North West England

Tree protest in Manchester

Protest saves tree — for now — 31/ 7/2007

A BATTLE by residents to save a copper beech from the axe has won a temporary reprieve for the 100-year-old tree. The 65ft giant, on Mayfield Road in Whalley Range, was due to be felled after a firm that owns a nearby house claimed its roots are damaging foundations.

Protest saves tree — for now — 31/ 7/2007

But residents on their way to work staged a spontaneous protest by climbing into the branches. They have vowed to climb the tree every morning until they see evidence that its roots are causing damage.

A tree preservation order was removed at the request of Manchester-based property developer Northern Group, which plans to refurbish the house.

Kate Whiteside, 38, who lives next door and was one of the neighbours who took part in the tree-climbing protest, said: “We believe you need a very good reason to cut down a mature tree like this. We’ve been asking the council to show us the documents for almost a month.

“We’re not irrational and if it is causing damage and has to go then so be it. But until we see the evidence that justifies cutting it down, we will campaign to save it.”

Nathan Eziars, of Northern Group, said: “We have done everything by the book and have approval from the council to fell it. The large root system is causing structural damage to the property and we have submitted reports from structural engineers to the council.

“I understand there are strong feelings about it, but it’s a health and safety issue. The tree is affecting the structural integrity of the property, which we plan to refurbish as soon as the planning department can process our plans.”

A council spokesman said: “The council made a decision having received expert advice on the impact of the tree. We are satisfied with the advice we received and therefore planning permission was granted.”

Several groups of Manchester residents have staged tree top protests in recent years in a bid to thwart developers’ plans.

Campaigners battled for six years to preserve the old Birley Tree, on Birley Fields in Hulme. The 110-year-old Italian poplar was eventually brought down after a dawn raid by workmen with chainsaws in 1999.

Plans to build a second runway at Manchester Airport also saw protesters take to the trees in the late 90s. Eco warrior Swampy and fellow environmental campaigners first dug tunnels under the site.

When evicted from there, they moved to nearby Cedar’s Wood and Arthur’s Wood in the Bollin Valley and attempted to stop the lopping of trees on the runway’s flight path by chaining themselves in branches.

Protesters and bailiffs clashed as Cedar’s Wood was cleared, and the 40 who remained in Arthur’s Wood had to be removed one by one.

The runway finally opened in 2001.

From Manchester Evening News

Camp for Climate Action — all the info you need to get there with the right stuff, take action & do workshops

The Camp for Climate Action 2007 — Tuesday 14th August to Tuesday 21st August
Check out Indymedia for news during the camp — this website will not get updated for the duration — site occupied: come on down.

Key information for people coming
Avenge the Planet — www.reclaimtheskies.com — information for action
24 Hours of Mass Action
Location/getting there
Workshop programme
Toolkit for climate action
Injunction: all-clear details & legal briefing
Legal advice to read before arrival
Eight days of low-impact living, debates, learning skills, and high-impact direct action tackling the root causes of climate change. Why?

The science is clear: global emissions of carbon dioxide must go into rapid decline within the next decade. If they don’t, humanity faces a bleak future.

To achieve this in a way that respects global justice means 90% cuts in developed countries like the UK. How will we cut emissions and end inequality? How will we achieve this in the face of an economic system intent on expanding at any cost, with corporations stealing the language of change to disguise business as usual? Ordinary people will have to join together to create real solutions and take direct action against the root causes of the problem.

This year the Camp for Climate Action will be at Heathrow, the world’s busiest airport and a bigger source of CO2 emissions than most countries. It’s sheer lunacy in this time of ecological crisis, but the aviation industry are pushing to almost double the airport’s capacity by increasing flights and building a third runway. The battle to stop them will be one of the most important environmental battles in Western Europe.

What we do now decides what the future holds. Those who came before us didn’t know the problem, those who come after us will have severely limited options. We have both the power and the responsibility to make a radically better world.

By uniting in collective action this summer we can begin to make it happen.

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Newly published — leaflet and website:
Heathrow Airport and the industries that make it work

Avenge the Planet — encouraging affinity group action against the aviation industry
Hot action not hot air

Full details at www.reclaimtheskies.com

Out Now! Toolkit for Climate Action

Just in time for the 2007 Climate Camp — the Toolkit for Climate Action is now ready. With this toolkit we hope to inspire you to take action — at home, at school, at work, in your community. The toolkit has been put together by the Network for Climate Action, which is has grown out of and is associated with the Climate Camp.

