It’s 1st April, which means all of you pranksters have been working hard at making fools out of friends and family. But did you pull a prank that really packs a punch? One network of environmental organisations did!
Today ‘International Rising Tide’ (a network of groups and individuals dedicated to taking local action and building a movement against climate change) organised a day of action against the fossil fuel industry – the name ‘Fossil Fools Day’.
The Fossil Fools Day website states:
“Roll up, roll up! The climate circus is in town. Confronted with melting ice caps, unprecedented species extinction, droughts and extreme weather, climate change threatens our very survival. The fools at the head of the fossil fuel empire continue to plunder the earth, with the governments as willing court jesters at their side.
They would have us believe that we can escape climate change with techno-fixes, market mechanisms and offset schemes - all technocratic acrobatics that distract us from the truth: the only real solution to climate change is to keep fossil fuels in the ground. On April 1st, 2008, we’re going to turn the tables and show them who the real fools are.Target a local fossil fool - See the clowns investing in coal - The carbon offset contortionist or the oily strong man? and join with thousands around the world in taking one step closer to dismantling the fossil fuel industry. Find a fossil fool in your community and pull a prank that packs a punch.”
Protests have taken place in over 100 locations throughout the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom which was organised by International Rising Tide partner ‘People and Planet’.
Whilst it is too late for you to attend the protests (sorry about not featuring this earlier) you can still be part of the revolution that is trying to topple the coal industry:
Ideas include:
Don’t be a fossil fool - ensure that you are not part of the reason for the demand for new coal burning power stations and avoid financing the fossil fuel industry, for example:
- Reduce your energy use as much as possible; avoid having unnecessary electronic devices and make sure you always turn appliances completely off when not in use.
- Change to a green energy company or if you can generate your own energy
- Reduce or even completely stop purchasing products made out of fossil fuels / oil / petroleum etc
Target fossil fools - such as energy companies and financial institutes which invest in coal. Contact them telling your concerns about what they are doing and advise them that you are not a fossil fool – thus will be boycotting their services and encouraging others to do the same.
Organise a meeting with your MP - to discuss your concerns about the
UK government considering providing permission to build a new coal power station in Kingsnorth. If this plant is allowed to be built, then it is possible that seven more will follow, which means that we can wave goodbye to any hope that the
UK will be a world leader on climate change. You can ask for a meeting with your MP through the Parliamentary Switchboard on 020 7219 3000.
If you have participated in a Fossil Fuel protest then it would be great to hear about it, and if you have targeted fossil fools then share your outcome.
