international mobilization was already started by the radical leftb from Denmark (Ungdomshuset-Scene) as well as b y sozial movements from the global south like Via Campesina

http://luftraus.wordpress.com

Students roll out red carpet for RBS greenwash award show

Students from Manchester People and Planet groups hosted an awards ceremony and awarded the Royal Bank of Scotland with the prestigious “2008 Greenwash Award”.

On Wednesday 3rd December students of Manchester hosted an elaborate awards ceremony outside the Royal Bank of Scotland offices. At 2pm, around 50 students wearing evening suits and ball gowns, rolled out a red carpet and set up a podium. The presenter bounded up onto the stage to begin the proceedings.

After Oscars style nominations in which E.On, BP, Shell and BAA were announced as runners up, RBS was declared the winner of the 2008 Greenwash Award show.[1] A mock representative from RBS’ Corporate Social Responsibility sector calling himself ‘Graham Wascha’ then gave a very entertaining yet poignant speech about RBS’ greenwash. He was rewarded with a golden statue and a large cheque congratulating their massive investments in industries that accelerate climate change.[2]

RBS-NatWest have funded almost $16billion for coal companies and exploration projects from May 2006 to April 2008[3], yet their greenwash claims that they are financing a transition to a low carbon economy. [4][5]

This award show was part of a series of actions by students from the campaigning group People and Planet against RBS and other big drivers of climate change. It follows a recent action by Manchester students against RBS and E.On which saw over 50 students demonstrating at a business recruitment fair. [6][7]

Quotes:

Abigail Dilliway, 21, primary education student at Manchester Metropolitan University says “I have chosen to take part in this action because I believe that RBS have committed a greenwash atrocity. They have chosen to only celebrate their investment in renewables whilst failing to comprehend their investment in fossil fuels and thus the devastating environmental implications of their actions.”

Alex Fountain, 20, business studies student at Manchester Metropolitan University says, “RBS claims to be committed to a long-term transition to a low carbon economy yet continues to massively fund fossil fuel infrastructures. This will lock us into high emissions for many decades to come and jeopardise any attempts to stop runaway climate change.”

ENDS

Notes to the editor:

1. Greenwash – “Greenwash (a portmanteau of green and whitewash) is a term used to describe the perception of consumers that they are being misled by a company regarding the environmental practices of the company or the environmental benefits of a product or service. It is a deceptive use of green PR or green marketing.”

Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwash

2. Climate change is the biggest threat to a secure future currently facing humanity. If current trends continue, average global temperatures could rise by 6.4˚C by the end of the century with devastating and permanent results for the planet. – “Summary for Policymakers”, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007

3. RBS is responsible for $15.93 billion worth of loans from May 2006 to April 2008 to companies engaged in loans to companies engaged in the extraction and/or combustion of coal. – http://www.oyalbankofscotland.com/cioc/pdf/cashinginoncoal.pdf

4. In 2007 RBS’ embedded emissions (emission due to its investments) was over 43 million tonnes, more than Scotland – PLATFORM, ‘The Oil and Gas Bank – RBS & the financing of climate change’, http://www.carbonweb.org/documents/Oil_&_Gas_Bank.pdf

5. RBS claim that they only lend to projects that conform to the highest environmental and social standards yet finances some of the dirtiest and most dangerous oil & gas projects, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline from Azerbaijan to Turkey criticised by the WWF and Friends of the Earth for its human rights and pollution impacts.

Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPLW2H88q7g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xm0q9_CfRw

London Critical Mass report (& recent legal ruling), & Exeter CM announcement

In the week of the law lords’ final ruling on the legal status of critical mass, friday night saw around 200 cyclists brave the damp and cold to take part in the “commonly or customarily held procession” – for the third month in a row, no police directly accompanied the ride. the ride itself was mostly fun and smooth-going, but there was a collision at marble arch that marred an otherwise succesful evening.

the mass went over waterloo bridge and then along the strand to whitehall and parliament square. after a few circles there, the next stop was outside new scotland yard, where a very loud cycle sound system notified their presence to the police (along with chants of “one-nil, one-nil”). moving on past buckingham palace and round the back streets of piccadilly, there was a brief stop at piccadilly circus.

this is the third month without direct police accompaniment, and it seems each time the mass is getting better at controlling itself and other road traffic for the safety and benefit of all. it seemed that almost everyone was empowered to have a go at ‘corking’ (blocking incoming side roads at junctions to stop motor vehicles from mingling with the mass). if done firmly and politely, the road is kept clear for the whole mass to pass, and then the inconvenience to other motorists is minimised and the cyclists keep moving safely and freely. also, the front riders stopped every now and then to allow the mass to regroup. meanwhile pedestrians were often catered for and let through at crossings etc.

there were an array of different bikes too, with a couple of modern penny farthings, a very tall ‘double decker’ bike (whose rider was heard now and then shouting for people to keep moving – it was a long way down!!), there was a rickshaw, and at least two sound systems.

after a damp start, the rain held off, things were going smoothly until at marble arch, a bicycle was hit by an irate motorist who had been briefly held up by a ‘cork’ at the top of park lane and then decided to drive like a lunatic. as several cyclists went to aid, the driver at first tried to drive from the scene of the accident, then scraped his own car door by pushing it hard open against a nearby bicycle, and then assaulted the cyclist by poking him in the eye.

several riders kept the car surrounded until police arrived. the first cops were from charing cross, and they seemed to be very much on the side of the motorist, even suggesting that they’d arrest the cyclist who was assaulted! after a while some paddington officers turned up, and acted more professionally, taking details of the various witnesses, and eventually arresting and handcuffing the crazy driver.

a shout out to the cyclists that stuck around to help. next mass on boxing day – meet (as customarily!) under waterloo bridge on the south bank at 6-6.30pm (last friday of every month)

—

Since 1994, London cyclists have been gathering every single month to cycle, party and assert their right to the road – the famous Critical Mass.