The toolkit contains masses of useful information related to climate chaos including:
*useful contacts, *action resources, *group working, *outreach ideas, *images and graphics, *press and media, *facts and science, *positive alternatives, *flyers and posters, *films and music

You can look at it on the web:

http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk

It’s also available as a pack containing a DVD with all the resources on it, printed guides on direct action, legal issues, media and publicity, plus a contact list for people involved in climate action.

Pick up your pack at the Big Green Gathering or the Climate Camp.

Or if you can’t wait or aren’t going there, we can post one to you.

Donations would be great too!
Contact Details
http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk/toolkit/contactus.html

CONTRIBUTE!
We’d like the resource website grow and maybe we’ll even put out a second paper edition. If you are up for helping get in touch! Let us know you have any useful climate related resources that should be on it.

FEEDBACK
The pack’s been put together by just a few people and it was lots and lots of work — which means that some of it may not be as great as it could be. It’d be really good to get your comments and offers of help to improve it.

http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk

First Directions to The Camp for Climate Action 2007.….

The camp dates are drawing nearer and nearer and we’re all desperate to know where it will be… but we’ll just have to wait a little longer!

But what we do know is that if you get yourself to Staines railway station in West London by 10am on Tuesday 14th August, you will be greeted by our friendly welcome team and promptly transported via a magical mystery tour, to the camp! (There will also be lifts to the camp later in the day and throughout the week.)

The camp dates are drawing nearer and nearer and we’re all desperate to know where it will be… but we’ll just have to wait a little longer!

Camp for Climate Action comes to Heathrow this summer.

Aviation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, and all our efforts to tackle climate change in other sectors are undone by the massive growth in air travel.
Holding the camp at Heathrow aims to highlight the lunacy of the government’s airport expansion plans, target industry giants profiteering from the climate crisis, and raise awareness of the need to fly less.
The camp will also support local residents in their long-term struggle against the building of a third runway and the destruction of their communities.

There will be a day of mass direct action aiming to disrupt the activities of the airport and the aviation industry, but in the interests of public safety there will be no attempt to blockade runways.

Although the location is different, the philosophy of the camp remains the same: to be a place for the burgeoning network of people taking radical action on climate change around the country to come together for a week of low-impact living, education, debate, networking, strategising, celebration, and direct action.
The camp will feature over 100 workshops covering topics such as climate change impacts, carbon offsetting, biofuels, peak oil, permaculture, practical renewables, campaign strategy, skills for direct action, and much more.
Run without leaders by everyone who comes along, it will be a working ecological village using renewable energy, composting waste and sourcing food locally.

It all comes down to us, now. We are the last generation that can do anything about climate change. In 20 or 30 years’ time, should we not change our ways, we’ll be committed to emissions increases that will see forests burn, soils decay, oceans rise, and millions of people die. If we don’t get this issue right, so much else is lost too.

We still have time, but not for long. Make it count.

Why target aviation?

It is the fastest growing source of CO2 emissions.
It has been left out of the first faltering frameworks to control emissions, eg. the Kyoto Protocol and the Climate Bill.
It is the most damaging form of transport.
Unlike the other high emitting sectors (e.g. energy and food production), there is no alternative sustainable technology.

The only way to reduce emissions from aviation is to reduce the number of flights.
And unlike those other sectors, aviation is not a necessity.
There is a major airport expansion programme planned at 21 airports, with increases in capacity equivalent to a new Heathrow every 5 years. This expansion programme locks us into increased emissions, and undoes all our other efforts elsewhere to reduce emissions.

Why target Heathrow?

Nowhere in the UK is there a larger source of CO2 emissions. Most countries emit less greenhouse gases than Heathrow’s planes.

Heathrow is the world’s busiest international airport. It is an iconic global symbol of aviation.
Heathrow is the heart of the UK?s aviation industry.
Heathrow is the central plank of the government’s airport expansion plans. Heathrow has a planned third runway that can be stopped.

The third runway would bulldoze entire villages and destroy communities. There is a big, established, long-term local campaign against Heathrow and BAA that we can join forces with.

There is an opportunity to highlight bias in the corrupt planning process in favour of big business and development.

The presence of Harmondsworth detention centre nearby highlights the plight of environmental refugees and the fact that climate change is fundamentally an issue of social and global injustice.

critical masses (reports from end June/beginning July 2007)

Manchester:Ace mass on friday woo! despite all the students being away for the summer there was still an ace turnout of around 30–40 people.nice. and a few stayed for a nice bbq in the park which was real lovely.

