UK Ecology Feature Archive
SchNEWS 730: The Hole Truth
11-07-2010 13:17
As SchNews reports from the new Rossport frontline
There is still plenty of ire left in Ireland as campaigners ready themselves for another summer of action against Shell and their plans to despoil the coast of County Mayo with a new gas pipeline (see SchNEWS 719). The project is already a decade late and three times over budget; pretty impressive for a small community fighting one of the biggest multinationals in the world.
Rossport on the newswire:
Rossport Solidarity | Shelltosea Summer Gathering | Bristol Solidarity Night | Norfolk Shell gas terminal blockaded! | Shell due to start work
Villagers keep up pressure against Minorca mine
12-06-2010 22:22
A local campaign group is fighting UK Coal's plans for an opencast mine near Measham in North West Leicestershire. The Minorca Opencast Protest Group (MOPG) oppose the company's plans for a mile long mine and the extraction of 1.25m tonnes of coal over 4 1/2 years.
UK Coal are already failing to meet requirements to restore a site in nearby Ashby de la Zouch to agricultural land and MOPG fear that this will happen again.
It is thought that coal mined at Minorca would be used to fuel Ratcliffe on Soar power station in Nottinghamshire. The mined coal would fuel the power station for only 65 days.
Newswire: UK Coal to gain unwelcome publicity at a Leicestershire County Council meeting | 400 have now signed the Minorca Petition | Pensioners to deliver message about Minorca | Leicestershire County Council: Please make a Decision!!
Previous features: Nottingham is not stupid | Protests continue at Shipley open cast site | Coal On Hold - Derbyshire Coal Mine Site Occupied | New Old Coal for Notts
Links: Minorca Opencast Protest Group | Campaign resources | Notts Against New Coal
SchNEWS 726: Slick Publicity
09-06-2010 22:02
In response to America's largest ever environmental disaster, Tony Hayward, CEO of BP, said, “I'd like my life back.” He seemed to have forgotten about the 11 workers who died on BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig when it exploded 40 miles off the Louisiana coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, on 20th April 2010.
Links: ragingpelican.wordpress.com
SchNEWS: Squaring Up To 'Em
13-05-2010 19:48
This Saturday (15th) people will be protesting at various places around central London to give the new 'stable, national interest' coalition a warm welcome.
SchNEWS gives a round-up of all the events taking place over the weekend to get your action-hungry teeth stuck into.
SchNEWS 719: Giving the Green Finger
22-04-2010 21:35
Bristol eco-village set up camp this week with huge support from the local people and activists from all over the country. The off-grid urban community kicked off last Saturday (17th) on a patch of waste land in St.Werburghs previously notorious for fly tipping, arson attacks and hard drug users.
On the Newswire: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Links: Bristol Eco Village - the Urban Centre for Alternative Technology Facebook Group | Kew Bridge Eco Village! Facebook Group
SchNEWS: For Pete's Sake
15-04-2010 19:05
Banged up Sea Shepherd campaigner Pete Bethune is facing a long prison sentence after boarding a Japanese whaling ship during protests in the Southern Ocean in February. Operation Waltzing Matilda was the most successful Sea Shepherd campaign yet against illegal Japanese whaling (see SchNEWS 713), but it wasn't without a cost for Sea Shepherd after their £2 million boat the Ady Gil was rammed and sunk by a whaler on January 6th.
On the Newswire: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
Links: www.seashepherd.orgSite of New UK Coal Open Cast Mine Occupied in Fife
26-03-2010 09:41
On Sunday night twenty five activists occupied the site of the Blair House Open Cast Coal Site in solidarity with near-by communities and in direct intervention of the environmental destruction that it will cause. Contractors have been felling trees on the site over the past week, and activists have moved in to stop this work and put an end to UK Coal's plans for mining the Black Wood Wildlife site.
Links:
Coal Action Scotland | Black Wood Solidarity Camp | Defend Huntington Lane
From the Newswire:
Eviction Papers | Camp Needs Support | Wrekin Wrecking Coal Hole | Mainshill Camp
SchNEWS: Tit Top
18-03-2010 21:12
Well blimey. Against all the odds it looks like Titnore Woods has been saved from the developers' evil clutches.
