Lights Out on Carbon Energy
Lights On for Pumpkins
31st October 2007
4pm - 5pm
Hello BLACKOUT Stars,
It's that time of year when the nights start drawing in, and already, by the time you've
had a spot of afternoon tea and cake, the sun starts dropping out of the sky, and it's dim
and dark and quite possibly rainy outside the windows of the homebound commuter train.
Now is an excellent time to have a BLACKOUT celebration, so what better than Halloween ?
A borrowed tradition of creativity, mischief and scaring people after dark in their own
homes...actually, we should leave out the bit about scaring people, as that might be an
arrestable offence, but we can still have lots of fun without going that far.
Forget the undead zombies from the Hollywood films, the parts in this Halloween drama are
going to be played by solid, flesh-and-blood, living, breathing, sane people like you and us.
(We expect a few messages from people questioning our sanity, but let's pass swiftly on).
You know the gameplan for a BLACKOUT : turn off the lights, unplug the TV, be generally
cool and green. And this time, we want to add a few extra elements to the event, so read on...
And so we present for your delectation and delight : BLACKOUT HALLOWEEN !
BLACKOUT HALLOWEEN
The Triumph of Green Light & Power over Purple Carbon Darkness
Wednesday 31 October 2007
4pm - 5pm
LIGHTS OUT FOR THE FEAST OF PLAYFUL DARKNESS
We want to celebrate Green Light, and all renewable sources of power, by saying
"Off, Foul Wraith !" to the heart of purple darkness - Carbon Dioxide emissions.
Don't be a pumpkin - don't be spooked by Climate Change. Don't be deceived by the
mischievous Sprite of Denial and don't be a Climate Zombie. You can do something. We
can do many things, if we work together.
Take part in our HALLOWGREEN Light Bulb Moment on 31st October 2007. Turn it off
between 4pm and 5pm during the eerie hour of sunset. Watch the night creep around you.
See more with less. Switch off dirty power and switch on a clean green future.
Take the horror out of Halloween - turn out the lights and see stars. It's fun and spooky !
We will love living Low Carbon lives. Get positive about zero : Zero Carbon.
For a full Carbon detox spend the Halloween evening with less background buzz from
energy waste. Slow down to true human speed, share peace and laughter. Unleash
creativity, let go of tension. Give technology the night off.
Halloween - a night of playful mischief. Do something creative to show you want Britain
unplugged.
Back the BLACKOUT : wear purple and lime green. Go on. It's disgustingly tasteful !
SAVE THE PUMPKIN : GO LOCAL : GROW LOCAL
How many of you realise that the global failed pumpkin harvest this year is not
an isolated incident ?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7033413.stm
Farmers in Australia, the United States and parts of Africa have experienced drought
and falling cereal crop production. Big farming is taking an extended hit. Future food
supplies are threatened.
We want to Save the Pumpkin as well as the Planet.
The future of food is local, diversified growing in small communities, not global trade
in monocultured staples. And for effective smallholding, people need rights to land.
Besides asking for more allotments, we need to cooperate on land rights, in the
wealthier countries as well as the developing countries.
Order that local organic vegetable box now ! And find out if there is a food cooperative
in your area selling dried provisions and other groceries.
If you can, dig. And dig for victory.
http://www.wen.org.uk/local_food/resources.htm
CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGE
HOW TO MAKE GORDON BROWN TURN GREEN
Like most of the industrialised countries of the world, Britain is not really playing
Climate Ball. Carbon Dioxide emissions reductions are going into reverse, and the
pollution from flying is not even counted in the total figures.
The Government blames the Consumers (citizens). The Corporates blame the Government.
And the people blame both the Government and the Corporates. Don't tell me to change
my lightbulbs. Lightbulbs aren't leadership - planning for a Zero Carbon Economy is.
It doesn't take a great imagination or a degree in economics to realise that with the
credit crunch and oil price rises we are slipping into a war-time economy : we should issue
Carbon Rations now, to guarantee that all have access to Energy, whilst containing
our Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
Who has the power to turn off our wasteful society and build a cleaner, green future ?
You do - get busy !
We don't need a weak Climate Change Bill with a Climate Change Committee that has no
serious ministerial influence. We need Climate Change at the very top of everyone's agenda,
and officers of the Climate Law in the seat of power.
Climate Change is an inconvenient truth. It challenges our energy-dependent economy.
What we do with our time and resources will shape the future of our world, not just our
nation.
Decide to save the Planet and get in contact with your local sustainability forum
and Member of Parliament, about making the Climate Change Bill more weighty.
We need more people to join in the political processes for strong Climate Change law :
the easy part is you can make democracy work from the comfort of your home office.
The Big Ask :-
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate
Promise me nothing : Zero Carbon Britain !
http://www.zerocarbonbritain.com
http://www.teqs.net
GREEN LIGHT FOR GREEN POWER
Celebrating the development of Renewable Energy technologies : the future has a bright
green glow, and it's not from the fallout from nuclear power plant accidents.
Yes, wind farms are being built, wind farms are getting planning permission, wind farms
are being planned. Wind power is full steam ahead (mixed metaphor alley).
We say : "Lights Out on Carbon Energy, Lights On for Green Energy"
And while we are powering up renewable capacity, we need to power down our demand.
We also need to transfer from liquid fuels to electrical power for transport needs.
Renewables are the fastest way to add extra electrical generating capacity to the grid,
and companies are feverishly developing accumulators (batteries and similar power
storage) to smooth over variability.