Amidst other police tactics aiming to break the d.i.y spirit of the event, the Police attempted to ban the ride in September 2005. The court case and obligatory appeals that ensued lasted for 3 years until the 26th of November 2008 when the Law Lords ruled in favour of London Critical Mass. A victory for London – but an unclear result for other Critical Masses around the country.

The Critical Mass bicycle ride has been going on in London since 1994 – a monthly gathering of cyclist who cycle together through London with no planned route and no defined leaders or organisers.

In September 1995, the police effectively tried to ban Critical Mass by claiming it was an illegal procession, and that the organisers had to inform the police of the route ahead of the event. This is an exerpt from the leaflet they distributed on that occasion :

“…Police can impose conditions on processions, demonstrations and other assemblies, and participants render themselves liable to arrest if they fail to comply with those conditions. These cycle protests are not lawful because no organiser has provided police the with the necessary notification. Your participation in this event could render you liable to prosecution. Police policy in facilitating these events is currently under review…”

It may be difficult for the police to accept it, but it is a well known fact that Critical Mass has no set organisers. While some may print leaflets and others host a website, it’s a spontaneous event ; people just show up on the last Friday of the month and ride together, anyone can go at the front and suggest itenaries. Claiming that Critical Mass is organised is like claiming that traffic jams are organised. By their letter, the police refused cyclist the status of ‘traffic’ – one of Critical Mass’ aim being to show that cyclists are traffic and should be allowed to use the road as much as cars.

The October 2005 mass saw one of the biggest turnout ever in London – showing how many people care about Critical Mass, and that people would not let the police stop it. Soon after, Des Key and Friends of the Earth started a court case against the police.

The court case took several years and went up to the House of Lords before finishing, on the 26th of November 2008, ruling in favour of critical mass. The ruling stated that Critical Mass was customary, and therefore did not need to apply for permission, or to inform the police.

The ruling however suggests that Critical Mass is a procession – refusing the idea that cyclist are traffic. As such it is not clear how the ruling may be used in the future for people setting up new Critical Masses around the UK who will not be able to claim these are customary events.

Police has been a regular feature at Critical Mass for the past 3 or 4 years – occasionaly protecting cyclists from angry drivers, but always trying to manage the ride, shouting at people who tried to do it themselves and generally being intimidating towards people who showed any form of initiative. The police were trying to transform Critical Mass into something they could understand : an event where participants are sheepish and simply do as the organisers tell them to do.

It is unclear whether it is related to this judgment, the leaving of Ian Blair or other internal police matters, but the police has not been at Critical Mass for the past two months. Now that the judgement has ruled in favor of Critical Mass, they have even less of a reason for showing up – and we are going to have to re-learn how to manage this event ourselves properly.

—

Exeter Critical Mass – meet 12.00 on Cathedral Green on Saturday December 6th. To get in the mood come along to a screening of “We are traffic” at Exeter Phoenix on Thursday December 4th at 19.00

Thursday December 4th@ 7.00 – We are Traffic Screening –
Exeter Phoenix , Bradninch Place, Gandy St, Exeter,

We Are Traffic! chronicles the history and development of the “Critical Mass” bicycle movement– one of the most spirited and dynamic social/political movements of the apathetic 90’s. In over 200 cities in 14 different countries, Critical Mass has now become a monthly ritual.

With traffic congestion, pollution, and road rage on the rise, growing numbers around the world are advocating for transportation alternatives, and Critical Mass is at the cutting edge of this mindset.

Showing in the Black Box Film, everyone welcome to stay after to talk about future events/critical masses etc and maybe for a drink at Northbridge Inn

Snacks provided – feel free to bring more snacks though!

——————————————————————————

Exeter Critical Mass – Saturday 6th December @ 12.00 Cathedral Green, Exeter –

Xmas Theme optional – decorate your bikes!

WHAT’S IS ALL ABOUT?
Critical Mass is often described as an ‘unorganised coincidence’. It happens when a lot of cyclists happen to be in the same place at the same time and decide to cycle the same way together for a while

WHAT’S THE PURPOSE?
“Everyday, all over the world, people are resisting the problem culture of the car by getting on their bikes and riding, instead of driving.

Critical Mass is a celebration of the alternatives to cars, pollution, accidents and the loss of public spaces and freedoms.

Not an organisation or group, but an idea or tactic, Critical Mass allows people to reclaim cities with their bikes, just by getting together and out-numbering the cars on the road”

WHAT HAPPENS ON A CRITICAL MASS?
Each one is different and they follow no set route, with the direction being spontaneously chosen as people cycle along. Anyone is free to join or leave the ride as it pedals along.

The ride lasts no more than a couple of hours (depending on the weather!) and usually ends in a conveniently placed pub for more drinks.

Most all, they are peaceful, safe and fun!

DO I NEED A BIKE?
Nope! Critical Mass is not just for bikes – skateboards, roller blades, wheelchairs, pogo sticks – in fact any form of non-motorised, non-polluting are all very welcome!

Protests mark the start of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Posnan (Poland)

Denmark: KlimaX rocks the COP15 summit site

Activists from the copenhagen based climate activist group KlimaX climbed onto the front of the conference site Bella Centret and threw out banners. The site is symbolic in the way that its the actual site of the COP15 summit excactly one year from now.

Denmark: KlimaX rocks the COP15 summit site

Activists from the copenhagen based climate activist group KlimaX climbed onto the front of the conference site Bella Centret and threw out banners. The site is symbolic in the way that its the actual site of the COP15 summit excactly one year from now.

“We need a humane solution to the climate crisis.” Says Sini Østergaard from KlimaX “We cannot stand by and watch while the rich countries buy CO2 quotas from the poor countries. We have take action now.”

The activists brought banners, music, cookies and tea while the security people and diplomats attending a conference watched the fun.