Critical mass has a my space account
here:http://www.myspace.com/mcrcriticalmass
and a facebook account here:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=597661675&ref=mf

also an email list at http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/manccriticalmass

so if you have photos or film of the masses please post or upload them or email for the passwords and i’ll send them out to you. also please use these and this list to discuss ideas and calls for help with future events for after the critical mass. In the past we’ve had benefit gigs, party in the woods, film nights, meals, beers in pubs, picnics, bike polo workshops, art exhibition, roller races etc etc. It would be ace if everyone could be involved in organising these. maybe we could even get together a little cm events working group..would anyone be interested in this? we could get together either after cm or in the month to share ideas, organisation and tasks.

these things can be discussed on this list or on myspace comments or on the facebook note or wall

ALSO
At previous critical masses in Manchester we decided on the following tips to ensure that we are all safe,that we cause least annoyance as possible, to make sure the ride stays together and to ensure that everyone feels comfortable. Remember sometimes people on critical mass come because it is a chance to reclaim the road and to feel safe, people who wouldnt usually ride in central manchester and also children, so its good to keep the nice friendly atmosphere to encourage cycling and that safe environment…if people want to discuss these its great, they were points that were agreed at several critical masses by people shouting and waving hands and that kind of thing. there is no organiser and everyone should be able to have their say. (in a way that is responsible and looking after each other)

1. If the light goes on red as the ride approaches the lights we stop and wait for green.
2. If the light changes part way through the ride getting through around 2 people per lane of oncoming traffic stop and cork the road. This basically means that they stand in the middle of that lane holding up their hand/ a sign saying ‘thank you for waiting’ so that cars will stop and let the ride stay together and go through the light safely. Thanking the drivers when everyone is through..we are trying to get drivers onto bikes not to hate us!!!
3. Slower riders and children and people with less confidence ride at the front of the ride and to the left hand side so that they can set the pace and help to stay together and also feel safer as they are less likely to be near traffic/ annoyed drivers.
4. We don’t have a set route for critical mass, instead whoever is at the front at the time can choose where we go, so we take it in turns! just shout left or right or straight on in plenty of time!
5. Have fun!

Future critical mass dates are

MEET CENTRAL LIBRARY 6PM FRIDAY:
27th July
31st August
28th September
26th October
30th November
28th December

2008
25th January
29th February (woo leap year!)
28th March
etc etc

London: Critical Mass 29th June — The June Critical Mass, with a few hundred cyclists, was a fun ride through the City and Holborn and managed to stay dry the whole way through!

Several hundred people left Waterloo bridge at about 7pm, cycling across Blackfriars bridge, along Ludgate Hill, past the Museum of London and onto Liverpool Street station. After some circling of Finsbury Circus the mass kept moving on to Old Street where we had a brief rest. Moving off the mass headed for Cambridge Circus along Theobalds road and High Holborn. From there it moved up and along Oxford Street and down to Westminster Square where there were some skirmishes with the cops over the sound system (see the account: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/374738.html)

It was a fun ride. The police for the most part seemed to keep their distance. Entertainingly a couple of police started head bobbing to the music in Old Street — I’m hoping someone got a film of it! Let’s hope next month is slightly sunnier though.

Edinburgh: It went pretty well. Around 50 people. Considerably more than last month. There was no police intervention, apart from preventing all vehicles to go across North Bridge, since it was shut again. We simply diverted down Leith Street, went all the way round the roundabout, then along Queen Street to the meadows from there. In the last 5 minutes the heavens opened.

Glasgow got the sun and a ride out to the West End complete with bike lifts and a film screening afterwards.

July York Critical Mass Ride Small but Successful

Well, it wasn’t a big ride, with just 19 people taking part, but we had fun, made cycling visible and encountered some complete idiots who need their 2 ton weapons removing from beneath them. The driver of a bright red Audi on Nunnery Lane expended much petrol revving, overtaking (twice) and generally being an idiot without any gain for himself, other than a nice picture showing that he, like a notable group of York’s drivers, has no concern whatsoever for cycle lanes or cyclists. No one was hurt, but as one person put it later “we gave as good as we got”, verbally of course.

Next months ride will probably also be small, but that’s no excuse not to show up. On Friday August 3rd we’ll be returning to the streets of York to promote cycling, sustainability and fun, same time and same place.

