Action Reports – Page 171

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

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

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

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

Workshop programme in a variety of formats

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

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

Workshop programme in a variety of formats

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

South Lanarkshire Locals And Climate Campers Confront Council

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.climatecampscotland.org.uk

Update

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

Camp for Climate Action Scotland

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News from Climate Camp Scotland

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

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

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

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

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

Flotilla against new Bradwell nuclear reactor sails on Essex coast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We want to highlight:

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

Climate Rush & Yes Men Barricade Mandy’s Home in Support of Vestas Protests

10.8.2009
Welcome home Mandy! At 6am this morning, two climate suffragettes and the Yes Men barricaded Peter Mandleson’s Regent’s Park home in support of the Vestas workers and wind power in the UK. The climate suffragettes, chained to his gate, unfurled a banner reading ‘Mandy, Put Some Wind in Vestas’ Sales’ while the Yes Men inflated their ‘survivor balls’ in preparation for the worst effects of climate change…

With the workers being evicted from the Vestas factory in Newport last Friday, the campaign to save Vestas and galvanise wind power in the UK continues. The protest called on Lord Mandleson, as Business Secretary and general governmental overseer, to ensure Vestas’ presence in the UK remained economically viable. The government has already shown they are willing to bail out the banks and stimulate the car industry (Mandleson returns from holiday today to try and secure 5000 jobs at Vauxhall’s Luton and Ellesmere Port plants), yet the wind power industry remains a sad indictment of years of government neglect.

Vestas’ UK chief, Rob Sauven, claimed that for the company to remain economically viable in the UK it would need to be receiving 1GW worth of order a year. With Vestas controlling a quarter if the UK market this would require the UK to be adding 4GW of wind power every year. Last year the UK added only 0.5GW.

With the government wanting to achieve 15% of total energy production from wind power by 2020, as part of its green economic recovery plan to create tens of thousands of green jobs, Sauven’s assessment illustrates a dire need to stimulate demand and ensure Britain’s already late transition to a low carbon economy does not fail.

info@climaterush.co.uk
http://www.climaterush.co.uk

News from climate action camps in Scotland, Belgium/Netherlands and France

Scottish camp starts – Scottish coal conveyor supplying Drax sabotaged – targets list –
Belgian/Dutch camp starts – Belgian coal terminal occupied – French camp & Nantes airport action

…

Scottish camp starts – Scottish coal conveyor supplying Drax sabotaged – targets list –
Belgian/Dutch camp starts – Belgian coal terminal occupied – French camp & Nantes airport action

…

Local support for Climate Camp Scotland is made quite clear on the (longer than we expected) bus ride from Lanark through the winding country lanes to Mainshill solidarity camp that is also now Scotlands’ Climate Camp.

Spotting us with our tent and gear an older woman says she would’ve joined the camp if it wasn’t for her bad health and other women on the bus jeer and promise food donations. A bloke immediately struck up a conversation telling us he used to work on the opencast mine and that his brother still does. He said he couldn’t understand why they were so keen to reopen and restart work on the site. He’ll more than likely be visiting the camp this week too.

We arrived at the 6ft wooden fence fitted with a door that is the main gate of the camp about 2pm – the driver making an unscheduled stop to drop us off at the camp entrance so we didn’t have to walk back from the nearest stop – just as 2 local plod had managed to walk in wandering half way up the lane to the camp finding themselves quickly surrounded by climate campers convincing them to leave. Other than that, the lone cop with video cam at Lanark station and the chopper which hovered around for a few minutes a while ago, the authorities seem to be keeping a low profile. No FIT at the camp, in fact no police hanging around at all.

Although not very busy yet, the camp is looking solid: never mind the compost toilets, there’s a bike-powered cinema, big kitchen tent, and solar-powered (indy)media tent. And plenty of camping space, of course. From the other end of the field we can see the wind farms on hills to either side of the camp.

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Glentaggart Coalmine Sabotaged; Police leave cancelled across the region

The Camp for Climate Action Scotland has been informed that anonymous activists have successfully sabotaged the Glentaggart opencast coal mine in South Lanarkshire. The unknown individuals have disabled the conveyor belt that moves coal from the mine to Ravenstruther rail terminal where the coal is then sent to Drax power station in Yorkshire.

The sabotage has the potential to greatly disrupt the removal of coal. Insiders say that once it has been stopped it is difficult to restart the heavily laden conveyors which is several kilometers long and comes in quarter kilometer sections. Drax power station was the site of the first Camp for Climate Action 2006.

The Camp for Climate Action Scotland is taking place cross the valley from Glentaggart at the site of another proposed open cast mine at Mainshill woods near Douglas. A protest camp has already been in place for six weeks campaigning against the plans which have gone through despite strong local opposition. The area is already one of the most heavily mined areas in Europe with a number of other opencast mines already being worked.

