Vote for Plane Stupid to win the ViralVideoAward 2010

By Joe on 26/10/2010
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Source: Flickr

Time is running out to vote for our Polar Bear Video to win the Viral Video Award 2010. There are 3 prizes up for grabs and we are still in with a chance to win all 3 of them.

The video if you have not seen it, features polar bears falling from the sky with the message being that flying has a major impact on the environment, especially here in the UK where we fly twice as much on average than any other country in the world.

If you need to watch the film for a reminder here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxis7Y1ikIQ&feature=player_embedded

If not please get voting: http://www.viralvideoaward.com/polar-bear/

From the court of the public into the court of the law

By Joe on 24/10/2010
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Source: Flickr

CtrlAltShift Blog #4 - Recent campaigns at Heathrow and Aberdeen have seen climate activists learn a new set of skills and take their concerns about aviation emissions to the law courts. Plane Stupid activist Howard Balmer explains why ...

To engage with the court of law does not necessarily represent a strategic departure from engaging "the court of the public", but it can simply add another opportunity to the modern campaigners repertoire. Many actions taken by climate activists over recent years have primarily been seen as attempts to court public opinion through positive media coverage. That's what some people seem to believe anyway...

However, we know from experience that this fickle medium is just as likely to damn you as it is to celebrate your cause. Many activists want nothing to do with this aspect of the public arena and are motivated by a desire to actually reduce emissions through their actions. Shutting down an airport can actually stop the kerosene burning.

The longer an airport stays shut the more significant become the reductions in both carbon and profit for the aviation industry. When faced with the crucial need for immediate climate mitigation this has a very real benefit and is a prime motivator.

If positive media coverage leads to discussion and support then so be it, but this remains additional. Many of us do see to engage with the public arena, but at a grass-roots level; which means sharing skills, resources and experience with communities who share our concerns.

Such direct engagement has proved highly effective in helping to galvanise community campaigns across the UK and with particular significance at Heathrow where the No Third Runway campaign has been part of a broad movement involving Transition Heathrow and HACAN amongst others.

The Grow Heathrow initative has diversified to look at local food production, working with residents to rejuvenate a former-market garden shifting 30 tonnes of rubbish, growing seasonal food and hosting permaculture workshops.

The law courts present a different challenge, but one that we are quite capable of rising to. In March, Lord Justice Carnwath's ruling left the Government's aviation policy in tatters when he pointed out that the decision to build a flagship third runway at Heathrow was outdated and did not take account of the latest developments in climate change policy.

In June, the Climate 9 kept up the momentum in the Scottish courts when defending their decision to shut down Aberdeen airport. These follow the acquittal of the Kingsnorth 6 in 2008 on the grounds that they had a lawful excuse for their actions; namely that they were acting to protect property threatened by climate impacts caused by the burning of coal.

I cannot see that court appearances will ever be an activists main aim; after all, legal proceedings require that you don a suit or posh frock and may have to pay a hefty fine or serve time. However we are prepared to engage with whoever we must in order to create sustainable alternatives to greed of the fossil fuel culture.

Coryton oil refinery gets a crude awakening

By Becky on 19/10/2010
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On Saturday the 16th October, hundreds of climate activists blockaded the access road to Coryton oil refinery in Essex. This was more than just a symbolic direct action - it directly impacted on the oil system. More than 50 tankers were prevented from leaving the site, that's about 375,000 gallons of fuel.

The day started with 3 blocs meeting in locations around central London, all waiting in anticipation and ready to occupy, build, blockade and reclaim space. As the masses travelled further out of central London, with less than happy police in tow, the energy was mounting. A large road blockade to the Shell Havens Oil Site further down the road consisted of beautiful bamboo tripods, some suitably creative banners and costumes and a personal highlight - the Stilt Bloc.

Police were forced to close the road as further on 12 female activists handcuffed themselves to vehicles deliberately blocking the way for fuel tankers. The day was part of a global week of action against the fossil fuel industry. As the UK's biggest refinery, Coryton is responsible for 22% of the national forecourt demand. Our lives have become so saturated with oil that unless drastic changes are made, we won't stand a chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change.

The Crude Awakening highlighted the failure of governments to have the guts to make the necessary changes; as usual, profits are put before people. Finding new oil reserves is the last thing we need and yet oil companies, hand in hand with governments, continue scouring the planet for the last few drops of dirty oil.

So it's about time we stopped oil companies trampling the rights of local communities, devastating local environments and pushing us all closer towards tipping points. Instead we need to start finding alternative solutions and learning skills for a post-oil future.

