N30 + 10 years – Remembering and celebrating “The day the political landscape changed forever”

As we still fight WTO in Geneva today, as we prepare for COP15 in Copenhagen

“The day the political landscape changed forever“, was how Fritjof Capra referred to events of N30, Tuesday 30th of November 1999, in his book The Hidden Connections. He was referring to the day when 1000´s of global justice activists came together and succeeded in shutting down the first WTO (World Trade Organisation) talks in the US using (mostly) non violent direct actions (NVDA) in the north western US city of Seattle. This was the event which brought the “globalisation” debate to the mainstream. It has been misleadingly described as anti-globalisation, what it should be accurately described as is anti corporate globalisation.

10 years on and again there is rubber bullets, tear gas and flames in the streets. This time in Geneva, as people from all over the world converge in the lead up to COP15, the climate change talks in Copenhagen… amongst others, the Social and Climate justice caravan.

A thing born once in Seattle amidst tear gas and protest > happy birthday indymedia

10 years later – attempts to shut down the WTO in Geneva

From rubber bullets, tear gas and flames in the streets of Seattle to the streets of Geneva today

This Is What Democracy Looks Like – the story of the battle of Seattle

Anti-WTO demonstration in Geneva (euronews- no comment)

(this article first appeared on Indymedia Ireland | more info here N30 )

5th Junio ‘09 – HOME, Bagua y la lucha para proteger la Selva Amazonia

5th Junio 2009 – Esta fecha marco del Día Internacional del Medio Ambiente. En esta dia en 2009 2 cosas increaible passer: una bueno, una muy malo: la peli HOME y la massacre en la Salva Amazonia Peruana en Bagua. Esta reportage presente 3 videos sobre la situacion real de Peru y par ayudar nuestr@s herman@s en Bagua. En esta punto de cambio climatco, no podriamos perdir la salva amazonia, YA!

Viva Pachamama!!!

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HOME | Una Muerte en Bagua | Una Muerte en Sion

Siempre, tenemos tod@s una fecha con la planeta, Ya!

ECO ECO ECO – Viva San Xibeco

You have to love the pure madness and wildness of it all. La Prosperitat, the edge city barrio (neighbourhood) in Barcelona is where, starting from midnight on friday, you will hear lots of roaring in the streets: ECO ECO ECO – VIVA SAN XIBECO. This is the opening night of the local festival this weekend, but for this night you will find the presence of a saint, San Xibeco, but he is no ordinary saint.

Take the yellow line metro up to Via Julia this friday and find out why…

San Xibeco es un santo creado por los vecinos de La Prosperitat, en Barcelona. Cada noviembre, un grupo de jóvenes organiza de forma voluntaria esta fiesta que pretende unir al barrio y crear red social.

San Xibeco is a saint created by the community of La Prosperitiat, in Barcelona. Every november, a goup of young people organise voluntarily this festival which tries to unite the neighbourhood and create a social network.

Pelis Por Pachamama

TRANSITION QUICK LINKS:

(español) transicion.ning.com ¡ WIKI España ¡ Texto Elemental (primer) ¡ Tiempos de Transición ¡ Artículo Ecologist ¡ BCN en Transicion primero evento ¡ VID archivo

(English) Transition Towns ¡ Transition Primer ¡ Transition Handbook ¡ Transition Forum ¡ Transition Cities ¡  Transition Culture (Rob Hopkins blog) ¡ Transition Town Totnes ¡ (VIDS) Rob Hopkins interview ¡ Transition Lewes ¡ Transition Cities Conference ¡ Audio interviews ¡ Transition radio

Bold, Beautiful, Blooming Barcelona asks: What would it mean to win?

The Gracia community garden radio documentary trilogy and accompanying article

1 – Entering, Breaking ground, dreams of a greener barrio.
2 – Murals and kids
3 – Lauras garden tour

VIDEO : Hort de Gràcia Web: http://horteres.org/

The Gracia community garden radio documentary trilogy and accompanying article Springtime in Europe and the Earths life’s cycle is in bloom again. The 3 parts of the radio documentary capture magical moments in the recent history of one of the most exciting projects in Barcelona at present, our community garden in Gracia. This article was written after a lovely Valentines weekend of much open, shared and participative activity; the highlight of which was our collective mural day in the garden. It is hoped that some of the life, current ideas, projects, tools, spaces, bargains, oddities, dreams, passions and goings on of the city and her peoples are communicated here-in.

Friday… Thinking about winning

Saturday… Painting pictures and feeling like we are winning

Sunday… Sharing passions, playing and doing, Remembering the South.

The largest act of civil disobedience to happen in the US this Monday!!!

The climate camp “movement” is growing: engage, teach, learn, demonstrate alternatives, skill share, be moved, prepare, take direct action

Al Gore: “I believe we have reached the stage where it is time for civil disobedience to prevent the construction of new coal plants.”

Next Monday The largest act of civil disobedience will happen against global warming in the US. A large protest has been called at a coal-fired plant in Washington, D.C, 11,000 people are expected. In the days leading up to the protest, youth climate activists are organizing a conference called Power Shift ’09. Thousands of student activists plan to lobby lawmakers on Capitol Hill, urging them to rebuild the economy through bold climate and clean energy policy.

Looks like the “climate camp movement” is continuing to grow globally and momentum is building in the lead up to COP15… Ireland too are organising thing for this summer. Also Greenpeace´s “lawful excuse” court battle win might open the flood gates for more direct action…

On September 24, 2008, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore told the Clinton Global Initiative conference in New York city:

“If you’re a young person looking at the future of this planet and looking at what is being done right now, and not done, I believe we have reached the stage where it is time for civil disobedience to prevent the construction of new coal plants that do not have carbon capture and sequestration.”

