PLYMOUTH RISING TIDE NVDA workshop
Date: Sunday 26th February
Time: From 1pm to 4pm, with a short break for refreshments.
Place: Central venue in Plymouth - to be confirmed
Details: It's free, open to anyone over 18.
Please contact us to confirm your assistance.
Planning meetings
We are having meetings to plan this year's actions & steps. You're welcome to join us!
The True Cost of Coal
On TUESDAY 1st MARCH we held the 'The True Cost of Coal' presentation, an interactive visual tour of the connections between Coal Mining, Climate Change, the Ever Expanding Capitalist Economy, and the Struggle for Justice in Appalachia, North America and throughout the world.
The facilitators were Nomad Rising Tiders’ who network at international level and are also two of the activists who stopped the Coal Train in Ffos y Fran - one of the largest opencast coal mines in Europe.
Thanks a lot to the radical Rising Tide-Bristol comrades and to the cool guys of the UPSU Climate Change Society for your support and presence!
http://www.upsu.com/climate
The' Beehive Design Collective'(who created the visual art & story)is part of the Rising Tide North America Collective: http://www.beehivecollective.org/
RT - 'Food & Film' night
On 1st February we held another F&F night at The Fortescue pub. We watched "Globalisation & the Media" (Undercurrents) and had a very long and interesting conversation after the film about the impact of information we receive and what we all could do about it, while we enjoyed tasty vegan food:)
Thanks to our new comrades for helping out and to everybody who shared with us the night!
RISING TIDE 10th anniversary event - 'Food & Film' night
On 12th November we remembered the 10th anniversary of Rising Tide with 2 short films followed by an amazing open discussion and tasty vegan food.
We thanks everyone who came and made of that night an inspiring one :)
We are planning more 'Food & Film' nights for next year, so hope to see you there!
Bp spoof leaflet at local 'Bp Summer Big Screens'
Bp is sponsoring the Royal Opera House big screens in different towns to 'generously' share their image wash with all the people of the UK. Tuesday 13th July was Plymouth's chance to say 'thank you' for such an amazing Bp dirty 'gift'....to themselves.
RT-Plymouth sat down with the audience and spread some spoof leaflets around allowing Bp to express their real feelings about Gulf of Mexico disaster and Tar Sands climate crime and how they find in Art the perfect mask to disguise their actions.
The people of the audience were very pleased to be informed and were asking for more.
A member of the local press also congratulated our 'info' work saying: 'I was expecting somebody to say something. Well done."
Stall at Big Days in the Park Festival
We held a stall at BDs in Park (Freedom Fields)with good interest from the public, a lot of info about Tar Sands going out and new friends joining us!
CRUDE, the real price of oil - free screening and open discussion
On FRIDAY 4th JUNE, RT-Plymouth were supporting the free screening of CRUDE, a film winner of 19 international awards. The film tells the story of one of the largest and most controversial legal cases on the planet: the 'AMAZON CHERNOBYL' lawsuit pitting 30.000 rainforest dwellers in Ecuador against the oil giant Chevron-Texaco.
A drama showing the multinational corporate power of the oil industry, its connection with rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures... and much more.
There is going to be another screening in September.
More info about the Texaco case case at: http://www.texacotoxico.org/eng/
BP shut down in Plymouth over Tar Sands oil!
On Thursday 8 April, Plymouth Rising Tide and Kernow Anarchist Network blockaded the BP garage in Ridgeway, Plymouth, to highlight the environmental destruction caused by the Tar Sands project in Alberta, Canada. The garage was closed for more than 2 hours and two activists who were locked onto petrol pumps were arrested.
The Tar Sands are a vast reserve of oil in the Canadian wilderness. Extracting oil from it produces 3 to 5 times as much greenhouse gases as from conventional oil. The development covers an area the size of England, with toxic ponds so huge they are visible from space, leaking poisons into the local water supply. Indigenous communities, on whose land the extraction has been imposed, are seeing high rates of rare forms of cancer and respiratory disease.
Michelle Roberts from KAN said: “The Tar Sands are the most destructive project on earth, fuelling climate chaos and mass deforestation, and trampling on indigenous rights. It would be criminal of BP to go ahead with it.” And Sarah Mana, from PRT added,when she was interrogated by the press about the arrests: "We saw it as necessary to make a radical call".
This action was part of the BP Tar Sands Fortnight of Shame, a national fortnight of action leading up to BP’s annual general meeting on 15th April, when they were making a final decision as to whether to go into Tar Sands extraction project,'Sunrise'.