Diarmaid Lynch, a spokesperson from the Camp said on hearing the news, “Fantastic. Congratulations to those who did this. Opencast mining is responsible for a spike in the number of lung related deaths in this small area. It is time that the likes of Scottish Coal and the planning authorities are held directly responsible for their role in these deaths. Climate change is a killer, both at home and in the Global South where those who have benefited the least from industrialisation are the first to pay the price.”

The World Health Organisation estimates that climate change kills 150,000 people a year and that figure is expected to grow as countries fail to take action. Cancer in the Douglas postcode area is 23% above the national average, and 28% above the regional average. In the four years that the existing three opencast mines have been operating in the area pulmonary issues have increased 60%.

In a separate development the Camp for Climate Action has also learned that police leave across the central belt of Scotland has been cancelled as the various forces move to a state of high alert. To date the policing at the Camp has been very low key, but campers remain alert.

Scotland’s Climate Criminals

The following is a list of the operations in Scotland which profit from the exploitation of fossil fuels. None of these operations are compatible with the vision for a zero-carbon Scotland as such they will be targetted with direct action in order to ensure we can make a just transition towards a sustainable future.

Longannet and Cockenzie Coal Power stations

Glasgow, Edinburgh, Preswick and Aberdeen Airports

Oil & Gas operations in Aberdeen-shire

Grangemouth Oil & Gas Refinery

Hunterston coal terminal

All open-cast coal mines

Coal distribution network including;
Ravenstruther coal terminal
Crowbandsgate Rail Facility
Glentaggart Conveyer belt

RBS HQ

Scottish Power HQ

Scottish and Southern Energy HQ

Motorway constructions such as M74

http://climatecampscotland.org.uk/

Video – http://www.envirospeak.tv/video/375

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Guide to dismantling the coal industry in Scotland, a 16-page information sheet released by Climate Camp Scotland and Coal Action Scotland [pdf 5.3M]

includes information on open cast coal mines and mine operators, coal-fired power stations, coal rail and port infrastructure, industry lobbyists, and a map of Scottish targets.

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Netherlands/Belgium camp – We’ve started – come join us!

More than 100 people entered and secured a field between Zandvliet and Berendrecht, in the heart of Antwerp’s industrial harbour, at 1am this morning. They have erected tripods, hung banners and are well underway in setting up camp.

Although the Climate Action Camp has been open about most aspects of the plan, the location of the camp had not been revealed until Saturday morning in order to prevent police from attempting to stop it from happening.

The official start date is Monday August 3rd! Take a look at the map below or google ‘Derdeweg Zandvliet Antwerp’ to see the exact location. You can also email info[at]klimaatactiekamp.org or contact the info line at+32 (0)485916863 (please text if possible).*

How to reach the camp site by bus from Antwerp:
From the Rooseveltplaats, close to Antwerp Central station, you can take buslines 770 or 771 direction ‘Zandvliet’. After appr. 40 min., you’ll get to the stop ‘Zoutestraat’ where you have to get off the bus. Follow the street in travel direction, after about 200 meter you will see a couple of tents on the left side. The street next to it is called ‘Derde Weg’, follow it and you’ll quickly reach the welcome tent!

http://www.climateactioncamp.org/

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Climate Action Camp occupies Belgian coal terminal

8.8.2009
The Climate Action Camp on the Belgian/Dutch border yesterday occupied the Antwerp Bulk Terminal (ABT) coal terminal in Antwerp Harbour, Belgium. This terminal; responsible where coal is imported to Europe from Africa and South America before distribution by train and boat to power stations around Europe was shut down for the day as activists blocked train lines and conveyor belts at the site.

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French camp

Camp Action Climat 2009 – Le teaser

climate action alert at Nantes airport, Saturday 8th August 2009 – people invade the terminal of the airport.

Climate Activists occupy roof of 2nd Vestas factory!

4.8.2009

4.8.2009
Climate activists have occupied the roof of the Vestas turbine factory at Venture Quays, East Cowes, Isle Of Wight, in solidarity with workers occupying a factory in Newport. The protestors have hung a banner above the Ferry Port saying: “Vestas Workers – Solidarity in Occupation. Save Green Jobs,” and issued the following statement:

This Cowes Week, tens of thousands of people have come to the island to use and celebrate the free, abundant, and natural power of the wind. At the same time, workers at Vestas are struggling to keep Britain’s only wind-turbine blade manufacturer open. Factories in East Cowes, Newport and Southampton are being closed with the loss of over 600 jobs, and hundreds more in support industries like Gurit, devastating not only green promises but the Isle of Wight local communities.

