Dalston Joins The Protest at Camp For Climate Action

The third annual Camp for Climate Action took place this week, and one Dalston resident went along to see if she could get climate change onto the local agenda in Hackney.

Lynn Chambers told Dalston People about her experiences at Blackheath.

It was your first camp wasn't it, what did you think?

Yes it was my Campy for Climate Action debut. I had been involved in helping prepare the kitchen in the London Group and so was really excited to see the fruits of peoples labour after we swooped on site. It's only then that you realise you are a tiny particle which makes up a huge community of diverse people, all wanting the world leaders to promise larger cuts in carbon emissions.

Would you go again, and why?

Of course! Apart from putting a strong message to the outside world about the hypocrisy of the Banks, Government and Oil Companies with regards to their actions and the environment - Climate Camp provides a hub of debate, discussion and solidarity for those inside it. All are welcome to Climate Camp and there are a lot of people from many different backgrounds and ages. On Monday afternoon all the kids organised their own march around the camp. They were dressed in their own creative costumes and singing a song they'd written... Climate Camp restored my faith in the future.

What was the best part of Climate Camp?

I really loved the practical stuff like making grey water systems, rocket stoves made with old oil drums, and wind turbines. The resourcefulness is inspiring. In modern life we tend to reach for the new all the time. But being at camp reminds you we can reuse. My favourite observation was one campers anti air-travel T-Shirt which featured a picture of B.A. Baracus from TV show the A Team and his slogan "I Ain't Gettin On No Plane".

Did you get involved with any of the protests that happened away from Blackheath?

On Tuesday morning I took part the in the "No Tar Sands" protest outside the BP Sponsored National Gallery and Canadian Embassy. The Tar Sands of Alberta Canada are the largest Oil reserve outside of Saudi Arabia. The extraction of oil from these tar sands is having a devastating effect on the indigenous people, wildlife and nature in Fort Chipewyan which is situated at the heart of this development.

Research shows that 67 gallons per second of oil is leaked in to thesurrounding rivers which are used as drinking water and fishing supply for the community. An abnormally high percentage of the community are suffering with different forms of cancer, the fish in the river are commonly found to have cysts and beavers living in the river have been found dead with bleeding noses. Yet both BP and Shell are in the process of expanding the development to increase Oil production. It's a simple case of genocide with oil.

Did you meet any other Hackney residents there?

Yes lots. And also people from Denmark, France and Chile. It's great when you meet other politically active people in your local area but also inspirational when you can get together and exchange information and ideas from across the world. It's a chance to see how your local and/or national campaigning will serve to support those in other countries too.

What would you like to see happen in Dalston/Hackney over the next year?

I'd like to see more communal food growth. Hackney has many green spaces that could be better utilised in collaboration with local schools to run community led allotments. And of course better cycling lanes and foot paths to encourage people to leave their cars at home. Plastic bags need to be got rid of too. There is currently an abundance of grocery shops in Dalston that use non-biodegradable plastic bags which end up in landfill. Food waste is another problem. Much of the food discarded by supermarket chains is not composted. It ends up in landfill where it's not able to decompose and so along with plastic bags just sits there. With a world food shortage and climate crisis looming it's crazy to think of TESCOS throwing away fruit that has been flown by plane especially for our consumption.

Do you have a plan of action for any of these changes?

I am working on ways to communicate these ideas to the people who are responsible for implementing them. Last Summer a group of us organised an environment themed fair in Hackney which was full of creative ways to reduce your carbon footprint. It's be nice to get the council involved in something this time instead of working separately. My experience of the environment department at Hackney Council is that they are uninterested in hearing and non-responsive to local ideas. Lets hope this changes some time soon.

Have you got any more campaigning planned?

Post Climate Camp is all about taking what you've learned and communicating it with a wider audience. A lot of criticisms about environmental movements is that they are very white and middle class. I'd like to try and develop some projects that enable a wider range of people to get involved.

Photo courtesy of Lynn Chambers and Hackney Citizen.

For an outsider's impression of Climate Camp, see an article I wrote after visiting the site.