The decision made by Worthing Council's planning committee to reject the development plans for the new housing estate on the ancient woodland site on Monday (15th) had everyone shouting with joy and dancing in the public gallery. The crowd were so beside themselves they even gave the bloody councillors a standing ovation.
Links: Save Titnore Woods | Protect Our Woodland | Titnore Blog
Titnore Woods Need You
20-12-2009 13:54
With the threat of development on Titnore Woods fast approaching now is the time to rise up and resist the destruction of our natural environment by corporate greed.
Campaigners have been camping in Titnore Woods, in resistance against the development, since 2006.
West Durrington Consortium, which consists of Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpy and Heron Homes could be given the go ahead to build a 1250 home development and a road in the new year. Previously the consortium had planned to build 875 homes. The project is estimated to cost over 3 billion pounds to build and take 6 years to complete which is utter madness when Worthing is reported to have over 1000 empty buildings! If the development goes ahead West Durrington will no longer home a semi- ancient woodland with its rich diversity in rare species, flora and fauna or its surrounding farmland but a massive housing development, road and a giant Tesco.
Links:Protect Our Woodland| Tinore's Blog|The Pork Bolter|Time out at Titnore - By SchMOVIES
Previous Indymedia features about Titnore Woods: [1|2|3|4|5|6|8]
Once You COP You Just Can't Stop
10-12-2009 22:09
Going to COP15? Wondering which pair of socks to bring? A space-hopper and a peace flag or a gas-mask and a bag of transit wheel nuts? Ask no longer as SchNEWS brings you our prepare-for-action guide to the week long climate protest in Denmark, a country which professes itself to be a 'key developer of climate solutions'. Let's hope they're right. Read on for yer essential what's-what: border checks, police tactics, and probably most importantly, what will the weather be like?
See www.schnews.org.uk or click 'full article'
Oil companies left with egg on their faces
06-11-2009 11:17
Both BP and Shell had their flagship recruitment events at the Randolph Hotel hijacked by protesters in the last few weeks. Linking the global issues of climate change and exploitation to local attacks on people and the environment, campaigners from Thames Valley Climate Action took over stages, heckled, asked awkward questions, unplugged display equipment, leafletted and chatted with audiences.
The actions were amongst the first in a new grassroots campaign against the extraction of Tar Sands oil in Alberta, Canada. Shell are massively involved there, whereas BP are still in the process of getting involved; it's hoped that by targetted them early on we might be able to put them off. You can find out more, and hear first-hand stories from touring indigenous activists at the talk on Monday 16th November at Science Oxford, and at the film screening of H2Oil on Sunday 22nd November at Oxford Action Resource Centre.
[ Shell action: 1 | 2 | Video ] [ BP action: 1 | 2 | Video ]
[ Tar Sands background: 1 | 2 | 3 | UK tour | film screening ]
[ Thames Valley Climate Action | Shell To Sea | Hands Off Iraqi Oil ]
BAA bows to third runway opposition?
11-10-2009 22:14
Hot on the heels of Eon announcing delays on Kingsnorth, climate activists gained another major victory this week as BAA bowed to anti-aviation opposition of a third runway at Heathrow Airport. Following a seven year campaign, with a series of direct actions including mass action at Climate Camp 2007, the airport authority has said it will not yet be submitting a planning application to expand Heathrow.
In an unusal twist, BAA stated thay would not apply for the third runway before the general election, due to the possibility of the Conservative Party forming the next government (who claim to oppose the expansion). In which case they said they would give up the fight.
A spokesperson from NoTRAG said: "For over seven years, residents have pulled together, come together and campaigned together to stop a third runway. This may be our moment and a victory for future generations... If BAA can swiftly drop their plans following the party conference season then this clearly shows there has never been a compelling case for a third runway."
Emma Jackson, a spokesperson for the Climate Camp, stated: "E.ON and BAA know that the days of committing new climate crimes are over. Now we have to start shutting down existing coal-fired power stations, and that's why we're going to Ratcliffe-on-Soar next week." Climate Camp is calling for renewable energy to replace coal fired stations.
