Coal Caravan

Saturday 2nd May - Sunday 3rd May - Dipton Community Centre, A692
Monday 4th May - Cambois Miners Institute, Blyth

G20 Resistance

The G20 at London's Excel centre on the 2nd of April. The G20, the twenty most industrialised nations met with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation to discuss keeping the rich- rich and the poor- poor and the continuing wholesale destruction of our planet.

Some of us went to London where they ran convergence and crash spaces.

Financial fools day April 1st action at the carbon trading exchange:

2000 protesters set up a Camp for Climate Action in the middle of the Square Mile, closing a major road for 12 hours. The Camp was located outside the European Climate Exchange on Bishopsgate, to protest against the G20's plans to use deeply flawed carbon trading mechanisms to tackle climate change.

As planned, hundreds of protesters “swooped” from all over the City at 12.30pm and set up tents, bunting and bicycles in order to reclaim a large portion of the financial district. Throughout the day there was a programme of workshops on themes such as the absurdity of carbon trading, the history of social movements and alternative economic models, whilst pedal powered sound systems and live bands provided entertainment, a kitchen provided hundreds of meals and a farmers market gave away organic vegetables.

Photos of the camp: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk
Film of the State reaction after 12 hours: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlJRi7YR1bU

In a desperate attempt to maintain their control over our world, the bastards have allocated $750bn (taken from tax payers) to the IMF. This money can be borrowed by governments in return for things like privatising our water or allowing open cast mining. It would then be paid back by things like closing hospitals.

See the G20 meltdown or climate camp websites for further info.
ToonclimateACTION!

Update: There was a further demo outside Pilgrim Street Police Station, Newcastle, in response to the murder of Ian Tomlinson (which the CPS has attempted but failed to cover up; see the Channel 4 news video here: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1184614595?bctid=20486) and various serious assaults by paramilitary cops during the G20.

Climate Camp Scotland

What's happening:

We're going to set up camp somewhere around the Firth of Forth, a part of the central belt of Scotland littered with power stations, corporate HQs, gas and oil refineries, open cast coal mines, a nuclear power station and a cement factory. We want you to join us to hold the people and systems responsible for climate change and ecocide to account.

The camp will focus on helping groups of people to take action against a whole range of targets. If you're coming with a group of friends that's great – we'll help you choose targets and actions, and if you're coming alone there will be plenty of opportunity to meet other people and work out a plan.

The camp will have as low an ecological impact as possible so expect compost toilets, grey water systems and micro-renewable energy. There will be kitchens providing three meals a day so there's no need to bring any food or cooking equipment. There will be workshops, skill-shares and much more.

How to get there:

The location of the site will be announced just before the start of the camp – check the website (climatecampscotland.org.uk) or phone the info number which will be available shortly before the 3rd for directions to the camp. If you're coming by public transport get yourself to Edinburgh Waverley or Glasgow Central train stations and be prepared to travel – info-points will tell you the train station to get to and how to get there. There will be shuttle buses from the nearest train station to the camp.

What to bring:

A tent, sleeping bag and carry mat and anything else you'd take camping. Be prepared for rain and sun. But most importantly, bring all of your friends!

What not to bring:

Pen-knives – the cops love using them as an excuse to harass us so let's not let them.

If you want more information or to get in touch, go to climatecampscotland.org.uk or email us on climatecampscotland@riseup.net

See you there!

Climate Camp Scotland
e-mail: climatecampscotland@riseup.net
Homepage: http://climatecampscotland.org.uk/

The Age of Stupid

Friday 17th April 7:30 p.m. Star & Shadow
The Age of Stupid is the new film from director Franny Armstrong (McLibel) and producer John Battsek (One Day In September). Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, looking at "old" footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance? To be followed by music in the bar.
www.ageofstupid.net

High Court take on Stop Stansted Expansion Campaign

Stop Stansted Expansion are considering whether to appeal after losing a High Court battle to block the decision to expand Stansted Airport. They challenged the legality of plans for an additional 10 million passengers a year to use the existing runway. A judge rejected the fact that bastard Government ministers are guilty of steamrollering the plans through without considering the additional millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases which would be emitted or the noise pollution local residents are threatened with.