See the press coverage: http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Greens-protest-closes-petrol-stati…
See also : http://tarsandsinfocus.wordpress.com/bp-fortnight-of-shame/ and : http://kernowaction.wordpress.com/
The FOSSIL FOOLS FARCE ... is here!
Rising Tide-Plymouth & Art Not Oil-Plymouth took the Plymouth city centre streets to bring you the big “Fossil Fools Farce”, a street theatre to remind us there are facts and names behind the Climate drama.
On "Fossil Fools Day", we brought you:
*The BIG OIL evil clown – representing the oil industry that is the responsibility of the
'taxpayer supported' global expansion into the far reaches of the planet.Apart of massive CO2 emissions, the oil industry has been responsible for massive scale deforestation, local mortal diseases in oil field areas,ecological disasters, overriding indigenous rights and more human rights
violations. All in the name of their profit.
We also highlighted that Shell (and BP soon) are investing in the tragic TAR SANDS project in
Canada, which is the dirtiest and most expensive oil in terms of extraction and emissions that will lead us inevitably to runaway Climate Chaos.
*The Crazy AVIATOR – In terms of damage to the climate, flying is ten times worse than taking the train. It's responsible for 13% of the UK's impact on the climate and it's the fastest growing source of emissions in this country.The main cause of this massive growth in the UK is the proliferation of short haul routes - often unnecessary domestic ones.
In Plymouth we have Air South West ( owned by Sutton Harbour group - who also manage Plymouth airport!) publicising aggressively domestic flights between Plymouth-London and Newquay. Their 'cheap' price offers don't tell you what we'll all have to pay afterwards - the REAL price behind it: a planet that will never stop warming up.
Fossil fuels are the main source of Greenhouse Gas emissions.If we’re going to stop climate chaos, the only real solution is to leave them in the ground.
We invited people to join the positive characters of this drama and change the script of our future!
The inspiring WIND FAIRY, playing and trusting clean energy; the committed CYCLIST, who claims the future with pedal power! and the down to earth PERMACULTURE, who respects the land, grows their own food and sows the seeds into our chance to be healthy and economically independent communities!
We can be the problem ..or the solution. WHATAREYOUPTO?
FYI:
-Join 'Transition-Plymouth' grassroots local initiative for a sustainable Plymouth!
Email: plymouthtransition@nature-mail.com or phone: 01752 222152
- Get the facts on Tar Sands: http://www.tarsandswatch.org/
- Stop supporting unethical fossil banks like RBS & Barclay's. Switch yourself to an ethical one: the Co-operative or Triodos, or see: http://www.vegansociety.com/Lifestyle-And-Nutrition/Finance/Ethical-Ban…
- More alternatives: http://risingtide.org.uk/resources/positivesolutions
Copenhagen updates
On Saturday 12th December, we shared updates and open chat about the COP15 process at the 'Earth cafe' -an ethical cafe where general public, campaigners and activists meet to get informed and network.
Rising Tide 'Climate refugees' d-locked on Barclay's building's entrance!
On Monday 30th November, Rising Tide-Plymouth 'Climate refugees' (and friends) d-locked themselves to Barclay's bank building's entrance in town, to highlight the investments this bank is doing on Coal, Tar Sands and Arms Trade in times of Climate emergency.
Coal is the dirtiest, most dated and inefficient fossil fuel. Tar Sands Oil is the dirtiest and most expensive oil in terms of extraction and emissions -and global oil resources are running out! Arms Trade generates violence everywhere and also greenhouse gas emissions -Barclay's being the largest investor of all UK banks in this sector.
Coal,Tar Sands and the Arms Trade are not only responsible for a phenomenal amount of global Greenhouse Gas emissions but if they do continue, it will lead us inevitably to runaway Climate Chaos.
See the press coverage here:
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Arrests-follow-climate-protest/art…
Thanks to all the people who stopped and gave support to our action on that day! You were lovely.
More presentations
On Monday 16th November, at 7pm, in the Plymouth University, we held the "COPENHAGEN'09 AND OUR CLIMATE INJUSTICE" presentation,workshop and open discussion by RT-Plymouth and Climate Camp local group, about what is going to happen in December and what is the relation with Climate Injustice. Many students attended and we had a very good information exchange,few games and talked about the local actions for people that cannot go to Denmark.
We were invited by friends from Transition Town Totnes to give a presentation on "CLIMATE DIRECT ACTION & TRANSITION" in Totnes on the Tuesday 30th June. The report called the presentation (which included a fishbowl discussion afterwards)'a great success'. Over thirty people turned up to hear about direct action and democracy and how it might link with the Transition movement.