“The clock is ticking and time has run out. We have to face the consequences of our over-consumption in the west now.” says Thor from KlimaX.

The police arrived but didn’t bother anyone. The activists promises that they’ll continue their actions in the run-up to and under the climate summit. Already other actions are brewing for the imediate future.

The international mobilization for action at the climate summit:
http://climateaction09.org/

KlimaX – Copenhagen:
http://klimax2009.org

Video from a coorporate newspaper (ignore lame comercials):
http://ekstrabladet.tv/nyheder/indland/article1091836.ece

KlimaX – Copenhagen
international@klimax2009.org
http://www.climateaction09.org

========

USA: Monday Dec. 1

Climate Activists Invade DC Offices of Environmental Defense, Daughter
of ED Founder Accuses Group of Pushing False Solutions to Climate Change

Off-site Media Contact: Matt Wallace, Rising Tide North America,
828-280-3462
On-site Contact: Dr. Rachel Smolker, Global Justice Ecology Project
802-735-7794

***high resolution photos available soon at:
www.risingtidenorthamerica.org***

Washington, DC-As the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change opened today in Poznan, Poland, grassroots climate activists took over the Washington DC office of Environmental Defense. The activists stated that they had targeted ED, one of the largest environmental organizations in the world, because of the organization’s key role in promoting the discredited approach of carbon trading as a solution to climate change.

Dr. Rachel Smolker of Global Justice Ecology Project and Global Forest Coalition read a statement, which said in part, “My father was one of the founders of this organization, which sadly I am now ashamed of. The Kyoto Protocol, the European Emissions Trading Scheme and virtually every other initiative for reducing emissions have adopted their market approaches. So far they have utterly failed, serving only to provide huge profits to the world’s most polluting industries. Instead of protecting the environment, ED now seems primarily concerned with protecting corporate bottom lines. I can hear my father rolling over in his grave.”

The activists rearranged furniture in the office, illustrating how marketing carbon is “like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.” Others held signs reading “Keep the cap, ditch the trade” and “Carbon trading is an environmental offense.”

Leo Cerda, an indigenous activist with Rising Tide Ecuador said, “ED wants to turn the atmosphere and forests into private property, and then give it away to the most polluting industries in the form of pollution allowances that can be bought and sold. Not only is this an ineffective way to control emissions, it is also a disaster for the poor and indigenous peoples who are not party to these markets and are most impacted by climate change.”

ED has been key in establishing the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a business consortium advocating for a cap and trade system with extremely weak emissions reductions. US CAP allows polluters like Duke Energy, Shell, BP, DuPont, and Dow Chemical to claim they are green while continuing with business as usual. In recognition, activists awarded ED the “Corporate Greenwash Award,” a three foot tall green paintbrush. “We think this award is appropriate since Environmental Defense spends more time painting polluters green than actually defending the environment,” said Matt Wallace of Rising Tide North America.

Opposition to carbon trading is growing as it becomes apparent that market based schemes do little to fight climate change while helping corporations rake in profits. Earlier this year, over 50 groups came together in the US to denounce carbon trading in a Declaration Against the Use of Carbon Trading Schemes to Address Climate Change. Globally, hundreds of environmental, social justice, and indigenous groups have come together to oppose such market based initiatives as inherently unsustainable and ineffective in creating a just transition away from fossil fuels.

========

Australia: Coal-fired power station blockade on the eve of international climate negotiations

November 27, 2008: This morning, four people entered the Munmorah Coal-Fired Power Station on the NSW Central Coast, attaching themselves to conveyor belts carrying coal.

Spokesperson Ann-Marie Rohlfs says “In two days, the Rudd Government will go to the United Nations climate change meeting in Poland. Instead of showing leadership, they are set to announce weak and ineffective domestic emissions reduction targets…”
“With the upcoming release of the Climate White Paper, the Rudd Government will hand tens of billions of dollars in compensation and free permits to polluting industries. Public money would be better spent investing in a green renewable future for Australia.”

Spokesperson Nicky Ison says, “This week we witnessed the closure of the BP solar plant in Homebush Bay. Australia is missing out on tens of thousands of new jobs by continuing to prop up the coal industry and preventing the transition to a renewable energy economy.”

In September, Nobel Prize Winner Al Gore said “I believe we have reached the stage where it is time for civil disobedience to prevent the construction of new coal plants.”

We are taking him at his word.

Today’s blockade at the Munmorah Power Station is part of a huge community effort to kick Australia’s coal habit.

“We are facing a climate emergency, but our emissions are still rising. We call on the Rudd Government to ensure 2010 is the year Australia’s greenhouse emissions peak and begin to rapidly decline.

“If half of the homes in NSW had solar hot water systems, there would be no need for Munmorah Power Station. We would save 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually. As the oldest power station in NSW, Munmorah Power station must be the first to go in the new green economy.”

For further comment:
Holly Creenaune- 0417 682 541
Ann-Marie Rohlfs – 0406 021 920
Nicky Ison – 0423 717 567
For high resolutions photos and video footage, contact Nicky Ison on 0423 717 567

E.ON protests & actions – London (x3), Bristol, Norwich, Coventry (x2), Nottingham, Brighton & Kingsnorth

Pix-&-Vidz of E.ON F.OFF, Pall Mall, London – 28 Nov 08

Pix-&-Vidz of E.ON F.OFF, Pall Mall, London – 28 Nov 08

Greenwash Guerillas London Brigade, Detection Platoon #1, pay a protest-oriented visit to the London Office of filthy climate criminal corporation E.ON UK to confront a Short-Sighted Fat Cat and PR Pushers plugging ‘Clean Coal’ bullplop.

