On the afternoon of Saturday 16th June, climate campaigners glued themselves to the doors of the short-haul East Midlands airport to draw attention to the environmental impacts of flying as part of a European day of action on short-haul flights called by pressure group Airport Watch.

Two men from climate action group, Plane Stupid, have caused disruption by supergluing themselves to the passenger entrances to the airport. Supporters are there handing out leaflets to airport customers encouraging them not to fly next time, and a banner carried by helium-filled balloons was also released in the departure lounge bearing the slogan ‘Let’s fry’.

Last week another activist from Plane Stupid, Penny Eastwood, a mother of two from Yorkshire, glued herself both to the doors of Lastminute.com HQ in London in protest at the ever growing greenhouse gas emissions from aviation.

Climate activist 'super-glued to door' of lastminute.com
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/372970.html

Today's day of action was called to illustrate that short-haul flights are unnecessary and unsustainable and that short haul journeys can easily be taken by train or bus which are both over ten times less polluting. Demonstrations and protests have been happening throughout the day at airports across the UK and Europe, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Bristol, Southampton, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and others.

Aviation is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse-gas emissions worldwide. In the UK, emissions from aviation more than doubled in ten years. In May the government quoted the figure of 13% as aviation’s contribution to UK climate impacts. If you include flights to and from the UK by UK citizens (the government excludes the former), the sector now contributes about 18.5% of the climate-changing emissions for which this country is responsible.

Nottingham protestor, Alex Harvey, said, "Binge-flying is choking the planet. Airport expansion would lock us into increased greenhouse gas emissions and undo all our other efforts to reduce emissions. It's just not an option. Yet that's exactly what is planned for airports like East Midlands which only serve destinations easily reachable by more sustainable public transport alternatives.'

Last year twenty-five activists from Plane Stupid blockaded a taxi-runway at the same airport.

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Nottingham Plane Stupid
e-mail:  nottingham@planestupid.com
Homepage:  http://www.planestupid.com


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Other local East Midlands climate-concerned activities included an action at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station.

 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/04/367714.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/04/367736.html
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/04/367757.html

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A couple of months ago 'Spring into Action', a week of workshops, events, music and action on climate change happening at different venues, happened across Nottingham.

Climate change is real and its happening now. Governments and corporations dream of continued economic growth - economic growth can't solve this crisis, but we can. A massive and concerted effort is needed on the scale of 'Dig for Victory' or the 'Home Front': A war on climate change.

We can't continue our current way of life - the oil on which it all depends is running out too fast. A shift to a locally based economy will have to happen, with food and energy being produced by the people that use it. The only question is when? We could start now, or we could wait for a future of war, famine, hurricanes, droughts and floods. We need to gain the courage and change fast enough to cultivate a new world, before it's too late.

'Spring into Action' is part of an emerging grassroots movement against climate change. Born out of the Camp for Climate Action (www.climatecamp.org.uk), 'Spring into Action'unites people across the east of England into making changes in our own lives, creating small scale solutions in our communities and resisting those who still seek their own short term gain over a safe future for us all.

See also:  http://www.eastsideclimateaction.org.uk

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ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email:  tash@gn.apc.org
Web:  http://tash.gn.apc.org
Member of the National Union of Journalists [No: 014345]
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"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
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