Climate Justice presentations
On Thursday 21st May we were invited to give a "Climate Justice" presentation in a 'Voluntary Service Organization' meeting about CLIMATE CHANGE at the University, with young volunteers from Africa and UK.
The presentation was very dynamic and the young volunteers enjoyed our CO2 game! but they also understood the social consequences of Carbon Trading. Thanks a lot for the invitation!
On Sunday 17th May we gave a speech on "Carbon Capture & Storage" at the "TRADE UNIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE" meeting in Torquay, organized by the TSSA.
Rising Tiders 'Human-Penguins' sticked to the truth on Fossil Fools Day -April 1st 2009
While activists descended on London to highlight the links between the financial and the climate crisis, in Plymouth, Rising Tide penguins super-glued themselves to the entrance of RBS to highlight RBS's funding of fossil fuels projects. RBS are one of the biggest investors in the fossil fuel industry and provided $16 billion to coal-related companies in 2007 alone.
Ann Smith spokesperson for Rising Tide Plymouth said: "RBS is now 57% owned by the UK taxpayers. Climate change requires a move to renewable energy now, not continued support for the expansion of the fossil fuel industry".
See photos and the press coverage here:
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Protesters-superglued-Plymouth-bank/article-865000-detail/article.html
See our leaflet on the day (pdf).
'Climate Justice' public Workshop
On the 20th January 2009 we offered a free workshop about 'Climate Justice' in the University of Plymouth, during the Green Week of this institution.
We had a conversation with the participants about what 'Climate Justice' means, showed a screening of the Texaco case in Ecuador* followed by a chat about it. And finally played the CO2 game! -a game created to get a vision of the Carbon Market and the International situation around it.
We also provided educative material for people to take.
*The Texaco case in Ecuador (Southamerica) is catalogued as the biggest environmental disaster in the history related to an oil company. For info, see: www.texacotoxico.org/eng/
'Buy Nothing Day' action
On 29th November 2008 we took an initiative to commemorate the International "Buy Nothing Day", a day created by activists to highlight the social and environmental damage that CONSUMERISM produces in our societies. People consuming blindly products that are not really necessary for our living but only induced by a overwhelming constant propaganda, left as a result from deforestation until a deep degeneration of the social values.
Rt-Plymouth decided to stand on the doorsteps of 'Drake Circus', the biggest shopping centre in our city, to offer a public workshop for Christmas and Solstice presents made entirely of simple recycled materials and totally free.
We extended leaflets to the public with clear and short messages suggesting to reflect what is really important to give, where the things that we buy come from and why not chill out that day and stay at home with their families.
Our stand was quite successful, many people stayed to create something and some participants even left some presents for us! -Thank you!
More info: www.buynothingday.co.uk
Photo:
Street Theater action against E-on
On 24th November 2008, Rising Tiders took the streets near the Sun Dial, to spread awareness about the realities of "clean coal technology"(1). With a funny piece of street Theatre, dressed as E.ON representatives, we hit the city centre with our SUPER "CLEAN COAL MACHINE"! giving free samples of how 'Coal can be cleaned!' ....with a bit of imagination (or a bunch?!) and the new inventions from the Carbon Market. However much we insisted, the majority of public (not all of them! C'mon, Plymouth!) could clearly see that it wasn't true. Coal cannot be 'cleaned'...
Thanks to Police officers 'suggestions', who came to meet us (they seem to like us a lot) we went to the City Council to ask for the opinion of the Plymouth Council about Coal energy and how things are going in Plymouth about Climate Change.
The response was a polite letter from Mrs. Jacky Young, Lead Officer for Climate Change from the Plymouth City Council explaining the Council's plans to target this issue and welcoming any advice (!) So, can Street Theatre change the world afterall?(2)
We explained afterwards to the public how our CLEAN COAL MACHINE was a representation of the CARBON STORAGE project(3) (not that appealing as our machine but nevertheless not less 'fantasias') and we provided informational leaflets about the Coal industry, known as the most dated and inefficient from all fossil fuels, and how the energy giant E.ON is hoping to build 7 new coal powered power stations in UK, one of them at Kingsnorth in Kent.
Notes:
(1)This action was in support of the upcoming 48 hours of action against E.ON on
the 28th and 29th of this month as part of the national 'E.ON face-off' campaign to
stop the building of a new power station at Kingsnorth. See: www.e-onf-off.org.uk
(2)Please have a look at the Plymouth City Council "Carbon Management Plan" at:
http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/260308lacmfinalsubmission.pdf
You can give your opinion/suggestions to Mrs Jackie Young at:
Jacqueline.Young@plymouth.gov.uk
The Plymouth City Council is also preparing a 'Climate Change Framework' and 'Sustainable Development Framework' that the all we are going to be informed about...