Climate Camp: How to make an E.ON F.OFF placard
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jbqngfkMZmU
Very useful and generally applicable method for placard & banner production using a projected image

Telling E.ON to Take its ‘Clean Coal’ Greenwash & F.OFF

At a time when the global climate crisis demands clean, renewable, energy generation solutions, a German energy transnational corporation called E.ON want to build a new filthy big coal powered electricity generating station [1] at Kingsnorth in north Kent [2]. All indications are that the UK ‘New’ Labour government will give them the go ahead, despite the fact that their own Environmental Audit Committee has recently called coal a ‘last resort, even with CCS’; where CCS = Carbon Capture & Storage, an unproven pipedream technology that won’t be available for 20 years at the earliest (or so says Alistair Darling, the industry itself and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).

So building on the recent Mass Action Victory which scuppered E.ON’s UK graduate recruitment plan [3], a bevy of climate crisis protesters targeted E.ON UK’s London office at 100 Pall Mall [4] from 8:00 this morning. This is one of a number of decentralised protest actions arising from a call to ‘Take Back the Power’ through ’48 Hours of Action against E.ON and New Coal’ over Fri 28 and Sat 29 Nov 08 by:
▪ E.ON F.OFF – http://www.e-onf-off.org.uk
▪ Camp for Climate Action – http://climatecamp.org.uk
▪ Rising Tide – http://risingtide.org.uk
▪ Plane Stupid – http://www.planestupid.com
▪ Campaign against Climate Change – http://www.campaigncc.org

Footnotes

[1] E.ON’s proposed new filthy big coal powered electricity generating station – it will emit between 6 and 8 million tons of CO2 every year (equivalent to the annual emissions of Malawi’s 13 million people or more CO2 than Heathrow’s third runway would burn) source – http://www.e-onf-off.org.uk/why.html

[2] Kingsnorth in north Kent – http://tinyurl.com/KingsnorthCoal-map

[3] See ‘Mass Action Victory Scuppers E.ON’s UK Recruitment Plan’ – http://tinyurl.com/MAV-13-Nov-08

[4] E.ON UK’s London office at 100 Pall Mall – http://tinyurl.com/EON-LDN-map

All these photos and video clips are ‘CopyLeft’
This means you are free to copy and distribute any of my photos you find here, under the following license:
> Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License
> http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
> Accreditation: tim.dalinian.jones@googlemail.com

NB: These pix are edited and downsized versions (up to 640x640px, 0.39Mpx, 324 to 728 KB) for onscreen display. If you would like the free, edited, full-sized versions (up to 3072x2304px, 7.1Mpx, 1.0 to 2.9 MB) for print, poster, placard, banner, etc, please email your request to tim.dalinian.jones [at] googlemail.com quoting the picture title(s) you’d like.

—-

On Friday 28th November London Rising Tide visited the FA Headquarters to protest about E-on’s strive for new coal in the UK.

The FA cup is sponsored by E.on and a full team of Rising Tiders turned out to play football in T shirts bearing the names of the government’s proposed new coal fired powerstations.

Yellow and Red cards explaining the facts about dirty coal were handed out to staff leaving the headquarters and passing public.

london@risingtide.org.uk
http://www.londonrisingtide.org.uk/

—-

Students spoof natwest ads – 48hrs action on coal

In the 48 hours of action against e.on and new coal, South London students affliated with People and Planet use their photoshops skills and sense of fun to target Natwest’s investment in climate change.

Natwest, part of RBS, were given shiney new posters boasting their investment habbits to customers. We had a smashin time putting them up so print some out and have fun to. Also lots of stickering and fun with the space hijackers topshop swap shop – good day!

see www.oyalbankofscotland.com

—-

Bristol Rising Tide and activists from in and around Bristol had a day of shenanigans directed at the Royal Bank of Scotland, E-on and new coal.

The day started with a banner drop on one of the flyovers crossing the M32 motorway running into the city centre. Over lunchtime the main RBS branch in the city centre was picketed, with activists handing out forged £20 banknotes (see below) to passers-by and customers only to have an ‘RBS bank robber’ steal them back to give to E-on and the coal industry (see photo). A mock bank statemate was also distributed showing RBS’s investment in coal around the world set against the taxpayer funded bail out of the bank. The picket moved on to an E-on ‘Family Football’ event in the Broadmead shopping centre (see photo). Mid afternoon saw over 50 activists gathering in the city centre for a reclaim the streets party. The party, with mobile sound system roamed the city centre forcing the city centre branch of NatWest to close early and leaving the RBS branch unusable after a very messy cake fight!

http://risingtide.org.uk/bristol

—-

Norwich RT Spoof E.on Stall

29.11.2008
Today six activists from Norwich Rising Tide set up a spoof E.on stall on the Royal Bank of Scotland’s doorstep (RBS is one of E.on’s core sources of funding).

The spoof (despite all materials reading E.on F.off – including a table cloth, banner, t-shirts, leaflets, badges and stickers) fooled many of the public. Passers-by said things like “we don’t want to hear anything about E.on” and “I’m not a fan of E.on” (it really was amazing how hostile people were to E.on). Once they were informed that we were revealing the truth about E.on and Coal most then took a leaflet and badge.

In total we gave out 400 leaflets and undertook a questionnaire on behalf of E.on.
Results showed that …

50% of people didn’t know that E.on plans to build a new coal fired power station – they do now.
90% of people didn’t know that RBS will part funding it – again we made sure to inform them of this fact.
Lastly, 100% of people said they thought that coal fired power stations should be shut down and replaced with renewable energy sources.

We’ll pass on our findings to E.on as soon as possible!

norwich@risingtide.org.uk
http://www.risingtide.org.uk/norwich

—-

On Friday morning, Warwick University People and Planet held a demonstration at the UK headquarters of E-ON in Coventry. This was part of the national 48 hours against E-ON. The demonstration was attended by around 30 people, including a number from Coventry university and Leamington Rising Tide. The group left central campus at around midday and marched to E-ON HQ, chanting and drumming. The action was colourful and lively; entertainment included some carbon capture theatre and singing (see below). We also leafleted employees walking past. Spirits were high and strengthened by the knowledge of the other actions to come in the national 48 hours of actions.