Photos of Crude Awakening

Air Tattoo drops charitable status logo from website

By Joe on 18/10/2010
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Following the recent protest and complaints to the charities commission calling for an end to the Fairford Air Tattoo's Charitable status, the Air Tattoo has now dropped the "working to support RAF Charitable Trust" logo from it's website.

In a recent blog we highlighted the major issues and controversy surrounding the Fairford Air Tattoo event and a week on, it has been revealed that the logo on the Air Tattoo website has now been dropped.

This is an admission on their side that they should never have been operating as a charity. Up to now, they have always played the charity hand in all their advertising, with the implication that if you buy a ticket you are contributing to a worthy cause. It is therefore clear that they have been fraudulently trading.

The Fairford Air Tattoo accounts show only 0.3% of their sales go to helping injured service personnel, and for an event that is so environmentally unsustainable, for it to be branded a charity, it is outright wrong.

Climate action as self defence

By Rosie on 17/10/2010
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Source: Flickr

CtrlAltShift Blog #3 - Rosie Slay -  There are many ways in which self defence doesn't capture the aims of climate action. Self defence, in legislative terms, is a way of defending oneself and one's own interests, and climate action is usually taken to defend others. This is both those in the present who do not have the luxury of time before they face the consequences of a changing climate, and those in the future, who may not have the opportunity to defend themselves from climate change, because our generation's actions have pushed us too far.

Climate action is, however, self defence in a broader sense of the word; defending human life and human communities, rather than any one individual. As a species ourselves, we are completely intertwined with the wider biological system we live in: "Earth". If we choke the lungs of the planet we only choke ourselves. If we strangle the planet's life system (of clean air, water and natural resources), we, as one of the recipients of these life systems, will only serve to strangle ourselves.

'Self defence' is often understood as a reaction of someone who is under (immediate) threat. But in many cases, our laws and institutions protect rich individuals, big businesses and economic growth, having little regard for the future generations, the protection of natural resources or social justice. This is clear from the case of the Climate 9, who, seeking to defend themselves and others, have instead been found 'guilty' by the courts, for the actions they took to shut down a polluting industry.

I believe that, at this juncture of the fight against climate change, climate action should not only be excused as self defence, but accepted and encouraged as the only rational response to possible climate catastrophe. Climate action (in whatever shape or form) can be far more proactive and socially responsible than the finger pointing and lip service which constitutes the sum total of our own governments reaction to this challenge.

Just Do It: Get off your arse and change the world!

By Becky on 12/10/2010
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We’re very excited about Just Do It, the upcoming documentary featuring many of Plane Stupid’s finest.  Please lend them your support, it’ll be well worth it we promise.

Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world is the inside story on the country’s biggest troublemakers. This upcoming feature documentary is a behind the scenes portrait of UK climate activists by acclaimed filmmaker Emily James. The film, currently in post-production (that means the edit) is set for release in Spring 2011 and will be free to watch and free to share.

Just Do It is funded entirely through donations, freeing the film from the constraints of investors or broadcasters. Through a totally unique production model that embraces crowd-funding and the power of working collectively, this film is breaking new ground in independent production. But they need your support.

From TODAY Lush will be matching all donations made to the film, pound for pound up to £10K for a limited time. The Challenge: £20K in 20days – you give half, Lush gives half. So there’s never been a better time to show your support to this truly independent project. Don’t sit on the fence, throw your contribution into their online hat and Lush will match your generosity.

Visit www.just-do-it.org.uk to donate. Do it today, join our crowd and be part of this pioneering film. And of course, donating is only the first step. To make this whole crowd funding malarkey work Just Do It is relying on you to recruit your friends, family, colleagues and anyone else you know to join the crowd and donate. Here’s how:

1 – Email your friends, family and colleagues. Below is a prepared sample message for you but remember it’s the personal touch that counts.

2 – Facebook – update your status, (inc. www.just-do-it.org.uk) post on your friends’ wall, invite your friends to like our page here

3 - There’s nothing like the real world. Start a conversation, show someone the trailer, pick up the phone – convince someone to donate.

There’s a sample pre-packaged message for you below to help you on your way.

SAMPLE EMAIL

Subject: Get off your arse and help these guys

Dear Friend

There’s an amazing documentary film being made but it can’t get finished without our help

It’s called Just Do It and it’s going to be a feature film about climate change activists, it’s going to be funny and inspiring. They’re making it totally independently (ie no big backers) and planning to give it to us for free. But money doesn’t grow on trees, so they need our help.

Go over to their website, check it out, and make a donation. RIGHT NOW Lush are doubling donations so get in there and make it count.

Just Do It website

Just Do It Facebook Page

Just Do It Twitter