(3)'Capture and storage' technology has never been tested on a large scale and industry estimates state that implementation would not be economically viable for at least another ten years, by which time it will be too late.
Plymouth Rising Tide PUBLIC MEETING
On the 12th November 2008, we made our first PUBLIC MEETING in Plymouth.
We had an interesting talk with the public about what Rising Tide is, its Political Statement, the Climate Movement and Civil Disobedience, having as a result an informal debate of almost 2 hours.
We showed the videos of 2 of our local actions and got new members to share the job.
Shell Wildlife exhibition protest & the "WILD LIE" counter-exhibition in Plymouth
From the 28th June till 30th August 2008, Plymouth History Museum & Art Gallery made the mistake of receiving the "Shell Photographer of the Year exhibition", just when Plymouth Rising Tide decided to support ART NOT OIL project in our city!
This exhibition sponsored by Shell Oil Company was already a target of a 2 year protest outside the Natural History Museum in London for ART NOT OIL (London based) and Friends of the Earth-London, as a result of the Greenwash that lies behind it.
Plymouth RT/ ANO and friends, visited the Plymouth Museum in different occasions, one of them as Greenwash Inspectors! (Others as penguins and tigers!) to highlight the cynicism that such oil company appears as a wildlife career and Art promoter.
Hundreds of information leaflets were given to the general public in every action and we had the central local news attention.
Once returned from the Climate camp, Plymouth-ANO set up the local Shell WILD LIE Counter-exhibition created by ANO-London.A serial of beautiful photographs and prints expressing the damage that Shell has caused.
We really thanks to Plymouth Greenpeace and The Peace Boat crew to support the Greenwash Inspectors action!
And to STAR MOUNTAIN café & holistic centre for hosting our counter-exhibition! www.starmountain.co.uk
See www.artnotoil.org.uk for details of this and other actions against the oil industry greenwash with Art!
More about Shell implications at: www.shelloiledwildlife.org.uk
Local neighbourhood on the Climate Camp
For first time in the Climate Camp (August 2008) the 'South West neighbourhood' was formed with a collaboration between Plymouth Rising Tide, Plymouth Greenpeace, Kernow Trident Ploughshares and individual local activists.
It was a very important experience to join our local activist's community. We worked hard and enjoyed it a lot!
This neighbourhood has changed its name now to "Devon and Kernow"
Contact: devonkernow@climatecamp.org.uk
The Climate Camp is a network of groups and individuals gathered to confront Climate Change on its roots causes through offering a model of Sustainable Living, Non Violent Direct Action and Popular Education. See www.climatecamp.org.uk
Fossil Fools Day 2008!
This was a big international day on the 1st April 2008, with more than 100 actions around the world against the fossil fuel industry! See: www.fossilfoolsday.org
It took time to organize but finally we decided to hit our local fossil fool: Plymouth ESSO petrol station.
Since ESSO (Exxon Mobil) is not just the biggest one, but the most cynical oil company in trying to misinform the public about Climate Change(1) and having its garage so central, we felt inevitably drawn to make a roof protest-circus style, to shut it down.
(1)See info about ESSO: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Esso_campaign
See the video of this action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoJRQRkpnoM
Newquay Airport expansion action
We received the invitation of our mates from Kernow-Rising Tide to support their action on the 15th December 2007 to stop the ridiculous expansion of the Newquay local airport.
We made a roof protest, based on an excellent report from the Groundswell-Cornwall group (see: http://www.groundswellcornwall.org/newquayairport ) and calling for a Public Debate for the 12th January2008.
The debate wasn't acknowledged for the authorities of Kernow, however raised awareness and position from the local people about this as an important local issue.
Our roof protest for Newquay has set inconvenient publicity for the expansion plans.
It is still an ongoing discussion!
Video of this action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27J8sFQ6Utg
Thanks to our dear 'Sio' for producing this video, well spotting the skills of some of our mates: performers, drummers and 'professional' climbers!
Royal Bank of Scotland Action
This was our first action on the 16th October 2007 with the National Action against the Royal Bank of Scotland. With drums,a banner and faces painted we visited the entrance of our local RBS, spreading more than 60 leaflets about the situation with the self-called "Bank of Gas and Coal". Although we were few, the public was very interested in the information we supplied and in our motivation to do this action.
Soon we got new members.
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