“The future is unwritten, inaction is the tragedy.”
ACTIVISTS ANNOUNCE PLANS TO SHUT DOWN THE UK’S LARGEST POWER STATION
Press Release, June 19th 2006
Thousands of climate change activists will converge on Drax power station - the single largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the UK (1) - for ten days of direct action this summer.
Alison Templeton from the Camp for Climate Action (2) said:
"The only solution to climate change is a drastic cut in our energy
consumption. Drax continues to belch out emissions while we are staring
catastrophe in the face. It has to go."
Activists are planning a Camp for Climate Action in ‘Megawatt Valley’,
near Leeds, home of Drax, Eggborough and Ferrybridge power stations. The
camp promises education about climate change, sustainable living, and
direct action targeting those responsible for the worst emissions.
The Camp for Climate Action is inspired by environmental protest camps
such as the Newbury Bypass campaign, and the Eco-village in Stirling,
which was a base for anti-capitalist protests at the G8 in 2005.
The camp will be held from 26th August - 4th September. Powered by
alternative energy, the camp will demonstrate practical solutions in
action. The camp will offer information, education and space for debate on the science and politics of tackling climate change. There will be
practical skills to learn, from ideas for sustainable living to strategies
for taking action.
Activist Zoe Armstrong said: "Climate change casts a huge shadow over our
society. Governments and corporations cannot solve this problem for us,
it’s up to us to act now. The Camp for Climate Action will be a key moment
in kick-starting the radical action that is needed to tackle climate
change."
For more information visit:
www.climatecamp.org.uk
Contact:
0794 458 6036
0790 180 2177
info@climatecamp.org.uk
1 – Drax burns more than 13 million tonnes of coal every year (Drax
website http://www.draxpower.com/about.php?page=fun ) and emits 20.8
million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, making it the largest single
emitter in the UK (Guardian, 16 May 06
http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1775695,00.html )
Drax is the UK’s 4th most polluting power station per unit of electricity
produced (WWF ‘Dirty Thirty’ report, October 2005
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/dirty30rankingfinal260905.pdf )
2 – The Camp for Climate Action is being organised through open public
meetings. These meeting have taken place in Manchester, Nottingham,
Oxford, Bristol, Leeds and London. The next meeting will be held in
Scotland.
END
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More background & next meeting info:
Climate change is happening now and is set to get much worse, while governments and corporations dream of growth without end, of economy without limits. When the answer to the ecological crisis is said to be nuclear power, you know there’s a problem. Fortunately, there is a growing grassroots movement that fundamentally challenges the fossil fuel economy. The Camp for Climate Action will be a place for this movement to get together, but it will also be a place for new people, people who have never been ‘political’ before but who want move beyond concern into activity. And it will be a place for experienced activists: old and young, cynical and hopeful.
Climate change casts a long shadow over the future. But we believe this moment is an opportunity, a moment when people can come together to say 'enough!' and begin to build a truly sustainable future.
August 26-Sept 4th: book your holidays now.
Rising Tide is fully committed to helping make the camp successful at every level.
Everyone's invited to get involved, possibly via the next organising gathering:
The next one is at Talamh, near Glasgow.
Date: Sat/Sun July 8-9
Place: South Lanarkshire, just south of Glasgow
Address: Talamh Housing Co-operative, Birkhill House, Coalburn, South Lanarkshire, ML11 ONJ
Times: Sat, 10:30am-6pm; Sun, 9:30am-5pm
More info from: facilitation[at]climatecamp.org.uk
Accommodation space is available and free if you contact us in advance. Please bring your own bedding (sleeping bag & mat), and a tent if possible. Please also contact us if you have any access, dietary or crèche needs. The meeting space is fully accessible. Food will be provided and will be about £10 per person, and there will be a travel pool so that people who have to come a long way on public transport can afford to come.
Getting there
Some local groups will be organising minibuses from different locations, aiming to pick others up on the way. We'll post details of these - please get in touch with them if you're (roughly) on the way and would like to be picked up. If you're going to be driving, please email facilitation[at]climatecamp.org.uk to say where you'll be leaving from, and how many places you'll have, so we can put you in touch with others on the way.
Public Transport: Take the train to Hamilton from Glasgow Central (lower level), or take the X1 bus from Buchanan Street bus station. From Hamilton bus station, stance 10, take either the X50 and get off at Cairnhouses (sadly this service is now very limited) or take the 253 service which departs from stance 10 every half hour. Take this bus to the very last stop, destination of Coalburn, and continue by foot along this road for approximately 2 miles. Talamh is the very last house on the right before the road joins the dual carriageway.
Cycling: There is a long distance cycle path running parallel to the M74, (Sustrans route N74.)
Hitch-hiking: Happenden Services (also called Cairn Lodge) is the nearest service station accessible from both the M74 and the B7078, near the Coalburn turn-off.
Driving: Take the M74, exit at junction 12 Northbound, or junction 11 Southbound. Follow signs for Coalburn. Talamh is the first house on the left after about 100 yards, just after turning off the dual carriageway (B7078).
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