Put People First

March 28 London
The TUC is taking part in a major event to put pressure on world leaders at the G20 summit. The Put People First - March for Jobs, Justice and Climate will take place on Saturday 28th March before the summit. On 28th March thousands will march through London as part of a global campaign to challenge the G20, ahead of their 2nd April summit on the global financial crisis. Even before the banking collapse, the world suffered poverty, inequality and the threat of climate chaos. The world has followed a financial model that has created an economy fuelled by ever-increasing debt, both financial and environmental. Our future depends on creating an economy based on fair distribution of wealth, decent jobs for all and a low carbon future. There can be no going back to business as usual.
North East Shop Stewards Network coach £30 waged, £10 unwaged
To reserve tickets call Tony 0771 994 6814
or email: nessnsec@googlemail.com

This is the Saturday before the G20; why not stay for Climate Camp on the 1st?
Important G20 update from the Camp for Climate Action:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/03/424123.html

G20 London Protests + Events List + Locations Map
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/03/424939.html

North East Open Cast Action Meeting

Halton-Lea-Gate
11am - Walk around the area
1pm to 3pm - Meeting - All against open cast welcome
The newly re-formed North East Open Cast Action Group has its first meeting this Saturday in the threatened village of Halton-le-Gate near Haltwhistle. The new group is made up of members from north east communities threatend with opencasting or suffering from it as well as environmental campaigners from across the region. It aims to give support and advice to residents concerned with the rash of opencast applications in Durham and Northumberland as well as offering practical support and linking local groups in with national networks. Further meetings will be hosted in different locations so that all members get a chance to visit the variety of areas under threat.
http://northeastopencast.tk/

Nowtopia

Author Chris Carlsson presents his provocative new book, examining a new politics of work that has emerged outside of the traditional constraints of wage-labor. It's a Talk and Slide-show with discussion following the 50-minute presentation.
Sun 12 Apr 4.30 Star & Shadow

Chris is one of the founders of Critical Mass and Processed World Magazine

Critical Mass

Critical Mass is a world wide movement protesting for cyclists rights.
5pm Friday 27th March Haymarket

Star & Shadow Cinema:

Wednesday 25th March
7:30 p.m. - Film: CO-OPERATIVE FILM FESTIVAL: Cooperatives as an alternative economic order
2 films: Electrification of Pignon and Tsunami.

Thursday 26th March
7:30 p.m. - Film: CO-OPERATIVE FILM FESTIVAL: Youth and Futures
Co-operative Film Makers / UK / 120 min’s with interval 120 minutes of 6 minute shorts, all films made by groups of young people in co-operative youth groups.

Friday 27th March
6:00 p.m. - Film: The 2nd Newcastle Bike Festival: Ayamye (2004)
A documentary which considers the effects that the lack of reliable transport has on rural Ghania but also about how the solutions to such problems aren't nearly as complicated as one might expect. More Info
8:00 p.m. - Film: The 2nd Newcastle Bike Festival: A boy, a girl and a bike (1949)
Filmed around Hebdon Bridge, Yorkshire this is a amiable romantic comedy about a 'love triangle between a working class woman, a man from a cycle club and a middle class motor fanatic.

Keep Tyne & Wear Metro Public Campaign

RMT sets ballot timetable over privatisation threat to Metro jobs
A strike ballot of more than 250 RMT members employed by Nexus at Tyne and Wear Metro will be concluded by March 30. The union is urging members to vote for action in a dispute over the threat to jobs, pensions and conditions posed by moves to privatise the network’s operations. Bob Crow said: “Tyne and Wear’s transport executive is threatening to put the Metro’s operations into private hands but it has failed to provide us with the assurances we need that our members’ futures will be secure. We hope that even at this late stage Nexus will see sense and drop its completely unnecessary tendering process, but we have already learned the bitter lesson that rail workers, like service and safety, come a poor second when profit is involved. We have spent the last dozen years resisting attacks on rail workers’ jobs, pensions and conditions that are the direct result of privatisation, and without firm assurances from Nexus we have no option but to ballot for action to secure them.”
www.rmt.org.uk

G20

Climate Camp in London's Square Mile, April 1 2009

The G20 meeting is coming up fast, as are our plans to shut down carbon markets and be camping in London's Square Mile as the 20 heads of state arrive.

Call out:
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/g20
Facebook event:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=49600653225
Postcard:
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/files/G20PostcardB_4onA4.pdf
Important G20 update from the Camp for Climate Action:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/03/424123.html

BBC: Back to the Black Stuff?