How can you support Green Power ? Of course you can switch to renewables, but
is there anything else you could do ?
How are large-scale renewables projects being financed ? You've got a bank account,
why not write to your bank and ask them to invest in renewables.
Where are the community renewables projects ? Denmark, mostly, but we have some
here too. Is there a project near you ?
http://www.yes2wind.com/community_owners_links.html
http://www.fens.coop/fenland_home.asp
POWER TO THE POOR : LIGHTING UP AFRICA
Global Warming is preventing poorer peoples of the world having access to
electricity : and it will affect the industrialised power grids in the near future.
We like to show empathy with unplanned BLACKOUTs around the world, especially
in places like Zimbabwe, where changing rainfall patterns and drought are having
direct impacts on electricity supply to the poor.
There is less water to use for hydroelectric power, what water there is has to be
diverted to agriculture, and social instability from problems with food supply is having
an impact on the electricity infrastructure.
Big Energy projects from the major development agencies are failing, but there are
signs of hope to bring power to the people. Where small-scale renewables can be
financed, they light up the lives of rural people.
When you turn out your lights for the BLACKOUT, you are showing you care about
those who are denied power because of poor management of Energy projects and
Climate Change.
Who can light Africa ? :-
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/article2900990.ece
Can there be true Green Development ? The World Bank certainly thinks so, and judging
by the small scale of the renewable systems they are prepared to finance for their new
fund "Lighting Africa", it seems they have finally learned that Big Energy projects,
Renewable or not, are vulnerable in Climate Changed Africa :-
http://lightingafrica.org
PROTECT THE CARBON SINKS
We, personally, are responsible for the cutting down of rainforest.
Because we shop the Amazon : everything from biofuels to tissue paper to illegal timber
to soya milk.
Have you thought how your household spending and borrowing is killing the world forests
which can lock down Carbon Dioxide and keep it from choking the Planet ?
Some of the proposals to limit logging rainforest are essentially compromises which will
allow continued destruction of our vital Carbon Sinks.
The proposal called "Avoided Deforestation" will still allow a large proportion of the Amazon
to be killed off.
Read up about what proposals are being made at the Bali United Nations Climate negotiations.
Read up on the story of biofuels, and find out why they are worse for Climate Change than
petrol.
Newark Biofuel Conference Protest
Wednesday 17th October 2007
2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk
Biofuels are not the answer. BiofuelWatch are working with local campaigners in
Nottinghamshire to organise a banner protest against the largest biofuel industry
conference in Europe this year :-
http://www.biodiesel-expo.co.uk
THE LONDON COMPACT
It's time to BUY LESS to LIVE MORE, and here's why : roughly half of the nation's
Carbon Dioxide emissions are directly related to the contents of their shopping baskets.
Please take part in BUY NOTHING DAY, held by AdBusters, who want to jam modern kulcher.
BUY NOTHING - the fastest way to a clean green conscience.
BUY NOTHING DAY
24 November 2007
http://www.buynothingday.co.uk
http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd
BUY NOTHING...from CHINA...their emissions are rising the fastest...
BUY NOTHING...from the USA - because they won't accept Carbon Rules...
Could you make a pledge to buy nothing new for a whole year (apart from underpants
and food and medicine) ? How could you do it ? And what would you do with the money ?
Those in London who wish to emulate the San Fransisco Compact, please contact us
at BLACKOUT BRITAIN to form a working group for a similar LONDON COMPACT :-
http://sfcompact.blogspot.com
Join the Church of Stop Shopping :-
http://www.revbilly.com
u4d8 : UNITED FOR DECEMBER EIGHT
Saturday 8th December 2007 is the date for the International Climate Marches,
and you are strongly encouraged to take part :-
http://www.globalclimatecampaign.org
http://www.campaigncc.org
http://portal.campaigncc.org/node/1967
IT'S BLACKOUT BRITAIN : SO WHY ARE WE CELEBRATING HALLOWEEN ?
For those who are a bit nationalist, we do admit that 31st October is not a
Great British festival. It's American. We have our own festival on 5th November.
So why not have a BLACKOUT BONFIRE on Guy Fawke's Night ? Join a community
fireworks party, and don't forget to turn the lights off before you go out.
BEST OF BLACKOUT WORLDWIDE
4 November 2006
BLACKOUT LONDON
http://www.blackoutbritain.org.uk/html/blackout_original.html
1 February 2007
BLACKOUT FIVE - Five Minutes Respite for the Planet (France)
http://www.lalliance.fr
31 March 2007
BLACKOUT SYDNEY - Earth Hour
http://www.earthhour.org
http://earthhour.smh.com.au
21 June 2007
BLACKOUT LONDON - Lights Out London
http://www.lightsoutlondon.com
19 September 2007
BLACKOUT UTAH - Lights Off Utah
http://www.lightsoffamerica.com
23 September 2007
BLACKOUT SHANGHAI
http://www.showchina.org
http://news.xinhuanet.com
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn
13 October 2007
BLACKOUT AMERICA - Unplug America
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/unplug_day
20 October 2007
BLACKOUT SAN FRAN - Lights Out San Francisco - Lights Out Los Angeles
http://www.lightsoutsf.org
http://www.lightsoutla.org
21 March 2008
BLACKOUT WORLD
http://www.blackoutbritain.org.uk/html/blackout_world_2008.html
29 March 2008
BLACKOUT AMERICA - Lights Out America
http://www.lightsoutamerica.org
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