Activism

Climate Change Camp Demonstrates Innovative Activist Methods

By Ben Bull
Published August 20, 2007

Following on from my recent blog about the evolution of activist methods, I thought I'd link you to an excellent piece by Zoe Cormier about London Heathrow's Camp for Climate Change.

Among Cormier's many thoughtful insights and quotes is this little gem: "The powers that be aren't going to change unless they are prodded. Ultimately, dissent is the fuel for the engine of progress."

Certainly the Heathrow activist's tactics are different - the Climate Change Camp features sustainability seminars, a Wi-Fi tent and a kids' playground - and their tactics are certainly working. As with the recent Hadrian's Wall protest, the Climate Change Camp is making headlines all over the world and, for the most part, in a positive way.

Good tactics are also about timing and you can't help but feel that the issue of air travel, and its adverse effect on our environment, is ready for prime time.

Who knew that air emissions were never factored into any of the Kyoto targets? And who knew the sheer scale and size of the emissions these massive engines are spewing out?

A friend of mine recently mused about the plight of air travel in our new environmentally conscious world. "Just think," he said to me, "that within one lifetime we could have created and dismantled an entire technology."

"Yes," I agreed, "It's as if we now have too much progress."

But that's another topic altogether.

Ben Bull lives in downtown Toronto. He's been working on a book of short stories for about 10 years now and hopes to be finished tomorrow. He also has a movie blog.

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