It's St Paul's Afro-Caribbean Carnival, it's one of the hottest days of the year and here we are donning Factor 150 furry arctic costumes! The last thing revellers expect to see are polar bears, a narwhal, walrus and arctic owl, dancing in the street, giving out stickers and leaflets. Yes, the Save the Arctic campaign comes to one of the most colourful and noisest events in the Bristol calendar. It is so noisy that it is difficult to talk at length to the crowds passing by. So we abandon major attempts at getting sign-ups and resort to offering 'free hugs'. A definite crowd pleaser! By midday the roads are pulsating with the rhythms of samba bands, huge sound systems blaring out Drum n Bass music. The air is filled with the smell of Caribben food being cooked over barbeque drums - Jerk Chicken and Curried Goat dishes. We are getting plenty of smiles along with some looks of incredularity, some confusion and messages of support/sympathy as we cope with the heat.
The theme of the Carnival is celebrating the benefits of a diverse city culture due to 'Migration'. As we exceed safe levels of carbon emissions on a global scale, the mass migrations of populations will become a reality as sea levels rise and crops fail due to rising temperartures and potential climate chaos. The Arctic is a crucial continent that acts as an air conditioning unit in keeping the planet cool. Greenpeace feel it should be classed as a global sanctuary and free from commercial development such as drilling for oil and other minerals. Almost 3.4 million people around the world have signed the petition to Save The Arctic. To show your support and find out more, click here.
Our decision to attend St Paul's Carnival follows several weeks of radio programme slots on Paulette North's Outlook Thursdays broadcast on Radio Ujima. This has involved a good number of Bristol East members who have taken part in discussing a variety of environmental topics. It has been a great opportunity to get our message out to a wider community and a chance for members to get involved in something different. A new series of programmes is being planned for the Autumn.
Monumental thanks to Carol, Ian, John, Loz, Madeleine, Natasha, Richard B, and Stacey for coming along to enjoy the heat, the crowds, the tunes and the hugs!
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