Grace Kelly, EON

E.ON: I want to talk to you!
Protestor: The last time we talk, Mr E.ON, I reduced you to tears! I promise you, it might well happen again!

**Verse 1**

E.ON: Do I attract you?
Do I pollute you with my CO2?
Am I too dirty?
Am I too mirky?
Don’t I like what you like?

Protestor: You could be wholesome
But you’re still loathsome
I should stop being so shy

E.ON: Why don’t you like me?
Why don’t you like me?
Why are you making me cry?

**Pre-chorus**

Protestor: We tried to keep it all pretty,
Just a little banner or two,
But when your plans are so shitty,
There’s nothing else I could do!

**Chorus**

E.ON: I can be Brown
I can be blue
I can pollu-ute the sky
I can be hurtful
I can burn people!
I can burn anything I like!

Protestor: You gotta be green
Gotta be clean
Gotta be everything more!

E.ON: Why don’t you like me?

Why don’t you like me?

Protestor: Why don’t you walk out the door!

**Verse 2**

E.ON: How can I help it
How can I help it
How could I stop burning coal?
Coal is my baby
My little lady
I like to get in it’s hole.
Why don’t you buy me
Why don’t you buy me
Why don’t you buy CCS?
When old coal over
I’ll been much bolder
And still pollute nothing less.

**Pre-Chorus**

Protestor: We tried to keep it all pretty,
Just a little banner or two,
But when your plans are so shitty,
There’s nothing else I could do!

**Chorus**

E.ON: I can be Brown
I can be blue
I can pollu-ute the sky
I can be hurtful
I can burn people!
I can burn anything I like!

Protestor: You gotta be green
Gotta be clean
Gotta be everything more!

E.ON: Why don’t you like me?
Why don’t you like me?

Protestor: Why don’t you walk out the door!

**Bridge**

Protestor: Say what you want to satisfy yourself
But you only want what rich investors say that you should want
(should want)

**Chorus**

—-
1 December 2008
E-ON HQ occupied

Shortly after 9am two mini buses packed with Santas arrived outside their headquarters and a score of festive protesters armed with sacks of coal poured in to the building.

For a good half hour they toured the offices, really scoring a bullseye when they inadvertently crashed the boardroom where a full scale meeting was in progress. Even after security managed to clear the upper floors the huge reception area was occupied until well into the afternoon.

Outside security goons and police created a cordon and refused entry to dozens of visitors. Clearly a good number of meetings were postponed as a result.

The mood soured slightly towards the end and extra grumpy police were summoned to kill the festive spirit. After some jostling the spectre of Scrooge emerged and four were arrested, charges not known.

—-

Yesterday (1st December), activists from across the country staged the third demonstration against e.on’s headquarters in Coventry in eight days. Graham, e.on’s security boss for the day, bemoans the impact on the company…

Yesterday, activists from across the country staged the third demonstration against e.on’s headquarters in Coventry in eight days. Graham, e.on’s security boss for the day, bemoans the impact on the company.

We’d thought we had seen the end of the protests. The 48 hours of action that had been called was annoying enough, but that would be it. We’d taken down the Harris fencing around our headquarters and were waiting for just another days work running and planning to build coal-fired power stations. Before we knew it two van loads of people dressed in Santa Clause costumes with “e.on f.off” emblazoned on them, were unloading coal, scrambling on our building and generally running amok.

Just before 9am yesterday morning, about 15 managed to get inside the building bringing, they say, presents of coal, because apparently e.on has been very naughty this year – because we want to build a new coal fired power station in Kingsnorth and continuing to contribute to climate change. Outrageous. We are a decent, respectable company. Some managed to get to a boardroom meeting and dish out a lump of coal to all sitting there. Others got scarily close to the CEO’s office. Others engaged with staff on the large open plan office that made their voices heard by all. It took us a good hour to clear the pesky Santas from the building.

Meanwhile there was one unsuccessful attempt to scale part of the roof, but at the revolving doors at the main entrance, two were able to get up and hold up a banner. Several of those in the foyer glued onto side doors, while yet another Santa, found himself in the middle of the revolving doors, also glued on in the midst of a pile of coal bags with “Co2 al” printed on them. Later yet another Santa glued themselves to a barrier.

Some claimed to have be bringing the mystical solution of “carbon capture and storage” – coal left as it is.

We had to lock the entire building down, forbid staff from leaving, and turned away loads of visitors that were arriving, it being a busy day for us. This despite us having already introduced various security measures such as new turnstiles – maybe next time we’ll have them locked so the protestors cannot simply walk through them to the open office.

I can tell you that e.on are deeply unhappy at being made a fool of so comprehensively yet again. On the day that Lord Turner released his report that the government would fail dramatically to reach its CO2 reduction targets if e.on are allowed to build a new power station at Kingsnorth before controversial carbon capture and storage technologies have been developed. The protests made Radio 4 headline news at mid-day, much of the local media and other press. There were at least four cameras from mainstream media while a number of other independent photojournalists were also there to make sure it was properly covered. The bosses are not happy, and the protestors got some good images.

My staff, from Initial Rentokil, were not enthusiastic about how they had been made to look like bumbling idiots. They need to calm down a bit and stop kneeling on people’s necks because they have been defied. Some of them were not helping their bosses by being rude to the BBC cameraman and other media. They strutted up and down like lost penguins, trying to shove people around and shoving cameras in to the faces of the Santa Clauses – though they all got waves back. We had to seem important by telling staff in the canteen that they were not allowed to look at the protestors – the top brass were getting jumpy by then.

Some of my security need to think as well, it seems. Wasn’t the brightest thing to say that protestors were fine to stay at the main door. Nor was telling the protestors on the roof of the door that they could not attach the banner to the wall because e.on would not be able to get it down.

