As our representatives at the Copenhagen Conference descend to a new low, drafting secret agreements that exclude the developing world, there seems to be a new peak of energy, creativity and determination being demonstrated by people through art, music, film, and simply putting their bodies on the line to demand climate justice. Check it out below. Do send in more examples and I will add them.
By the way, what’s up with Canada? My Canadian friends have begin talking about moving to the US in protest. O dear. It’s all about the tar sands it seems.
Survival of the Fattest
If one piece of art can sum up what is happening at Copenhagen, it’s the one above. Jens Galschiot’s sculpture Survival of the Fattest depicts the developed world, represented by an obese goddess of justice, tipping the scales of justice as she gets a free ride on the back of the developing world, represented by a thin African man.
The inscription reads: “I’m sitting on the back of a man. He is sinking under the burden. I would do anything to help him. Except stepping down from his back.”
The Story of Cap and Trade
Annie Leonard brings her simple, no nonsense, and populist style to the seemingly complex issue of cap and trade, which forms the basis of U.S. climate legislation, and is (dubiously) supported by a number of mainstream environmental organizations like the NRDC. Find out “why you can’t solve a problem with the thinking that created it…”
Having a Good Time…
A great song and hilarious video by Theo Bard, addressing the entitlement of consumption. Theo was arrested for blocking a coal train around the time he wrote this song. I love it: “if you’re having a good time everything will be fine…”
Become the Bike Bloc
This lot has energy and a creative plan to harness human power to resist false solutions at Copenhagen. Their mysterious large device, pioneered with Bristol cycle engineering prowess, is being assembled at an ultra secret location in Denmark to prepare for actions on the 16th.
The Great Climate Swoop
In October, hundreds of people converged on the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal burning power station in Nottinghamshire, England with one single goal- to shut the mother down. This is one of an increasing number of direct actions directed at the source of greenhouse gases. I was speaking with a friend who was there, and he said he saw the mass action as having been successful, even though the plant remained operational. “At least now it’s pretty clear that they can’t build a coal fired power station without spending millions of pounds on barbed wire and electric fences in order to defend it against their own people…” Rumors are that there will be an attempt to reclaim the negotiations on Dec. 16th. I wonder how fast the water cannons will come out.
I don’t believe in global warming
This is a good one- hits the nail on the head “If I believed in global warming then all I would think about is global warming.” (as opposed to more important things like sex, presumably) Welcome to Planet Earth circa 2010.
Polar Bear
Produced by Plane Stupid, this is clearly a response to those cuddly and friendly appeals by environmental organisations to ‘save the cute polar bears.’ This video reminds us that climate change caused by aviation means a grizzly and sad end to these beautiful creatures, as seen in tragic new photographs of a polar bear eating its own cub. (Warning this is reality. And yes even more graphic than the video)
Rap News: Lord Monckton Rap Battles Al Gore
The Australian outfit Juice Media have created quite the stir with their spot on, tuned in rap news- the presenter Robert Foster lays down the lyrics: “it’s tempting to cry victim when the system tries to curb behaviors, but are we the victims, or are we the perpetrators?
On the Level: Car Free Blog 