University offers eco-warrior degrees
ananova | 29.04.2002 15:30
A Scottish university is offering courses in how to be an eco-warrior.
The environmental justice course run by Friends of the Earth and Edinburgh's Queen Margaret University College is the first of its kind in the UK.
Students will learn the arts of environmental activism such as chaining themselves to trees, digging tunnels and launching campaigns. A total of 16 campaigners have already been accepted for the first year-long course.
Graduates will be awarded a certificate in environmental justice. The course has been funded by £300,000 of lottery money. Most of the first intake of students are seasoned activists who are already campaigning on environmental issues, including fish farming, landfill sites and industrial pollution.
If the course is successful, FoE hopes to expand it next year with a view to introducing courses at other UK institutions.
Other parts of the course include the basics of environmental science and planning issues, the legality of direct action and will look at successful environmental campaigns across the world. The students will be schooled in media and communications skills and learn how to access and interpret official documents.
Kevin Dunion, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, told The Guardian: "It is about schooling them in successful activism, not in terms of chaining themselves to anything, but using the system and knowing what their entitlements are and what their rights are.
"Over the years we have worked with many fantastic community activists who never have their experiences acknowledged and who have had no formal training. There are some very feisty people on the course who want to equip themselves with the skills and the certificate that goes with it."
Student Andy Robinson, 40, from the Clydesdale Opencast Action Group, said a qualification in environmental activism would allow him to hold his own against the legal teams employed by big business.
He said: "It will allow us to be as clever as some of the developers are in using legislation. I was part of a public inquiry and I was asked what experience I had in planning law to allow me to make my case. I had none, but if I'm in that position again I can refer to my qualification."
Story filed: 09:04 Monday 29th April 2002
The environmental justice course run by Friends of the Earth and Edinburgh's Queen Margaret University College is the first of its kind in the UK.
Students will learn the arts of environmental activism such as chaining themselves to trees, digging tunnels and launching campaigns. A total of 16 campaigners have already been accepted for the first year-long course.
Graduates will be awarded a certificate in environmental justice. The course has been funded by £300,000 of lottery money. Most of the first intake of students are seasoned activists who are already campaigning on environmental issues, including fish farming, landfill sites and industrial pollution.
If the course is successful, FoE hopes to expand it next year with a view to introducing courses at other UK institutions.
Other parts of the course include the basics of environmental science and planning issues, the legality of direct action and will look at successful environmental campaigns across the world. The students will be schooled in media and communications skills and learn how to access and interpret official documents.
Kevin Dunion, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, told The Guardian: "It is about schooling them in successful activism, not in terms of chaining themselves to anything, but using the system and knowing what their entitlements are and what their rights are.
"Over the years we have worked with many fantastic community activists who never have their experiences acknowledged and who have had no formal training. There are some very feisty people on the course who want to equip themselves with the skills and the certificate that goes with it."
Student Andy Robinson, 40, from the Clydesdale Opencast Action Group, said a qualification in environmental activism would allow him to hold his own against the legal teams employed by big business.
He said: "It will allow us to be as clever as some of the developers are in using legislation. I was part of a public inquiry and I was asked what experience I had in planning law to allow me to make my case. I had none, but if I'm in that position again I can refer to my qualification."
Story filed: 09:04 Monday 29th April 2002
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