If all that was not enough bumbling, in a deft movement, the Santa Claus’s realised that the staff had not locked the revolving door and used the fact to get a half-dozen back in to the building were they ran around singing altered Christmas hymn about no new coal. Loads of more images for the waiting press, including them congo’ing through our main foyer.

Eventually they released themselves, and proceeded to leave. West Midlands police were there, and had kept a pretty useless, low profile throughout the day. Now, at the request of our boss they decided to do something. They were very low on numbers and clearly were not up for removing the actual protest, despite the fact the protestors were clearly peaceful and mostly singing their silly songs. The police tried to form a line to stop them leave but their public order training was woefully bad and kept letting them escape through despite the fact they were carrying sacks of coal.

A number were seized and arrested; though some were let go because the police were little better than our security guards in terms of knowing what they were doing. Four ended up going to the cells, of which two have been released. They rest sailed away.

All in all, quite a bad day for us here at e.on. We’re going to have to rethink our entire security plan, having been comprehensively embarrassed. The bosses are fuming at having e.on’s reputation yet again dragged through the mud, and it is clear that the campaign against us is not going to fade away.

By the way, there is a load of email addresses for our various companies at http://www.eon.com/en/infoservice/3027.jsp

Hopefully we’ll not see more protestors soon.

Another report, photos of police cordoning Father Christmases, and videos
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As part of 48 hours of nationwide action against E.ON, called for by the Camp for Climate Action, Rising Tide, Plane Stupid and Campaign against Climate Change, Nottingham students called a demonstration outside E.ON’s city centre offices (Mount St, NG1 6PG)

They met at 11.45 in front of the the town hall in Market Square on Friday 27th Nov. Then moved over to the offices at 12pm to flyer and protest about E.ON’s plans to build a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent, a venture that will wreck any serious plans to cut carbon emissions and protect the planet and its’ population from the most disastrous effects of climate change.

The policing and security arrangements seemed a little excessive to me, to manage 10 students and fluffy toy!

Why target EON and Kingsnorth?

The proposed power station will emit between 6 and 8 million tons of CO2 every year, and is just the first in a plan to build up to seven new coal fired power stations. This will wreck the UK’s chances of meeting its own target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.

Climate change isn’t about warmer summers, here in the UK. It’s about serious changes that will cost millions of people (particularly those that are the worst off and living precariously) their livelihoods and lives. If we can stop E.ON, other companies will be discouraged from risking similar plans, and we will send the strong message that the energy crisis needs to be tackled positively, implementing the solutions that will get us off fossil fuels.

E.ON’s proposed new big coal powered electricity generating station – it will emit between 6 and 8 million tons of CO2 every year (equivalent to the annual emissions of Malawi’s 13 million people or more CO2 than Heathrow’s third runway would burn) source – http://www.e-onf-off.org.uk/why.html

Kingsnorth in north Kent – http://tinyurl.com/KingsnorthCoal-map

For photos of the FIT surveillance again in Nottingham, see also https://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/11/413951.html

and ….. earlier Nottingham action on the subject:

Nottingham Spring into Action :: Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/04/367714.html
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/04/367736.html
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/04/367757.html

‘Clean’ Coal On Trial [Feature] inc Ratcliffe case court reports
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/01/389386.html

Fossil Fools Blockade E.On Offices in Nottingham : Pictures 1
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/04/395382.html

Fossil Fools Blockade E.On Offices in Nottingham : Pictures 2
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/04/395403.html

Fossil Fools Blockade E.On Offices Surveillance and Specialist Equipment
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/04/395429.html

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Brighton – 28th
In Response the the 48 hours of action against Eon and new coal Brighton activists staged 2 actions over the 48 hours. The first action on Friday 28th Activists staged a demonstration outside the Royal Bank of Scotland with a large banner saying ‘RBS and EON fund Climate chaos’ With some subversive cleaning ladies attempting to Clean some coal but strangely to no avail – (Illustrating the unfeesability of ‘clean coal’). There was also alternative ‘banking advice’being offered to passers by, letting them know about RBS and its investments in EON and the building of a new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth.

On the Saturday 29th
A stampede of endangered animals decended on Brighton Town centre handing out flyers to raise awareness about EON and its plans to build at Kingsnorth. In the middle of the large shopping centre forecourt the animals staged a dramatic ‘die-in’. With bewildered shoppers and security guards crowding round this tragic scene, Mother earth herself addressed the crowd and explained what might happen to the animal kingdom and the human one if EON and other Coal hungry companies were allowed to have their way and wreak climate havoc!

—-

Kingsnorth action coverage – “Intruder enters E.ON power station and switches off 2% of UK supplies”

48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal – pre-advertised events this Friday & Saturday

The 48 hours of action against E.ON and new coal are nearly upon us, and final preparations are being made. Below is a selection of public actions that have been organised. You can also find information and resources, including a media Q&A, on the E.ON F.OFF website at http://www.eon-foff.com

Plus invite your friends to the Facebook event:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=32617789333

Plus post your reports from the day on www.indymedia.org.uk and here

Friday 28th November

COVENTRY
Join Warwick Uni students at E.ON’s headquarters in Coventry.
Meet at 12pm on the piazza. We’ll march from there to the Headquarters, arrive there about 12:30. Once there, there’ll be loads going on, including… .a ‘Catch the Carbon’ competition, drumming workshop, a mass die-in, visually showing the effects climate change are already having and more.
For more see: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34220633837&ref=ts

LONDON
E.ON vs. Greenwash Guerillas
8am-10am. Meet up in Trafalgar Square at 8.00am to head down to E.ON’s London office at 100 Pall Mall and show E.ON their greenwash won’t wash. All inventive greenwash actions welcome!