Twenty five years after the miners' strike, is coal about to make a comeback in the North East?

RWE NPower take on anti Blyth Power Station Activists

Banks Group take on anti Open Cast Activists Dave Guy of the NUM and Karen Anderson of the Pont Valley Network

Coal Caravan

Saturday 2nd May - Cycling to the North East. Event introducing the caravan and showing slides from the trip so far. All welcome to stay in Dipton Community Centre.
Sunday 3rd May - walk around a couple of the proposed sites.
Monday 4th May - Newcastle event
http://sounddevastation.co.uk/coalcaravan/index.htm

Climate Camp un- Welcome's the G20

Climate Camp hits the City of London on April Fools Day, the eve of the G20 leaders' London Summit. Join us!
Climate camp 2009 /// Stopping carbon markets /// Because nature doesn't do bailouts.
First the city traders speculated with our homes, jobs and money – with
disastrous results. Now they are speculating with our climate and the very
future of life on earth – and once again our governments are cheering them on.

By creating a brain-bending system of carbon pollution licenses, fossil fuel companies and trading firms have found a way to keep on churning out global warming gases and to reap huge windfall profits at the same time.
Meanwhile, the UK government is justifying a third runway at Heathrow and a coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth by saying that these new “carbon trading” schemes will magically make all their emissions vanish.

They are handing control of our climate over to the same people and systems that caused the financial collapse. All the workable and fair alternatives aren't getting a look-in

We need to stop this foolishness.

We've camped against the Heathrow runway, we've camped against the Kingsnorth coal power station. Now its time to camp against the over-arching problem: absolute faith in unfettered markets and endless economic growth. On April 1st the G20 leaders arrive in London. At a time of climate crisis their response to the market meltdown is emergency loans to car manufacturers, increased spending to encourage consumption, and bailouts for the very people who got us into this mess - just the thing that will make the climate crisis worse.

Don’t let them get away with it: join our camp in the Square Mile! Gather at noon, April 1st, at the European Climate Exchange, Hasilwood House, 62 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AW. Bring a pop-up tent, sleeping bag, wind turbine, mobile cinema, action plans and ideas...let’s imagine another world.

Don't let the financial and fossil fools make the rules!

for updates, details on back-up plans, and moreinformation, visit us again at http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/g20

To get involved, come to our planning meeting on Saturday February 14th in London (arrive at the library houuse, 52 Knatchbull, at 1 pm for a 1:30 start) or come to the gathering on March the 6th/7th in Nottingham.

Email g20 [@] climatecamp.org.uk for more information.

Join the announcements list, the facebook page and event.

Please post this link, paste this text, and otherwise spread the word!

Help celebrate Fossil Fools Day and Financial Fools Day

The Paris Declaration
We won't pay for your crises - it is time for change!

More than 150 representatives of trade unions, farmers' movements, global justice groups, environmental groups, development groups, migrants' groups, faith-based groups, women's groups, the have-not movements, student and youth groups, and anti-poverty groups from all over Europe gathered on the 10th and 11th of January 2009 in Paris to analyse collectively the current crises, to develop joint strategies and to discuss joint demands and alternatives in response to these crises.

As the financial and the economic crises intensify, millions of women and men are losing their jobs, houses and livelihoods. Tens of millions more are forecast to join the 1.4 billion people already living in extreme poverty. The crises worsen the social, ecological, cultural and political situation of the majority of people on our planet.

Despite the evident and foreseeable failure of the current economic model, world leaders are responding by trying to preserve the system that is responsible for the crises. Governments have been quick to bail out bankers, corporate share holders and their financial backers with hundreds of billions in public money. To solve the problem, they put into place bankers and heads of corporations: the same actors that created the crises. The workers, the jobless, the poor - all those affected have received no help in their daily struggle to make ends meet, and to cap it all, they are now supposed to pay the bill.

Governments' proposals to deal with the unfolding economic crisis do not address the other dimensions of the crisis we face today – global justice, food, climate and energy – and with it the need to transform the economic system towards one that allows us to satisfy the basic needs of all people, to implement all human rights and to restore and preserve the ecological basis of life on our planet. It is time for change!

We can build a system that works for people and the environment, a system to serve the needs of the many, a system based on the principles of public benefit, global equity, justice, environmental sustainability and democratic control.

As a first step, immediate measures must be implemented to address the social impacts on people, whilst supporting the ecological conversion of the economy.

