over a thousand cyclists killed on our roads in the last decade
the thousands of cyclists killed by traffic pollution
the hundreds of thousands of people who wanted to cycle but were afraid to, due to the lack of protected cycle lanes and who thus died from horrific lung & heart diseases, asthma, diabetes and a plethora of other diseases brought on by the sedentary, petrochemical lifestyle.
UK Gov. Plc has invested almost nothing on safer cycling but tens of £billions on ever more roads for the car-lobby. £billions more is given in annual tax-cuts to the toxic diesel/petrol lobby, which is accelerating the 6th Mass Extinction.
The excellent photograph in the poster captures the scale of Stop Killing Cyclists’ first mass die-in, at Tfl headquarters, 5 years ago. 1500 people came together to protest, after 6 people were killed while cycling in one month.
This year’s National Funeral for the Unknown Cyclist hopes to be the largest ever Die-In in UK history, to ensure the Chancer of Death, Phillip Hammond, the incumbent PM, Jeremy Corbyn and his incumbent Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell hear two clear demands for the Autumn budget:
£3 Billion per year investment in cycling
A reversal of tax cuts on toxic diesel and petrol
#3Billion4Cycling
Donnachadh explained how they had arrived at the £3 Billion per year figure based on doubling the Dutch model, which invests the equivalent of £30 per person per year on cycling. The UK needs to catch up with 50 years of failure to invest in safer cycling.
The Dutch have the safest cycling infrastructure in the world. Despite some hotspots, they also enjoy some of the cleanest air in Europe.
More Dutch Cycling = Safer Cycling + Less Pollution + Cleaner Air
#Divest
The second demand, a reversal of the year on year tax-cuts on toxic fuel should be a no-brainer, given the calamitous state of our collapsing climate. If we are to survive the 6th Mass Extinction, we must create a cleaner, safer world. Electric vehicles alone aren’t going to cut it, especially if the electricity which powers them is still produced by burning toxic fossil fuels and distributed across an ancient, inefficient power grid. Electric vehicles still have a massive embedded carbon footprint.
The UK, and the world must fully divest from fossil fuels as Ireland has done and properly invest in safe cycling infrastructure.
NFUC Flyers – Front
NFUC Flyers – Back
Righteous Rage to Peaceful Action.
Channel your anger at all these injustices into peaceful direct action and demand better from UK Gov. Plc.
If you’re not able to attend, please share this event with your networks.
Cheers.
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The Extinction Symbol represents extinction. It is quite important to raise awareness of the 6th Mass Extinction, particularly as corporate power invests so much pretending that it isn’t really happening…
In my lifetime, I’ve witnessed a lot of batshit crazy. I suppose I should feel privileged to live in a time of such unprecedented global challenges.
We were taught about global warming in school. It was all a bit flakey back then because the fossil fuel corporations had just started distorting and disputing the climate science. A school of science which incidentally they had pioneered. The basic principles were understood long before I was born. #ExxonKnew
When I started primary school, we were being taught that the apocalyptic climate collapse we’re witnessing now might happen in a few hundred years but if we recycled more and changed our light bulbs and used catalytic converters and stopped using CFCs everything would probably be OK.
By the time I started secondary school, they were saying this cataclysmic tragedy might unfold in about a hundred years and we should probably all recycle more to be on the safe side. By the time I finished, they were saying maybe 50 years, if we didn’t take more meaningful action.
As I got older, they revised it down further, saying probably within our lifetimes. Then the IPCC report. The World Scientists’ Warnings to Humanity.TWENTY THREE years of annual international climate conferences (COP24 will be in December this year). All too little too late and still held back by an industry determined to protect it’s short term shareholder interest.
Now, everything’s collapsing around our ears and it has become difficult to imagine a future in which organised human life on planet Earth is viable. Or life at all for that matter. It turns out most of the recycling we’ve been diligently doing has been going to landfill and incinerators all these years. Increasing numbers of people believe that we’ve already passed the tipping point. An uninhabitable planet is now baked in to the mix.
Corporate media have starting to make the most monumental U-turn in history: We should now accept that an increasingly chaotic climate is the ‘new normal’. We should be preparing for more heatwaves and sea level rise of 60m. (normally I wouldn’t link to sky news but it’s interesting that even they are now starting to accept the stark reality). It has become undeniable. Much of humanity’s minds are being blown. Like frogs in boiling water, slowly realising our shared fate too late.
The world’s ‘leaders’ (such as they are) have procrastinated and lied and squabbled and squandered decades that could have made a difference. The farcical folly of the greenwashing industry; recyling going to landfill and incinerators, ‘catalytic converters’, ‘carbon trading schemes’ and so on tell us all we need to know about their ‘leadership’ on the issue.
You need only look at the brutal corporate policing of protests from Standing Rock to Preston New Rd to understand how intractable the problem is.
The fact that at least FIVE pacific islands have already been lost to rising sea levels is not yet commonly known or understood. I had hoped that this news might have woken up more people when it happened. Two years ago.