To find out why things are so critical have a quick view of the trailer of his recent film; An inconveniant truth:

Greening the city: Temporary urban green zones

For some time here in Barcelona, and globally via email etc, many of us have been talking about an inititiave that is simple, practical, ecological, cheap to do and can be a massive benefit to healthy urban communites. Some precedents exist already: New York City is perhaps the best that I have heard of. Perhaps Erik might be able to provide links for this. Some say it is impossible to do it here, I disagree, I think it is not only possible, but that it is feasible, and as the “eco awareness” grows and the city looks for answers to its eco problems, this is a simple, small, nice step.

This mail is to propose the idea to you, see what you think, seek support, seek your knowledge, ideas etc. Its also an invite to learn about, visit, share experiences and learning with us in the existing catalyst and example of this idea, that is alive and growing as I type: the new community garden in Gracia, Barcelona.

Mobile garden, Image from Gracia hort gallery

Zero Carbon Caravan > COP15. Live radio project(s), zero carbon world concert(s) for a zero carbon world

As Bucky Fuller, might have put it: We must learn again how to steer our little “Spaceship Earth“…

This article is in regard to the Zero Carbon Caravan (ZCC) and related ideas in lead up to COP15, in Copenhagen December 2009,which will be one of the most important times in our collective human story. The creator of the ZCC idea is Chris Keene, supporter of CAT (centre of alternative technology) in Wales. CAT are responsible for the ZERO CARBON BRITAIN project.

The article written here, arises from email to Chris and it will change as our ideas do. This very exciting project, of critical value, simply adresses the pressing issue of our time…. Adapt or Die

9th World Social Forum Kicks Off in Brazil

Another World is possible! Is it? If so, how?

(this article was first published on IMC-IE)

In Brazil, more than one hundred thousand people are gathering for the ninth World Social Forum. A crowd of some fifty thousand kicked off the event Tuesday with a march through the Amazon city of Belem. The World Social Forum gathers social movements from around the world under the theme of ‘another world is possible.’ It’s timed to coincide with the gathering of corporate leaders in the Swiss town of Davos.

Watch latest vids from WSF TV. Listen to AMARC live radio broadcasts.

All infos on main site: WSF 2009 @ Belém – Pará – Brasil: 27 jan – 1 feb

AMARC AUDIO # 1 : Walden Bello on role of WSF and beyond

Foro Social Mundial @ Kenya 2007 (mostly in Portugese)

IMC-BRASIL @ WSF 2009

“Every crisis contains in itself an opportunity”

Dear Pat,                                          (Wednesday 21 January, 2009)

Strange times indeed!

Yesterday Martin Luther King’s dream was realised with Barack Obama becoming the first black president of the united States. Today sees Ireland celebrating, after much movement building based on Hope and Bold-ness of vision, the 90th anniversary since the first meeting of Dail Éireann.

But strangest of all is that we are living in times of such climate catastrophe, which threatens our collective existence regardless of nation and race, and in Ireland this fact is neither sufficiently recognised, nor is sufficient assistance given to those with visions for sustainable change.

Since time immemorial, the Chinese symbol for “crisis” has been expressed by the combination of the two words “danger” and “opportunity.” There-in lies not only a sentiment for Ireland’s present woes, but also a notion that these days could lead to something truly positive: an opportunity for our “Green Isle” to become a model sustainable community for both Europe, and indeed the world…

We must re-evaluate our understanding and use of the words Progress and Health. We must move from the idea of GDP (gross domestic product) to EPI (environmental performance index). That being, moving from how much stuff we move around the planet and at what cost, to what is the environmental impact of these actions and how they can be improved upon. In short, we need to stop burning tonnes of oil to import tonnes of New Zealand apples to Ireland, and seek ways to develop local food production zones and markets, like Seedsavers or Dolphins Barn community garden, which re-establish community and tradition, while not costing the earth.

What we are calling a “global financial crisis” is the first inevitable problem arising from a faulty economic system, built on the absurd idea that infinite economic growth is possible, fuelled by the endless supply of cheap oil. Apart from the disastrous CO2 emissions of this approach, a direct cause of Irelands recent summers rains?, scientists have made it clear; World Oil demand has peaked, we are running out of it and need to quickly build alternatives to survive. Thankfully some exist:

The Cradle to Cradle approach, which is based on the observation that in nature “Waste equals food” uses smart eco design powered by the sun, and is developing and building clean eco processes and buildings. The Netherlands is firmly embracing the concept and US architect, Bill Mc Donagh, has been asked to design 12 new eco cities in China. Can we imagine what a Cradle to Cradle island of Ireland might look like?

The Transition Town movement, originally developed out of ideas from Kinsale permaculture college, has expanded rapidly in only 2 years and sees communities coming together to imagine how they will exist with less oil dependence. Recently Sommerset county council in the UK embraced this practical philosophy.

I am an architect and eco-urbanist who left Ireland 2 years ago and now live, work and learn in the Catalan city of Barcelona. Prior to that I was involved with a group seeking to make the Botanic Spine, that being an 18km eco corridor, bikeway and linked route of food gardens joining Dublin’s 2 canals, the Phoenix park and the derelict train line that splits Cabra in two. With a bit of vision and support from the government, this ring could be a major catalyst for change that might help Ireland realise her opportunity, and take another BOLD and Visionary step, in these troubled times: to attempt to become Europe’s “Green Isle”.

Regards,

Duncan O`Cruadhlaoich, architect, EIG (eco intelligent growth), Barcelona