We call upon all social movements in Europe to engage in a process of change. To start with, we call upon movements

- to engage in the mass mobilisation for the central demonstration in London on the 28th of March 2009 ahead of the G20 meeting, or to take to the streets in their own countries that same day to make their voices heard. 20 governments cannot decide on the future of the global financial system and economy.

- to undertake a day of action in the week of the G20 meeting, preferably on the 1st of April (Financial Fools' Day) all across the world, exposing unaccountable financial power and promoting democratic control of finance.

This meeting is a further step in a long-term process of building spaces for European networks to meet. Recognising and drawing on previous and future mobilisations of social movements and civil society organizations in Europe and all over the world, it builds on ongoing efforts developed at the European Social Forum and elsewhere, aimed at realizing a democratic and socially and environmentally sustainable Europe. We commit to intensify cooperation and communication among our networks and organisations with the aim of building capacity for sustained mobilisation and the development of joint alternatives. We are committed to supporting and encouraging all people to have their voices heard in reshaping their societies.

We will meet again on the 18th and 19th of April 2009 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in order to develop the next steps of mobilisation and strategies towards change. We call upon all social movements and social organisations to join this process.

North East Open Cast Conference

Protester Shot in Ecuador

Anti-mining protests earlier this month were met with police violence in Ecuador. Activists were beaten and detained; one was shot in the head.

The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) and a number of farmer and environmental organizations are protesting the recent approval of a mining law by Congress, opening the country to large-scale metal mining. Canadian mining companies would benefit from many of the concessions.

The CONAIE and other organizations contend that the new law will allow large-scale mining in protected areas and contaminate critical community water supplies. The CONAIE is also protesting government plans to drill for oil in the Yasuni National Park, the rainforest home of two indigenous communities in voluntary isolation.

http://www.regenwald.org/international/englisch/protestaktion.php?id=350

Walk of proposed opencast site

The good folks from the NO OPENCAST TODAY OR TOMORROW campaign have invited us along to walk the site that U:K coal are planning to destroy with a surface mining 'development'. This walk will outline the site that U:K coal plan to mine and we should hopefully see some of the wildlife that is under threat. Lunch will be provided in the community centre after the walk.
When: Sunday 18th Jan
Where: 9.45am Dipton community centre http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl Why: why not?
The n.o.t.t campaign has fought a long battle with U:K coal to stop the open casting of the Derwent valley. The political climate is currently in favour of coal extraction at any cost community, ecology,climate.The application is due to be heard around April by Durham/Derwentside county council. Please help stop the needless destruction of the Pont valley sign the on-line petition at www.pontvalley.net or even better write to county hall but best of all get out on the walk this coming Sunday. Please forward this mail to publicise this

The winter of discontent, no new coal protests continue

This morning thirty campaigners from Coal Action Scotland together with local residents peacefully blockaded the entrance to the Scottish Coal-operated Ravenstruther coal rail terminal in South Lanarkshire. Having stopped its reopening after the weekend, this action is currently preventing the delivery of thousands of tonnes of coal to power stations across Scotland. Protestors intend to stay in place as long as possible


With Scotland’s CO2 emissions increasing significantly, continuing the consumption of coal will make it impossible for Scotland to meet its 80% target reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. Angus Mcloud said “The fact is that the government will not meet its own targets. This confirms what climate protestors have believed all along – that the Scottish government is paying lip service to the dangers of climate change.”

CRW_6086 copy

The action is aiming to disrupt the operations of Scottish Coal and Scottish Power in the region. The protestors are acting to oppose the five open cast coal mines that deliver coal to the rail terminal and in resistance to the thirteen new open cast coal mines due to open in Scotland.

Protestors erected and scaled a 15ft scaffolding tripod, blocking trucks from entering the terminal. Others are locked by their necks to a conveyor belt and a bulldozer, preventing coal stockpiles from being loaded onto trains.

Tilly Gifford who is at the site said: “In the face of dangerous runaway climate change, increasing our dependence on coal – the most polluting of the fossil fuels – is simply unacceptable. We urgently need to make the transition to renewable energy and close existing mines. We shouldn’t even be thinking about new ones.”

