Setting our watches to the Climate Caravan agenda, Amelia and I heard of an event at Liverpool Street Station. Detailing the event on exciting yellow flyers as “Climate and Capitalism,” we thought we’d roll down after a delightful spread of cous cous and see what these dedicated folks were up to. The meeting point, 3.30pm outside the Bishopsgate exit, we stood at attention with our eyes peeled for some dread locked cyclists.
As time ticked by, we began to wonder if the crew had been held up in the hectic roads packed out with numerous buses and cars beeping for their bid at cramming through the tight city roads. With our ears flapping, we began to chat to other eager beavers hanging around. Spotting a few scruffy troops, we followed their footsteps and found ourselves stopping at The Royal Bank of Scotland. Joining in the chit chat, we circled round the bunch at the front of the unsightly glass structure listening to news of the current events. Eavesdropping while Amelia chatted to the activists she knew, I heard words of penguins, umbrellas and suits…
Mel from Platform filling in the group with fellow suited activist… oh and me (lovely flattering shot, thanks Amelia!)
Cue the arrival of activist Mel of climate change experts Platform, clutching onto bags of pennies. Crowding round her, she announced she and her fellow suited and booted associate had acquired these pennies from RBS as a statement about carbon emissions. I must admit now, I may well be manning the earth section, but these Climate Caravan events have been a huge learning curve for me. As Amelia bids farewell to continue her schedule I bite the bullet and ask the dreaded question (quietly to the friendliest looking one), “why RBS?”
It is happily revealed to me that RBS are the UK’s largest financial drivers of climate change. Publicly marketing themselves as “the oil and gas bank,” RBS are in fact one of the world’s largest funders of oil and gas extraction. These fossil fuels investments they are making will trap us into emissions for decades, a low carbon economy will thus become impossible.
The coins jamming the revolving doors
Meanwhile Mel (above) and Olly (below) provided us with some light entertainment with a bike powered sound system and clarinet
Causing quite a stir outside the RBS
Ah ha. I can see clearly why these these bags of coins are being thrown into the set of three revolving doors causing them to jam. As I dart around the guys, eagerly snapping the action I digest this in my mind. The camera goes back in my pocket. I don’t need 10 different angles of the activists, there are real photographers here for that. Gawping a little while at the security stuck in the bank, it occurs to me i quite like all this freedom of speech stuff (I have always been slightly bitter that my parents lived the 60’s, may be more for Woodstock and psychedelia). So as the guys start using the remainder of the coins to spell out slogans “dirty oil money” and “oil bank” I find myself kneeling with them, gathering the pennies and making my statement. Admittedly, my input was more of a continuation of a swirly line (it was supposed to represent the oil) which framed the slogans.
After ten minutes (not too efficient guys) the security decided to join in the coin play
The Climate Caravan crew didn’t stop there, eagerly using the confascated coins to re express their sentiments
The security dealing professionally with the issue shortly before the cops arrived
Just as I was plucking up the courage to use words over images (I’ve just finished an Illustration degree so typography is a little scary to me) activist Penny announced the police were on their way and we had better move along. As cleaners gathered round the doors sweeping up the coins, kicking away our masterpiece the activists gathered the coins and headed to a local pub for a celebratory drink (phew these guys may all be dedicated vegans, but they do like a tipple).
With a slightly brisk step in my walk so as not to get caught up with the law, hurried back to our headquarters and blurted to Amelia and my fellow interns what I had seen. Still curious about why I had heard speak of penguins earlier, Amelia mentioned we had missed a large parade on London Bridge involving fancy dressed homeless penguins and polar bears to make a statement about the causes of global warming. What will they do next time?! (find out and COME TO CLIMATE CAMP!!)
After an exhausting day in the life of Antartic creatures, the crew made tracks to Hackney City Farm where Amelia headed down to join in the celebrations of securing the site in Kingsworth.
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