Links: NoTRAG | Plane Stupid | HACAN Clear Skies | Climate Camp | The Great Climate Swoop
Full article | 1 addition | 12 comments
Eon announces delay on Kingsnorth
09-10-2009 00:01
With just a week to go until climate activists converge on EOn's Ratliffe on Soar coal power station, the company has announced that it is delaying plans to build a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth until at least 2012. Climate Camp promised to return to Kent to stop a new power station being built at Kingsnorth, and this summer launched 'Tipping Point' a social centre in Gillingham to bolster the local campaign. The project has been busy making connections and doing direct action training expecting a long drawn out battle, but on Wednesday 7th of October Eon announced it was dropping any immediate plans to replace the existing power station with another coal-fired power plant.
Reports: Actions Escalate Against Eon | Adopt a contractor | Eon PR company hit | Construction firm hit | Climate Camp at Kingsnorth 2008 | E-on F-off begins | VariousResponses in the Newswire: WDM | KCAM | Climate Camp: 1|2|3 | Analysis: 1|2
Vestas Profits Announcement - Solidarity Protest at Vestas HQ
18-08-2009 15:19
€43million profit for the 2nd Quarter, €90 for the half year made on the back of 1567 job cuts.
Nerve 14 - The System Is Unsustainable
23-06-2009 19:56
Nottingham is not stupid
30-04-2009 14:30
Last Friday saw the convergence of a number of environmental protests in Nottingham. The regular critical mass was joined by riders in town for the start of the Coal Caravan. They rode past the Broadway cinema, where the Nottingham Not Stupid festival was celebrating the opening of environmental film The Age of Stupid. The riders finished at the Sumac Centre, where the Demo Project put on an evening of entertainment.
The Coal Caravan left for the site of Shipley opencast coal mine in Derbyshire on Saturday morning. It is continuing to a number of sites threatened by the industries of coal extraction and power generation in Yorkshire and the North East. Campaigners' aims are to talk to local people, organise bicycle powered films and events, hold public discussions and displays, and link with groups from different areas to help strengthen isolated campaigns.
Newswire: Coal Caravan - Latest | Fri 24th April- Coal Caravan/Demo party at the Sumac | Climate Action is Not Stupid
Previous features: Protests continue at Shipley open cast site | Coal On Hold - Derbyshire Coal Mine Site Occupied | Campaigners Trespass on Proposed Coal Mine Site
Links: Coal Caravan blog | Coal Caravan website | Not Stupid Nottingham | Critical Mass Nottingham | Notts Indymedia climate chaos topic
Veggie Pride UK
11-04-2009 13:28
Veggie Pride UK will be a fantastic fun-filled festival and carnival procession, celebrating and promoting compassionate, healthy, eco-friendly vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. Taking place in Birmingham City Centre on Saturday 16 May 2009. It`s the first event of it`s kind in the UK!
Transport is being arranged from the Leeds/Bradford area as well as from other locations from around the country.There`s only 5 weeks to go, so get your coach seats booked soon! See also their Urgent Appeal for Funds.
Aviation expansion grounded
04-03-2009 12:07
UPDATE: Lord Peter Mandelson, the unelected Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and key player in the Heathrow expansion plan, attacked with green custard.
Plane Stupid Scotland activists shut down Aberdeen airport by setting up a golf course on the taxiway and surrounding themselves with security fencing whilst another group occupied the roof of the terminal with a banner reading, “Nae Trump Games with Climate Change”. The 3am action prevented the scheduled reopening of the runway at 5am. After almost six hours the protesters voluntarily unlocked themselves when police claimed the taxiway was needed by an emergency helicopter. Eleven people, including local residents, were arrested.
Donald Trump backs Aberdeen airports expansion (where his super-rich pals will arrive to play golf on his controversial golf course). BAA obviously welcome Trump's involvement and need powerful friends right now. They are under presure from the Competition Commision and a down turn in the aviation industry is threatening expansion plans. Plans for a new runway at Stansted (blockaded by Plane Stupid last December) now looks likely to be postponed for at least two years and the airport will be put on the market without planning permission in place.
Despite government rhetoric about cutting CO2 emissions, there are expansion plans for 34 regional airports in the UK. Last month Plane Stupid activists interrupted a public meeting during a speech by Ed Miliband the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, unveiling a banner highlighting the hypocritical actions of the government in relation to aviation and climate change. Back in January Plane Stupid activists chained themselves to the entrance of Southampton airport and erected tents at the main entrance in a bid turn the regional airport into a climate refugee camp (they were in court yesterday and fined between £175 and £600 each).