Now the people are saying enough is enough. At Newport dozens of workers are in the second week of their factory occupation with messages of support coming in from around the world. These courageous people are showing more vision and commitment to the future of jobs, communities and our planet than all the do-nothing business and political leaders put together.

In the face of man-made climate-change, keeping these workers with their unique specialist skills is as urgent for powering a sustainable future as it is for the for the island communities. But the government which was so quick to nationalise Northern Rock and pour billions into the ailing banks has so far done NOTHING to protect the future of Britain’s wind-power generation, despite their recent pledge to invest in “Green Jobs”.

Vestas meanwhile are leaving their workforce high and dry, with peanuts in redundancy pay and little hope of work, while they make off with the £76 million profits they made in the first quarter of 2009 out of their non-unionised workforce.

The Venture Quays roof occupation is in support of Vestas workers demands. We say,

– Take Vestas factories into public ownership, under workers management
Re-instate all workers, including those sacked while in dispute
Invest in developing wind-power in Britain
Retool the Vestas plant to produce for Off-Shore Wind Generation

This dispute comes in a period of crisis, both economic and ecological. The economic crisis has already seen a million people losing their jobs while banks ask for hand-outs, with massive cuts and tax rises on the horizon. On top of that, unless we act quickly, the ecological crisis of climate-change will threaten the very future of human life. Motivated by greed and paralysed by fear, our rulers seem incapable of responding. Instead, the lead is coming from below.

Working people are increasingly standing up and staying put. Occupation by not only workers but local residents is becoming a default option. This year we have seen occupations at the Visteon factories in Enfield and Belfast, schools occupied against closure in Glasgow and Lewisham, a London care-home, Thomas Cook in Dublin and now Vestas. People have been dis-empowered for too long!

Listen to the Vesta workers song “Boys on the Balcony” at http://www.seizetheday.org

http://savevestas.wordpress.com

Villagers stage Oldbury anti-nuclear protest

Direct action by local residents against new E.On / RWE npower nuclear power plant planned in Oldbury, Gloucestershire.

Villagers stage Oldbury anti-nuclear protest
August 4 2009

Villagers living near the possible site of a new nuclear power station near Bristol staged a five-hour protest to prevent contractors getting on to the land.

Direct action by local residents against new E.On / RWE npower nuclear power plant planned in Oldbury, Gloucestershire.

Villagers stage Oldbury anti-nuclear protest
August 4 2009

Villagers living near the possible site of a new nuclear power station near Bristol staged a five-hour protest to prevent contractors getting on to the land.

Residents of Shepperdine, near Thornbury, blocked the access road to a field near the existing Oldbury atomic plant until they were finally asked to move by police.

The site is one of a number around the country put forward by the Government as a possible location for one of the new generation of nuclear stations.

Power firm Eon has acquired land at Shepperdine with another company RWE and wants to build a £4-billion station.

The process involved in getting permission will last for many years but as part of the initial site development work, small-scale ground investigation and seismic studies were due to have started yesterday morning on the Shepperdine land to help determine the type and best location for the foundations.

But when contractors from Almondsbury firm Hydrock arrived with lorries, they found their way blocked by the protesters.

About 13 residents occupied the lane leading to a field that has already been turned into a compound.

They said they had two concerns at this stage – whether permission had been given by the British Geological Survey (BGS) for the drilling to take place and whether South Gloucestershire Council had given the all-clear for the compound and parking area to be created.

Protester Reg Illingworth said: “Ultimately, we don’t want a new nuclear power station here.

“But this protest is solely about permission for the preliminary work and the compound, which has already been built.

“We want to know if consent has been given and if we see that in writing, then we will stand aside.”

At one point, four policemen were at the scene but that was later cut to two.

Acting sergeant Steve Wilson said: “It’s a peaceful protest and we are here to ensure it remains that way.”

There was also a debate throughout the morning about whether the road being blocked was part of the public highway or privately owned.

When it was confirmed it was a public road, the residents moved aside and the Hydrock lorries went through.

Alan Pinder, of South Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth, was among the demonstrators.

He said: “We want to ensure Eon is going through the proper process.

“You have to do everything by the book if you are going to run a nuclear power station.”

Eon spokeswoman Emily Highmore said: “While we respect the right of people to protest, we would like to reassure everyone the ground investigation works and establishment of a contractor’s compound have been carried out with the full knowledge of South Gloucestershire Council and the BGS.

“It’s still very early days but we’re committed to keeping everyone informed of our activities and would urge anyone with any questions or concerns to get in touch.”

BGS spokesman Clive Mitchell said the organisation had to be notified about drilling of holes deeper than 30m for water abstraction and mineral exploration but not site investigation.

South Gloucestershire Council spokesman Ryan Skeets said: “The council was made aware of intentions by Eon to carry out some temporary ground investigation works that appear to be covered by permitted development rights and therefore would not require prior planning permission.

“The council will monitor these works to ensure they are being carried out in line with these intentions.”

One day early: With classical music against nuclear power: “Musical inspection“ on the site of the fine storage site in Gorleben

8th August 09.

Today at 10:30am 60 musicians from the action group “Lebenslaute”, packed with instruments and music stands, climbed the four meter high wall around the site of the planned final storage site in Gorleben (Germany) and began a protest concert with mainly classical music.

8th August 09.

The musicians surprised with their action, originally announced for Sunday. With this “musical inspection” the activists protest against the continued operation of nuclear power plants and against the continued exploration of the salt mine in Gorleben for use as a final nuclear storage site.

“The discussion about nuclear power is about the live of coming generations, but the public does not take the danger seriously enough”, says Berthold Keunecke, a protestant priest from Herford and one of the spokespersons of Lebenslaute. Today we overcame the fences and walls of Gorleben, to effectively protest against nuclear technology which is threatening our lives. We want to awaken, provoke, dramatise – and we all, each one of us individually, stand up for this provocation.”

“The nuclear lobby wants to continue the work to turn salt dome in Gorleben into a final storage site, although the scandals around the salt mine Asse finally made clear, that Gorleben too is not save”, declares Katja Tempel, midwife and Lebenslaute spokesperson from the Wendland. “In the light of the unsolved question of the final storage of nuclear waste, we demand an end to the production of nuclear waste, that is the shutdown of nuclear power stations. The use of renewable energies has to be promoted.”

Under the slogan “A-Moll statt A-Müll” (A-minor instead of A(tomic)-waste” a varied and ambitious programme for choir and orchestra is being performed: the works of Georg Philipp Telemann, Willy Burkhard and Fanny Hensel, performed by “Lebenslaute” celebreate the beauty of nature, which is to be preserved. As an accusation and call for urgent action against the deadly dangers of nuclear energy, “Lebenslaute” will perform Heinrich Schütz’ Choral „Wie nun ihr Herren, seid ihr stumm” (What now, you men, are you silent), as well as parts of symphony No 101 “Die Uhr” (The clock) by Joseph Haydn and a choir version of “It`s my life” (Bon Jovi). Chamber music in different instrumentations concludes the concert.

“The music is an expression of the energy of different generations. With this, our action fits well into the broad spectrum of creative resistance in the Wendland”, explains Katharina Dehlinger, Lebenslaute activist from the county of Paderborn. “It is better that lively music comes through the walls and fences of the mine in Gorleben, than deadly nuclear radiation. The salt dome in Gorleben is not suitable for a save final storage of nuclear waste. The project has to be abandoned.”

With the combination of actions of civil disobedience and mainly classical music the initiative “Lebenslaute” has been raising awareness for wrongs in society for more than 20 years. The initiative includes politically active musicians from all over Germany.

Up-to-date photos (also in printing quality) will soon be available at http://www.lebenslaute.net

Scottish Camp for Climate Action builds support

The Scottish Camp for Climate Action has been building defences supporting the Mainshill open cast protest site this week. The camp is building action affinity groups and through direct action training enabling activists to take action on high carbon producing industries around the country. The camp focuses on alternative solutions to a damaging system where power is in the hands of powerful but damaging industries. Direct action is providing the means for people and groups to readdress that power imbalance and actions will take place during and after the camp. High emission industries across the country are to be targeted in the coming weeks; polluting energy intensive corporations will be brought into the spotlight and brought to a standstill.

London Rally Supports Vestas Workers – 6 Aug

The Campaign Against Climate change held a rally in London on Thursday 6 August in support of the 600 Vestas workers whose jobs making wind turbine blades are to be lost as the company moves production to the USA.

The rally outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change in Whitehall on Thursday evening started in light rain, but it was pouring by the time it finished. Despite the weather, the 80 or so present listened intently to speeches from a Vestas worker, trade union speakers from the RMT, PCW and Billy Hayes of the Communications Workers Union, as well as former Labour Secretary of State for the Environment Michael Meacher MP and Green Party GLA member Jenny Jones, who arrived at the event by bicycle.

Despite the government having spent thousands of billions propping up the banks it is unwilling to put up the much smaller amounts needed to support green industries. The problems of Vestas are indeed very much of the Government’s making, with its failure to put it’s money where its mouth is on green energy policies, relying on hot air rather than support for wind power and other alternative energies.

Making wind turbines is a profitable business, and will become even more so, but unless action is taken – such as nationalising Vestas, at least (as with the banks) on a temporary basis, the UK will be buying them from abroad rather than making money selling them to the rest of the world.

This story is also on Demotix, and I’ll put more pictures on My London Diary next week:
http://mylondondiary.co.uk/2009/08/aug.htm