Miffed by Miffy

I don’t know how it came about but the Miffy rabbit character has for a long time been associated with the Earth First! movement and radical ecological direct action. But do the creators and copyright owners of the character know or approve of Miffy’s political activities?…

Miffy is a picture book character created by Dick Bruna in 1955, after telling his one-year-old son Sierk stories about a rabbit they had seen on holiday. Miffy now features in about 30 titles which have been translated into 40 different languages, selling over 80 million copies all over the world.

Drawn in a very minimalist style, Miffy requires only a few lines and one or two primary colors drawn in two dimensions to be recognisable. Perhaps this, and the sense of air of innocence over mischief explains why she become involved in ecological direct action.

It’s unclear exactly when exactly it began but you can trace her political activities, in this country at least, back to the early 90’s and the anti-roads movement. Seen coyly holding a spanner behind her back, one could only imagine the trail of monkey wrenching she left behind her in her efforts to defend the fields, woodland and hedgerows she loved.

By the late nineties, with the roads building program in retreat, Miffy joined the growing anti GM movement, taking up a spade to join the resistance. More recently, Miffy joined her fellow protesters for a game of golf up in Scotland during the 2005 G8 summit and who know, perhaps she also took part in the blockades in Heiligendamm this year.

At over fifty years old you’d think that Miffy would be her own person, free to express her political beliefs as she sees fit but sadly it appears not. The copyright owners of all Dick Bruna’s character constantly hunt down unlicensed users of her image in order to defend their profitable merchandising business.

While Miffy was created for a children’s book, the design has been capitalised on to sell numerous other products like clothes, stationery, toys, glasses, household items etc. A search for Miffy products on google brings up over 100,000 pages and no doubt many of the products sold are unlicensed copies made in far eastern sweat shops.

However, Mercis, the Dutch company that owns the copyright, are not content to simply take action on those producing ‘fake’ merchandise, they appears to have stumbled on Miffy’s radical secret life and they are not amused. They are deeply offended, ironically, by Miffys involvement in the campaign against patents on life, as depicted in sticker produced many years ago promoting the (long dead), www.resistanceisfertile.com website — copies of which can now only be found in resource archives of the (no longer maintained) Totnes Against Genetics (ToGG) website.

Mercis (www.mercis.nl) have unleashed their legal team to threaten expensive legal action against whoever might be held accountable — the inactive Totnes Genetics Group who’s long unmaintained website sill contains a picture of that Miffy sticker.

While ToGG volunteers try to get long forgotten passwords and access from the internet service provider which hosts the website in order to remove the offending image, more important questions have been raised. Will Miffy tolerate this attack on her freedom of expression and will her friends in the movement stand idly by and watch as her freedom to protest is taken away?

Other siting of Miffy can be found at https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/374195.html?c=on#comments

manchester bike stuff this weekend — critical mass, bike polo, summer party, critical commute, climate carnival

We cycle round the city to celebrate the bicycle:

It’s for anyone that rides a bike;
Its a celebration of getting round the city without polluting it;
Its about every journey being an adventure instead of just sitting on a boring bus or in a stressful car;
Its about cyclists riding together to demand more respect from other road users;
Its a way to meet other cyclistas;

We cycle round the city to celebrate the bicycle:

woooo it will not only be an amzing bike ride to celebrate the bicycle, to meet other cyclists, to have an excuse to ride around, to feel part of a bike gang, to have a fun evening etc etc

but!

this month we will also be having an ace bbq with the bike soundsystem..woo a nice outdoor bicycle summer party.ace.

woo. so please bring vegan stuff to put on it and things to drink! we will be quite near shops so if you dont its easy to get stuff.

last month we had around 120 cyclists on critical mass, lets make this one even bigger!

see http://www.myspace.com/mcrcriticalmass

Saturday 2pm bike polo practise, platt fields park on the clay pitch behind the basketball courts. everyone welcome to join in!

see http://www.myspace.com/mcrdropouts

ALSO:

don’t forget that it’s Critical Commute this Friday morning.

Details of starting points and times at

http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/lyb/critical.php

AND:

Cycling Contingent

saturday 30th June 4 Climate Change Carnival

[Manchester]

There will be a parade with samba band and kids entertainment and speakers to talk about Climate Change.

Starts at 1pm from Peace Gardens (between St. Paul Square (Manchester Central Library) and Piccadilly Gardens.

mcrcriticalmass@yahoo.co.uk
http://velorution.x21.org.uk

Ramona Africa — ON A MOVE tour of UK

Ramona Africa is touring the UK speaking about the incredible story of MOVE. MOVE are a largely black eco-revolutionary group based in Philadelphia. They have campaigned on environmental, animal rights and anti-police repression issues for thirty years. They have never backed down in the face of overt racist police repression.

