Event: Extreme Energy Gathering
Dates: Sat/Sun 27/28th April 2013 (food and crash space available on Fri night)
Location: MERCi, Manchester, UK
Website: extreme-energy-gathering.org.uk
E-mail:  info@extreme-energy-gathering.org.uk

What is Extreme Energy?

Extreme Energy is the process whereby energy extraction methods grow increasingly more intense over time, as easier to extract resources are depleted. Driven by unsustainable energy consumption, the increased extraction effort is resulting in growing destruction of both communities and the environment. The local and global environmental impacts are growing at a frightening rate and are also accessing fossil fuels which would previously left in the ground. A number of new extraction methods threaten to devastate our countryside, while increasing our contribution to the global ecological crisis. Extreme energy methods include bio-energy, coal bed methane (CBM), new nuclear, opencast coal mining, shale gas and oil, tar sands and underground coal gasification (UCG).

The Gathering

Empowering and connecting communities to resist this destruction is crucial. The gathering aims to provide a space to allow diverse campaigns to meet, share information and support each other. In particular it is intended to help network traditional activists and people from threatened communities. Priorities for the gathering include developing shared narratives, a focus on community organising, building stronger networks, developing strategies/tactics and sharing skills and knowledge. A programme for the weekend will be appear on the website shortly.

Practical Considerations
The Extreme Energy Gathering is taking place at MERCi in Manchester on the weekend of 27/28th April 2013. For individuals planning travel arrangements, the Gathering will be starting at 10am on Saturday 27th (with tea and chitchat from 9:30am) and finishing 4.30pm on Sunday 28th April. However crash space and food will be available from 6pm on the Friday night (please e-mail us if you are planning to arrive on Friday). Food will be (breakfast, lunch and dinner on Sat and breakfast and lunch on Sun) and as well as crash space (a floor to sleep on) on Sat night (bring sleeping bags and roll mats). A limited number of beds will be available (please e-mail us if need a bed). We are aiming to keep costs to a minimum, but there will be a suggested donation (hopefully less than £20) to cover food, venue hire etc.

Directions

The venue is the Bridge 5 Mill run by MERCi (the Manchester Environmental Resource Centre). The closest train station is Manchester Piccadilly (0.8 miles, 17 min walk). National Express coaches stop at the Central Coach Station (Chorlton Street – 1.1 miles, 23 min walk) and Megabus coaches stop at Shudehill Interchange (1.2 miles, 25 min walk). The address is Bridge 5 Mill, 22a Beswick Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 7HR. For full directions for getting to MERCi visit: www.merci.org.uk/visiting

Spread The Word

Please let any groups or individuals that you think would be interested know about the gathering. A pdf of the gathering poster/flyer can be found here: extreme-energy-gathering.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/extreme-energy-gathering.pdf