LONDON
World Development Movement kids demo at E.ON
Meet at 10am in Trafalgar Square for the children to add their footprints to the banner, then take our footprints to a ‘No new coal’ protest outside E.ON’s London offices in Pall Mall. Come along with your children and participate

Saturday 29th November

LONDON
Stop Coal Sticker Rush
Keep the pressure up on E.ON by spreading the word and putting up some E.ON F.OFF & Stop Coal stickers – you can get them from the Coal Hole (91-92 Strand, WC2R 0DW) from 1pm-3pm on Saturday.

NORWICH
Spoof E.on Recruitment Stall
Location – Outside RBS, 5 Queen Street, Norwich.
Time – 12noon – 2pm, Saturday 29 November.

Targetting Royal Bank of Scotland the financier of New Coal and Eon

Bristol Rising Tide is targetting the Royal Bank of Scotland the financier or climate chaos

Come and join in a day of shenanigans targetted on RBS (now 60% owned by the British Taxpayer), the financier of new coal development in the UK. Be a bank robber or help the cooks with their recipe for disaster!

Meeting at the ruined church at 12.00 on Castle Green, then onto the RBS branch in Baldwin Street around 12.15, NatWest in Corn Street around 12.45 and then RBS insurance in Nelson St around 1.15.

Party and Protest in defiance of E-on (owners of Kingsnorth) and coal expansion with solar powered sound system and free cake 3.00 pm at the Hippodrome, St Augustines Parade

Shell to Sea / Rossport Solidarity Camp Update from Erris Co. Mayo. November 2009.

While Glengad and Shell issues have largely gone from the public eye, and indeed things have quietened down some what, that’s not to say that stuff hasn’t been going on, it just doesn’t always make the media.

The last few months have seen a few developments since the Solitaire left our shores.

* Shell have completely vacated the Glengad compound in the last few week or so. Unfortunately they haven’t done a wonderful job of cleaning up after themselves. Plenty of rubble was left behind on the beach from the causeway that they extended out to sea and then removed.

The “cliff” has been banked up with soft materials which don’t look too stable to me and will likely continue to be washed out by the rainwater. In the old compound itself large heaps of materials have been piled and netted over to prevent birds nesting? Strangely they have not attempted to net the re-banked cliff area, as they had before. Some of the old netting can be seen on the cliff top, intermeshed with the grass on top.

Their channel buoy markers have been washing ashore recently also, as they left these behind to. At the road entrance to the Glengad compound all the fencing and gates have gone (as it has around the whole site), to be replaced with regular cattle fencing and gates, having pulled out at this time of year the whole place is a bit of a mud bath.

* The road, left unfinished by Mayo County Council now Shell have pulled out, is already showing signs of deterioration, with potholes forming in the tarmac beside where the entrance gates to this compound stood. The Co.Co. have left the road as it stands from what I can see, without finishing the works, just loads of signs and bollards left around everywhere.

* Nov 10th last saw a procession along the Bellanaboy Road up to the main refinery gates, attended by about 50 local people carrying crosses with the names of the Ogoni 9, to mark the execution of Ken Sara Wiwa and 8 of his colleagues in 1995, the Nigerian activists who were executed by the Nigerian Military Dictatorship at the time, at Shell’s behest.

* The Garda presence is likewise down, but still tangible.

* After a meeting some time ago with a few ministers, the silence has been loud from the powers that be, despite their recent announcement of setting up some forum or dialogue with people involved in the Corrib Gas issue. However no one here has actually heard anything or been contacted about as of yet. Minister Eamon Ryan has admitted in the media that ‘mistakes were made’ but has refused to discuss the moving of the refinery or the appropriacy of a pipeline landfall at Glengad. “There will be no re-visiting of the consents / permissions already given to Shell”, he said. As usual the terms of reference are pre-set by the ‘authorities’ in order to avoid a fair and proper addressing of the issues.

* The AFRI hedge school a few weeks ago was really fantastic with some great people coming to have an input/speak including Dennis Halliday and other people who have been dealing with Shell in other countries.

The fight goes on.

Solid Energy Gets Coal for Christmas (New Zealand)

24 November 2008
Long-time environmental activists Mr and Mrs Santa Claus, were very roughly removed from Solid Energy’s Annual Meeting in Auckland today for attempting to bring attention to Solid Energy’s climate changing practices. The meeting was a publicity stunt. Solid Energy even said at the meeting that it is not likely to continue to have open meetings in the future.

Mr Claus delivered a sack of Coal to Solid Energy CEO Don Elder for his naughty behaviour this year and Mrs Claus aimed a home-cooked pie at his face. Don greedily accepted the coal, but unfortunately managed to deflect the pie.
Solid Energy is intent on staying in the fantasy world that the coal industry has created, where the myth of “Clean Coal” is a sensible solution to climate change. So members of the Save Happy Valley Coalition (SHVC) thought that perhaps what was needed was another fantasy character to help bring Solid Energy back to reality. However, not even Santa Claus himself could persuade CEO Don Elder of the obvious fact that coal is dirty.

Mr and Mrs Claus wanted to demonstrate their frustration at Solid Energy’s disregard for the future of the planet, their continued mining and export of coal, and their plans to turn the pristine wilderness of Happy Valley on the South Island’s West Coast into an open cast coal mine, killing critically endangered species including kiwi in the process. Mr and Mrs Clause are being personally effected by climate change as their homeland in the North Pole melts away before their very eyes. They will soon be added to the growing list of climate change refugees.

“Don Elder has been a very naughty boy again this year,” says SHVC spokesperson Santa Clause.

“He’s not getting any presents from me this year, just dirty, carbon-emitting coal, which unfortunately he has far too much of already!”

In fact, Don Elder was quit eager to accept the gift of coal from Santa, snatching it greedily from Santa’s hands.

After attempting to deliver some of her home baking to Solid Energy CEO Don Elder, which he wasn’t so keen on, Mrs Clause had this to say,

“Every year Don is told he needs to stop promoting fossil fuels that cook the climate, but he just won’t listen to reason. I thought maybe a nice, home-cooked pie to the face might be the kind of reasoning he would understand.”

SHVC chose to take a very light-hearted approach today to what is a in fact a very serious issue. The public knows the reality of climate change, and that coal is a dirty, polluting substance which we should be leaving in the ground rather than mining. Solid Energy would like to convince us that profit is more important than the future of the planet and that coal can somehow be clean. But sensible people know how ridiculous that sounds. Clean coal technologies are impractical and unproven. There is no such thing as clean coal.

http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz

KELSTERBACH FOREST OCCUPATION CAMP AGAINST AIRPORT EXPANSION CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY & UNRÄUMBAR FESTIVAL 28-30TH NOVEMBER

Waldbesetzung Kelsterbach (Kelsterbach Forest Occupation Camp)

Big parts of the beautiful forest of Kelsterbach near the airport of Frankfurt/Main (Germany) are in danger of being destroyed.

Waldbesetzung Kelsterbach (Kelsterbach Forest Occupation Camp)

Big parts of the beautiful forest of Kelsterbach near the airport of Frankfurt/Main (Germany) are in danger of being destroyed.

It has been well known for about 10 years that Fraport (the corporation running Frankfurt Airport) plan to build a new runway on this place by the end of 2011, cutting down every tree on 300 hectares of land (about 100,000 trees), doubling the airports flight movements per year to a level of at least one every 45 seconds. About 50 initiatives and nearly all communities around the airport are against the expansion because of the expected rise of fly-over noise.

Fraport plan to finish the runway by the end of 2011 and is already taking so-called “preparing measures” in the forest, cutting brushwoods to make way for their machines to cut the trees and capturing several animal species including frogs and bats to relocate.

Almost all forms of protest have not succeeded to stop the preparations of the building of a new runway. Activists have occupied a small area of the forest since May 2008 to stop the extension plans and a tent and hut village has emerged. About 30-50 people now regularly live in the forest village and welcome every help, may it be donations, new inhabitants or just people passing by and showing their solidarity.

The mayor of Kelsterbach has threatened to evict the camp as of 30th November 2008, claiming he cannot accept the huts in the forest for legal reasons, although it seems unlikely the eviction will actually be attempted then or any time soon.

Unräumbar Festival

The Waldbesetzung Kelsterbach (Kelsterbach Forest Occupation Camp) invite you to the Unräumbar Festival, a weekend of live music, art, dancing, cinema, workshops, playshops, info meetings, creative actions, good food, and much more, on 28-30th November. The whole festival will be non commercial, everything runs on donation basis. Bring a tent, sleeping bag and mat. Bring musical instruments, toys, good energy and food to share.

Other Ways to Support the Kelsterbach Forest Occupation

Spread the news about what is happening in Kelsterbach Forest. Tell people, journalists and politicians.

Donations are very welcome. Useful things include vegan and vegetarian food, building materials (a lot of construction wood, nails), old bedsheets (for banners), writing materials, polypropylene rope (10 or 14 mm), bicycles, tools (saws and hammers), wood stoves and other stuff for the winter, a cheap way to make flyers.
Visit or join Kelsterbach Forest Occupation. Bring a tent, sleeping bag and mat, warm clothes, a flashlight. Musical instruments and toys are nice! Dishes, fork, knives and spoons are already here.

Directions

from Kelsterbach centre:

By train (S-Bahn) from Frankfurt or Wiesbaden to station Kelsterbach.
Outside the station to the left (in the direction of Wiesbaden (south-west) at the right side from the track). Then with the track left from you, you follow Rüsselsheimer Straße for about 1,5 km. After you’ve seen an exit-way, you’ll see a traffic light. There you turn in the Okrifteler Strasse (not indicated) in the direction of Walldorf. You underpass a train track, ignore the first street (right) and take the second possibility, a parking bay. Walk into the forest.

by car:
From Köln to Frankfurt A3/E35, exit Raunheim #48, then to the north, direction of Kelsterbach (Rüsselheimer Straße / 43). Right at the traffic lights (not indicated: Okrifteler Straße, K152), under by a viaduct. Ignore the first street at the right and take the second possibility (150 meters further), a parking bay (see picture) and park your car there.
Behind the barrier you walk straight on, following the way and peace-signs. You’ll come by a lake (on your right) and find the camp a little further (after a crossroad) on your left.

Hitchhiking directions:
A3, from Köln direction Frankfurt, exit 48 – Raunheim, ask the driver to go north direction Kelsterbach to let you out after several 100 meters -where its possible to turn… go on till you find the first hard way (ignore the 1. earthy path) to the right… follow the signs of liberation.
or go under the train, turn left, go right under the tube, over the street and straight… along a lake after it turn right.

Contact

Address:
Baumbesetzung neben dem Pflanzgarten
Gelbe Grundschneise
65451 Kelsterbach
GERMANY
Phone: (+49)0175 833 59 58 (German/English)
e-mail: waldbesetzung@riseup.net
Website: http://www.waldbesetzung.blogsport.de
Coordinates: 50.038999, 8.504019

Heathrow Decision Day Flashmob

12 noon (on the dot), Heathrow Terminal 5 Departures (‘Security North’ section)
on the first Saturday after the Government makes its decision on Heathrow expansion
(unless all forms of expansion are ruled out – see below).

Reveal your t-shirt and then pelt Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon with red sponges.

THE STORY SO FAR …

Reveal your t-shirt and then pelt Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon with red sponges.

THE STORY SO FAR …

Before the end of 2008, the Government will announce whether or not to give the green light to expand Heathrow, by allowing a third runway and / or a big increase in planes on the existing runways. The decision is expected in December.

Either option will cause misery for tens of thousands of local residents, and help make devastating climate change inevitable.

The Government is under real pressure on the third runway and may decide to drop it. Their way out may be to allow flight numbers on the existing runways to rise by nearly 50%, to 650,000 a year!

Unless ALL the proposals are dropped the Decision Day Flash Mob will go ahead. Together we can win!