More info: www.onamove2007.org.uk

In 1978 nine members of MOVE were imprisoned for a blatantly framed murder, they are still imprisoned with their first chance of parole in August 2008. In 1985 the city of Philadelphia sort the ‘final solution’ for the MOVE ‘problem’ by attacking their home with 10,000 rounds of ammunition, tear gas, water cannons and finally a bomb that burnt 60 homes to the ground. 6 MOVE adults and 5 children were burned to death. Ramona managed to escape with one of the children.
She was sentenced to seven years for ‘riot’.

Mumia Mumia Abu-Jamal is a MOVE supporter who also has also experienced the injustice of the system whilst spending over 26 years on death row for a crime he did not commit.

Come and hear about all these events and see the MOVE documentary narrated by Howard Zinn.

.
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June:
Thu 21ST @ 1in12 Bradford
Fri 22nd @ The Workshop Cafe Bar Norwich 7pm
Sun 24th @ The Common Place Leeds 6pm
Mon 25th @ The West Indian Club Leeds 6.30pm
Wed 27th @ The Cowley Club Brighton 7pm
Thu 28th @ The Rampart Centre London 7pm
Fri 29th @ Bath Place Leamington Spa
Sat 30th @ The Drum Birmingham 7pm
July:
Sun 1st @ The Star and Shadow Cinema Newcastle 7.30pm
Mon 2nd @ The Cube Cinema Bristol 8pm
(Kebele are also turning their regular Sunday Vegan cafe into a
benefit for MOVE on Sunday 1st July)

Greenpeace gives away free train tickets at airports across the UK

19 June 2007.

UPDATE (9.25am): The booths have now all been moved by security.

Over the past hour or so, impromptu ticket exchange booths have been appearing in airports across the UK.

19 June 2007.

UPDATE (9.25am): The booths have now all been moved by security.

Over the past hour or so, impromptu ticket exchange booths have been appearing in airports across the UK.

Greenpeace volunteers (fetchingly dressed as stewards and stewardesses — pics here) have been offering BA passengers checking into domestic flights climate-friendly train tickets.

It’s not just because we’re generous souls — it’s also because flying causes 10 times more damage to the climate than taking the train. And it’s responsible for 13 per cent of the UK’s impact on the climate (that’s the government’s own figures).

It’s also the fastest growing source of emissions in the UK; between 1990 and 2050, emissions from aviation could quadruple, which scientists say could wipe out all other emissions savings we make in every other sector.

The main cause of this massive growth in the UK is the proliferation of short haul flights — often unnecessary domestic ones like the 30 or so a day between London and Manchester.

British Airways (despite its claims to be green) is one of the worst offenders, opening new and unnecessary domestic routes, fiercely opposing any measures that will curb growth in emissions, keeping a tight hold over government policy and lobbying hard for airport expansion.

You can find out more about aviation and climate change here.

And you can email BA’s Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, asking him to ground unnecessary domestic UK flights on routes that are already well served by trains, and to end BA’s lobbying for more runways and bigger airports.

Thousands strip off for London’s Naked Bike Ride + Manchester video + Brighton + York

In 2004 there were 58 riders, in 2005 a creditable 250 riders, rising to a massive 800 in 2006.

But in a scale that surprised even the organisers, more than five thousand people today took to London’s streets to protest against oil dependency, celebrate body freedom and curb car culture.

Starting from Hyde Park, there was a slight deviation in route as precautions were taken to avoid a collision with an Orange march (featuring as scary a bunch of apparent loons and psychopaths as you’d ever not want to meet).

Halted half way down Piccadilly the scale of the ride became apparent, as it still tailed back well into Hyde Park (first picture).

Part of the fun took it straight through the heart of London’s tourist hellhole, Covent Garden. But the roar of appreciation from the crowds made the cobbly streets more than tolerable.

Why so many? Well many of the riders had been to last month’s Critical Mass, swollen to record numbers as a result of State attempts to control it and make it “illegal”. Empowered, as many put it, the next stage was to get their clothes off and take it up a level.

“Roll on” as Rikki put in his report of that day “the next piece of repressive legislation”.

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Manchester 2007 WNBR evening Friday 8th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEuDP7BOBUc

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Brighton 07 World Naked Bike Ride
On Saturday, more than 200 naked cyclists rode through Brighton and Hove in East Sussex. “Bikes and naked bodies harm nobody. Car fumes… are driving us all to climate chaos.”

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York: