On Monday, Greenpeace activists from around the UK, including Edinburgh, descended on the Department for Transport to shut the two main entrances to the building down. This was to highlight the fact that it has recently been exposed that UK ministers inside have been giving high-level support to oil industry lobbyists, particularly in relation to allowing dirty oil from tar sands extraction into Europe.
I was proud to watch the events of the day unfold, taking action on an issue which is so incredibly important for combating climate change. Within the Edinburgh network, we have campaigned and raised awareness locally many times on the issue of tar sands over the last few years, including film showings, signing members of the public up to our petitions (including at the recent Tarnished Earth photo exhibition) and even delivering those petitions in person. For Edinburgh volunteer to go on to take direct action on this issue seemed like a logical and necessary step to take.
Greenpeace activists managed to keep the two main entrances closed with immobilised cars and giant handshakes symbolising the collusion between UK ministers and Canadian oil industry lobbyists for over 7 hours in total, with 16 arrests of those locked on to the building or to our blockades. It felt as though they made a really big impact and brought more attention and awareness to the vital issues involved. The threat of tar sands and climate change continues to be of key importance, and we will keep campaigning on it for as long as it takes.
You can take action on tar sands yourself online here or by getting involved with your local Greenpeace network.
On Monday, Greenpeace activists from around the UK, including Edinburgh, descended on the Department for Transport to shut the two main entrances to the building down (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/ministry-blocks-anti-tar-sands-law-so-we-block-ministrys-front-door-20111128). This was to highlight the fact that it has recently been exposed that UK ministers inside have been giving high-level support to oil industry lobbyists (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/exposed-canadas-secret-tar-sands-lobbying-uk-ministers-20111127), particularly in relation to allowing dirty oil from tar sands extraction into Europe.
I was proud to watch the events of the day unfold, taking action on an issue which is so incredibly important for combating climate change. Within the Edinburgh network, we have campaigned and raised awareness locally many times on the issue of tar sands over the last few years, including film showings (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh-d%C3%B9n-%C3%A8ideann/blog/dirty-tar-sands-deal-endangers-our-environment-and-alberta%E2%80%99s-indigenous-populations), signing members of the public up to our petitions (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh/blog/taking-no-tar-sands-autumn-eco-festival-edinburgh) (including at the recent Tarnished Earth photo exhibition (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh-d%C3%B9n-%C3%A8ideann/blog/tarnished-earth-exhibition-and-toxic-fuels)) and even delivering those petitions in person (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh/blog/just-another-day-london). For Edinburgh volunteer to go on to take direct action on this issue seemed like a logical and necessary step to take.
Greenpeace activists managed to keep the two main entrances closed with immobilised cars and giant handshakes symbolising the collusion between UK ministers and Canadian oil industry lobbyists for over 7 hours in total, with 16 arrests of those locked on to the building or to our blockades. It felt as though they made a really big impact and brought more attention and awareness to the vital issues involved. The threat of tar sands and climate change continues to be of key importance, and we will keep campaigning on it for as long as it takes.
You can take action on tar sands yourself online here (http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=18&ea.campaign.id=12858) or by getting involved with your local Greenpeace network (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/faq#Getactive).
(VIDEO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5wAKHDG0kg&feature=youtu.be)
On Monday, Greenpeace activists from around the UK, including Edinburgh, descended on the Department for Transport to shut the two main entrances to the building down (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/ministry-blocks-anti-tar-sands-law-so-we-block-ministrys-front-door-20111128). This was to highlight the fact that it has recently been exposed that UK ministers inside have been giving high-level support to oil industry lobbyists (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/exposed-canadas-secret-tar-sands-lobbying-uk-ministers-20111127), particularly in relation to allowing dirty oil from tar sands extraction into Europe.
I was proud to watch the events of the day unfold, taking action on an issue which is so incredibly important for combating climate change. Within the Edinburgh network, we have campaigned and raised awareness locally many times on the issue of tar sands over the last few years, including film showings (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh-d%C3%B9n-%C3%A8ideann/blog/dirty-tar-sands-deal-endangers-our-environment-and-alberta%E2%80%99s-indigenous-populations), signing members of the public up to our petitions (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh/blog/taking-no-tar-sands-autumn-eco-festival-edinburgh) (including at the recent Tarnished Earth photo exhibition (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh-d%C3%B9n-%C3%A8ideann/blog/tarnished-earth-exhibition-and-toxic-fuels)) and even delivering those petitions in person (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh/blog/just-another-day-london). For Edinburgh volunteer to go on to take direct action on this issue seemed like a logical and necessary step to take.
Greenpeace activists managed to keep the two main entrances closed with immobilised cars and giant handshakes symbolising the collusion between UK ministers and Canadian oil industry lobbyists for over 7 hours in total, with 16 arrests of those locked on to the building or to our blockades. It felt as though they made a really big impact and brought more attention and awareness to the vital issues involved. The threat of tar sands and climate change continues to be of key importance, and we will keep campaigning on it for as long as it takes.
You can take action on tar sands yourself online here (http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=18&ea.campaign.id=12858) or by getting involved with your local Greenpeace network (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/faq#Getactive).
(VIDEO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5wAKHDG0kg&feature=youtu.be)
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