Fwd: Press release from Bristol protesters 1/9/06 5.10pm
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Airborne protest at Bristol Airport against climate chaos
Following yesterdays anti-nuclear ‘reclaim power’ protests at Drax power station in Yorkshire, campaigners in Bristol today focused on Bristol Airport’s absurd plans for expansion and the harmful greenhouse emissions from air traffic, currently running at 700 million tonnes of CO2 per year in the UK.
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Airborne protest at Bristol Airport against climate chaos
Following yesterdays anti-nuclear ‘reclaim power’ protests at Drax power station in Yorkshire, campaigners in Bristol today focused on Bristol Airport’s absurd plans for expansion and the harmful greenhouse emissions from air traffic, currently running at 700 million tonnes of CO2 per year in the UK.
Today’s early evening airborne protest saw a banner proclaiming ‘Stop Airport Expansion’ float to the ceiling in the airport building, using helium balloons. There was no risk to travellers or staff, unlike actual air travel itself. A second ground level banner stated “Destination Climate Chaos’.
Campaigner Ryan Peak said: “It is up to ordinary people to take action now against the growing climate chaos and the detrimental affects of climate change. Despite the warnings of academics and scientists over the last 15 years, and various ineffectual international treaties such as Kyoto, worldwide pollution increases, and the west continues to consume 80% of the world’s resources. Sure we all need a holiday, but cut-price flights are literally costing us the earth. We may be able sunbathe more in the south west, but rising sea levels will make much of the south of the UK uninhabitable within 50 years. The tidal surges due in the Bristol channel in September and October are a sign of things to come.”
19 of the 20 hottest years have occurred since 1980. Summer heatwaves kill thousands across Europe, but droughts, and famine, in the global south kill millions. As sea levels rise and threaten coastal communities, much of the world suffers from water shortages.
Campaigner Dawn Flood added: “We must realise that governments and corporations, despite all their hot air speeches and promises, are not going to solve the problem for us. In fact they are the root of the problem, their growing consumption of resources in pursuit of greater profits is unsustainable. The world is unsustainable. We have to change our ways now, from small basic things like recycling and cycling, to taking direct action to stop resource wars, unsustainable growth, and corporate greed.”
Today’s protest saw information leaflets handed to the public at the airport. Copies of these will be uploaded to Bristol Indymedia’s website in due course, along with photos of the protest.
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For more information check:
http://www.risingtide.org.uk
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk
http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk
http://www.nobristolairportexpansion.co.uk
Campaigner Ryan Peak said: “It is up to ordinary people to take action now against the growing climate chaos and the detrimental affects of climate change. Despite the warnings of academics and scientists over the last 15 years, and various ineffectual international treaties such as Kyoto, worldwide pollution increases, and the west continues to consume 80% of the world’s resources. Sure we all need a holiday, but cut-price flights are literally costing us the earth. We may be able sunbathe more in the south west, but rising sea levels will make much of the south of the UK uninhabitable within 50 years. The tidal surges due in the Bristol channel in September and October are a sign of things to come.”
19 of the 20 hottest years have occurred since 1980. Summer heatwaves kill thousands across Europe, but droughts, and famine, in the global south kill millions. As sea levels rise and threaten coastal communities, much of the world suffers from water shortages.
Campaigner Dawn Flood added: “We must realise that governments and corporations, despite all their hot air speeches and promises, are not going to solve the problem for us. In fact they are the root of the problem, their growing consumption of resources in pursuit of greater profits is unsustainable. The world is unsustainable. We have to change our ways now, from small basic things like recycling and cycling, to taking direct action to stop resource wars, unsustainable growth, and corporate greed.”
Today’s protest saw information leaflets handed to the public at the airport. Copies of these will be uploaded to Bristol Indymedia’s website in due course, along with photos of the protest.
END
For more information check:
http://www.risingtide.org.uk http://www.climatecamp.org.uk http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk http://www.nobristolairportexpansion.co.uk 
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
Fantastic!
01.09.2006 18:18
Please can you email releases like this to
Cheers.
Plane Stupid
e-mail:
info@planestupid.com
Homepage:
http://www.planestupid.com
nice one
01.09.2006 20:20
flightgan
Post-protest update
01.09.2006 22:00
Balloon banner photo here:
Note – the protest was not organised by the No Bristol Airport Expansion campaign, but was an independent action that both supported that campaign and sought to draw in wider issues (or the ‘bigger picture’ if you like).
Act local...