Climate Camp and Drax Power

ready to march
see all photos »

We arrived at Climate Camp after dark with the bicycology group after a well paced 10 mile ride from the Common Place in Leeds. I'd never ridden in such a large group of bikers, there was an amazing energy pushing us all toward our destination. It was a good change from our mode of travel, it was here that I began to realize just how helpful it was to have a good map, we avoided the major highways and had quite a leisurely ride. We were welcomed by the police at the drive way, I felt famous with all the flashes going off as we rode past and through the locked gate into the camp. The welcome crew pointed us to our base camp, the Manchester Borough where there was food and music awaiting our arrival. I filled the following days with workshops and meetings. The first seminar I attended reminded me of Evergreen State College with intelligent questions and passionate discussion afterwards. The informational seminar was delivered by a scientist that has compiled research regarding what environmental changes will take place as the globe begins to warm due to carbon dioxide emissions. It was one of those lectures that you walk away feeling a little helpless and doomed, but the discussion afterwards loosened the mood and some examples were given on how to prevent disaster from taking place. Turns out one of the preventative measures was to live sustainably, just what all of us where taking part in at Climate Camp. Other workshops that were taking place focused on carbon footprints, how to have a low impact on the environment, Direct Action training, information on military progression and their development of tactics to deal with protesters and "terrorists". There were constantly meetings on the functioning of the camp and planning for the Direct Action against Drax Power taking place on Thursday August 31st, including but not limited to legal training, gathering of information, affinity group planning, on-site Action day planning, catering for the 600 camp residents, transportation and of course compost-loo duty. The camp buzzed with activist energy, despite being outnumbered by the cops 4 to 1 and the constant threat of being overtaken by brute force we all enjoyed ourselves. Nighttime consisted of more meetings, concerts, dance parties and socializing with new and old friends. I found myself falling in love with the sustainable, community style lifestyle and soaked up as much as I could. I got involved in the facilitation of the camp and took it upon myself to organize with those that were staying on-site the day of the action. Through observation I learned what qualities of the camp could be carried into a long-term intentional community and which things were unique to the temporary Climate Camp. It was here that I became inspired to investigate sustainable living for groups and how the social structure will have to change with the threat of Global Warming and enormous environmental shifts. The day of Action came and I decided to be one of the few that stayed on-site. Jots had found an affinity group that ended up being the only to gain entry into the power station and Tyger trained all week with the clowns and had quite an adventure himself. Camp began to dwindle after the action, people began going home and the three of us, Nate, Tony and I, left Saturday afternoon and biked a good 20 miles in the pouring rain to York where we slept in the train station two at a time.

We will be heard
see all photos »

*all photos on this page courtesy of indymedia.org.uk