The demonstration today is in support of communities opposing new open cast mines. Rebecca Mackenzie, a local resident said: “We’re here today to send a clear message that we don’t want parts of Scotland such as South Lanarkshire to become the most heavily mined areas in Europe, as they will be if permission is granted for all the new open cast coal mines currently being proposed. If sites such as Mainshill near Douglas can’t be stopped through legal avenues, then action will have to be taken to make sure these last remaining areas of un-mined countryside aren’t destroyed”.

Beth Whelan, the campaigner perched on the scaffolding tripod, said: “Local authorities, the Scottish government and companies such as Scottish Coal and Scottish Power are ignoring the scientific evidence on climate change. We have to take responsibility for our climate and our future, and stop the coal industry and its expansion. This is what we doing today: acting responsibly”.

It is estimated that 6,380 tonnes of coal were stopped from being transported from the coal mines to power stations, equivalent to 11,675,400 kg CO2 (11,675.4 tonnes) released into the atmosphere.

Coal Action Scotland apologizes to any workers affected by today’s demonstration, but in recognizing the desperate need to stop burning coal sees no other choice but to target the companies responsible for mining it.

The action lasted over 8 hours and resulted in 6 arrests and not a single chunk of coal was transported from the terminal.
CAS
Homepage: http://coalactionedinburgh.wordpress.com/

9 Days Coal- 4 years opencast mining- A lifetime of pollution!?!

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Residents say no to new coal power
08 Dec Years of destruction for 9 days of power
YEARS spent plundering the landscape of Hartleyburn would only produce sufficient coal to run a power station for nine days, it has been claimed.

And now local residents say developer HM Project Development has its sights fixed so firmly on the money it would get for that 140,000 tonnes of coal, it is blatantly disregarding their fears and concerns.

HMPD has submitted an application to Northumberland County Council to extract the coal through opencast mining over a three and half year period from Halton Lea Farm, Halton Lea Gate.

But at a public meeting last Wednesday staged by the council and attended by over 100 residents, HMPD was accused not only of disregarding local concerns, but also of putting the health of local people – particularly young children – at risk.

Protesters decried the application – which is in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – saying it was unfair for HMPD to put them through years of disruption and turmoil for a few days’ power.

Resident Nicole Hudd said: “You are going to extract coal for nine days of supplies over three and a half years!

“Planning applications should only be granted if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but apart from the one advantage of making money for the developers, I can come up with 101 disadvantages with this scheme.”

Resident Nan White questioned the effect the opencast mining process would have on the health of residents and called into question the research conducted by environmental health expert Dr Tanja Pless-Mulloli.

In the 1990s Dr Pless-Mulloli, now professor of environ epidemiology at Newcastle University, was involved in a review of the health of children living near opencast sites.

According to her findings there was little evidence to suggest they were at an increased risk of developing respiratory illnesses.

But Mrs White claimed that this survey had since been found to be unsafe, adding: “Dr Pless-Mulloli had to admit in later years a conflict of interests; plus these results are now outdated.”

Other concerns raised included the adverse impact of opencasting on wildlife, increased volumes of traffic and the detrimental impact on the landscape, particularly as the site falls within the North Pennines AONB.

Barney Corrigan of HMPD admitted the company was interested in the scheme to make a profit, but insisted residents would benefit in the long run.

After the coal was extracted, HMPD would restore the land for equestrian use, creating woodlands, ponds and wetlands.

He added: “In terms of the site itself, at the moment it suffers instability and that would be sorted out.

“There would also be a viable business there because agriculture does not stack up as a viable business at the minute.”

Responding to criticism that HMPD had been premature in placing a recruitment advert in the Hexham Courant, he said it had simply been a means of gauging interest in jobs at the site if the scheme got the go-ahead.

He said: “It was an advertisement not for jobs but for expressions of interest locally and there have been at least 60 people who have contacted us from Haydon Bridge, Haltwhistle, and Halton Lea Gate, funnily enough.”

Northumberland County Council has already received 72 objections to the application. Currently consulting with the public and statutory bodies, the council is unlikely to determine the application much before March next year.

From the Hexham Courant

Want to learn more about micro renewable technology or do have have experience of using small scale turbines/solar panels & want to share your knowledge?
Come along to the Star and Shadow on the 9th December for an evening of informal discussion,watch a couple of films and have some food.

As governments & their capitalist system begin to crumble we need to provide for each other and ourselves,by learning skills to make your own energy you can free yourself from those dreaded gas/elec bills that only make the rich richer.Personal energy autonomy is one of the first steps toward a cleaner, greener ,more equal world.