Links: Greening of Mandelson | Aberdeen action 1 2 | Plane Stupid actions last month Southampton, Brighton | Stansted blockade 2008 | aviation and recession | airport expansion 1 2 | Stansted rumors | previous featureFull article | 1 addition | 2 comments
New Coal Digs In
02-03-2009 12:46
Climate Rush tackled more climate criminals last week when the UK coal industry got together for their annual 'coal awards'. In a protest timed to coincide with the UK Coal hosted awards, around 15 climate activists paid a visit to their Doncaster headquarters, dressed in Edwardian style complete with red sashes with the words 'No New Coal' written across them. A banner reading 'Leave it in the Ground' was suspended across the entrance.
In London, the dirty coal pushers shied away from confrontation with the modern day climate suffregette movement, abandoning their booking at the plush Landmark Hotel and scuttling off to Lords cricket grounds instead. At the hotel, around a hundred activists rushed inside through a fire exit and began an alternative awards ceremony to highlight the ecological damage that the coal industry is inflicting on the environment. After being ejected from the hotel, a couple more attempts were made to gain entry and one arrest was made before the alternate awards continued outside. The Landmark hotel management were less than happy about the righteous fury brought down on them by the climate criminals promised not to accept bookings from such damaging industries again.
Coal represent 50% of the electricity production in the UK and its greatest contribution to CO2 emissions so the coal industry has seen increasing attention from activists in the UK (and beyond). Last month activists and local resident disrupted work at the Rosewell open-cast coal mine in Midlothian, operated by Scottish Coal , and another protest stopped work at UK Coal owned Shipley open cast coal mine in Derbyshire. In the US capitol on Monday, 2,500 protesters blockaded the gates of a coal fired power plant for almost five hours.
Campaigns : Climate Rush | Coal Action Edinburgh | No New Coal | Capitol Climate Action | Coal Caravan
Newswire reports : Coal Rush 1 | 2 | 3 | Doncaster 1 2 | Rosewell | Shipley | USA 1 2
Previous Climate Rush actions : 'climate suffragettes' smash gov windows | chained to parliament | Heathrow 1 2 | Manchester 1 2 | Parliament 1 2
Full article | 1 addition | 1 comment
Approved Incinerator Expansion Paves Way For Direct Action
26-02-2009 22:56
"This is a very sad day for the residents of Nottingham, a sad day for democracy and a sad day for our environment".
Jon Beresford, spokesman from Nottingham Against Incineration & Landfill (NAIL) is not impressed. Local residents and NAIL have been fighting plans to expand Nottingham’s Eastcroft incinerator for the last 4 years. Democracy has been given a severe blow when the government recently over ruled Nottingham City Council and given the green light (or not so green) for Waste Recycling Group’s Planning Application to expand the facility and pollute our environment with more toxic substances and global warming gases.
The government has given the go ahead suggesting that the third incinerator will help fight climate change. "This will help fight climate change no more than building a third runway at Heathrow" argues Beresford. "This throws the governments Climate Change Policy into complete nonsense". Waste Recycling Group, owners of Nottingham’s Eastcroft incinerator originally applied to incinerate an additional 150,000 tonnes (250,000 tonnes total) of waste a year by building a third line in Nottingham City Centre.
Latest: Eastcroft, the end of the campaign?
Video: The NAIL film (10 min. various formats) | NAIL Slideshow (avi 9M)
Feature articles: Planning Officer Recommends Rejections of Incinerator Expansion | Council backs off from incinerator expansion decision | Incinerator Public Meeting - Public Bodies pull out! | Nottingham Against Incineration and Landfill campaigners hand in petition | Planning Officer insists on wider public consultation for incinerator expansion | Campaigners meet Environment Agency over incinerator | Sneinton's Rubbish Day Out 1 - The Days Events | NAIL campaign 'banner drop' at Sneinton Boulevard | NAIL campaign hammers on... | The air that we breathe...
Links: NAIL Website | Waste Recycling Group | View planning application