Imagining Hope
I’m suppose I’m lucky to have been engaged with the problem of catastrophic climate collapse and human extinction for quite a long time. I’m not as panicked by it as people who are just coming round to the concept now, so I can at least offer a relatively calm perspective. Continue reading EXTINCTION OR SURVIVAL? Imagining a Future for our Scorched Planet.
It’s good that corporate media is finally starting to discuss the climate crisis, but yesterday’s grauniad (28/7/2018) still carried FIFTEEN pages of adverts promoting the petrochemical lifestyle.
The entire global climate emergency movement concentrates on 3 key pillars – civil society, government and business.
The Climate Media Coalition believes that there is one crucial pillar which needs to be added – the Fourth Estate i.e. the global media.
The Climate Media Coalition’s core purpose is to urgently get this fourth pillar installed into the global climate movement’s campaigning architecture i.e. we want the global media to be a core part of the movement’s strategy to eliminate carbon emissions.
Without the backing of the media for radical action on the climate crisis we will fail to reduce carbon emissions fast enough to maintain human civilisation on planet Earth.
The existential stakes for nature and humanity are higher than they’ve ever been.
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The Extinction Symbol represents extinction. It is quite important to raise awareness of the 6th Mass Extinction, particularly as corporate power invests so much pretending that it isn’t really happening…
During the 2016 US presidential election, the provocative philosopher, Slavoj Žižek made a leftist’s case for electing Trump, (please bear with me). Slavoj’s insensitivity to the plight of LGBTQ comrades, his positions and commentary on climate change and immigration are deeply problematic for me but his perspective on Trump and the state of ‘the left’ was right on.
(Very) basically, his analysis rhymed with that of Julian Assange; that the 2016 US election was like a choice between cholera and gonorrhea. To them and doubtless many American citizens, the Clinton mafia represented an inertia perhaps best exemplified by their unforgivable treatment of Bernie Sanders and his supporters.
Slavoj argued that Trump, while horrific, represented a shake up of the blatantly corrupt establishment. My interpretation of his point during the election was that ‘the Left’ needed a good kick up the arse. Or as he put it, “the awakening of an authentic left”.
After the election, he was absolutely roasted, most notably by Mehdi Hassan on Al Jazeera, where he offered this defence of and exposition on his thinking.
‘The Left’ certainly seems to have started getting it’s shit together in the Trump era. We’ve had a few big wins. #BlackLivesMatter has changed the conversation on institutional racism and white privilege. #MeToo has changed the conversation on patriarchy and toxic masculinity.
Sadly, ‘the Right’ are relentless in their destructive tendencies and tribalism is easily exploited. Fake NGOs and other useful idiots are still appealing to maintain ‘the Left’s’ static status quo, which has in my lifetime been concerned only with cosmetic change. Talking shops. Anything but directing actual change through action.
“If you can’t face Hiroshima in the theatre,
you’ll eventually end up in Hiroshima itself”
– Edward Bond
Noam Chomsky has made the case that Trump, being a master showman, is simultaneously a massive distraction and a wrecking ball, paving the way for the worst horrors of neo-liberal disaster capitalism in the US and around it’s worldwide empire.
Here in the United Kingdom of America, there are similarities and differences. Our equivalent of Bernie Sanders is Jeremy Corbyn, who has apparently succeeded in piercing the archaic, anti-democratic parliamentary structures. This is a win. Corbyn appears to be a genuine, lifelong ally.
The similarities are more striking though. Treason Mayhem and her chums have been creating a terrifyingly absurd spectacle for over two years now. Brexit has not only succeeded in dividing all we who might otherwise be natural allies. It has also robbed people of their hopes, dreams and nightmares for the future. It is robbing them of their power, because the neverendumb referendum created such a convincing illusion of power.
UK Gov Plc announced last week that they intend to start distributing ‘packages’, ‘warning‘ (terrorising) UK citizens ‘on a weekly basis’ about the perils of a ‘no deal Brexit’. Could this be because many people are now starting to realise that Brexit was a con? A black and white choice on a rainbow of options over which we have no actual say.
People tend to feel more powerful in a tribe and the longer they affiliate with that tribe, the harder the die casts. Nobody wants to give up their power, so if you associate your power with a tribe you will most likely defend your tribe against all logic.
So, having successfully divided and distracted most of us, what have Trump, the Tories and their chums been up to? What have they been distracting us from?
(The following list is not in order of importance. All these struggles are interconnected).
The Planet is Literally Burning
The exponentially accelerating effects of extreme pollution, climate change, ‘hyrdological extremes’ (drought, flood) and the resultant 6th Mass Extinction. Wildfires raging in the arctic circle.
I’ll just repeat that: Wildfires raging. In the arctic circle.
In the ARCTIC circle.
“This appears to be a trend as more and bigger blazes are reported in other far northern regions like Greenland, Alaska, Siberia and Canada.” – and in the North of England.
Class War
The effects of austerity on the vulnerable. The thousands of people who have committed suicide or died from preventable conditions after being found fit for work; The increasing numbers of uncounted homeless deaths on our streets, and in squats, and bedsits, and B&Bs, hostels, and other unsafe, temporary means of hiding the problem while lining the pockets of landlords and poverty property developers. The vast majority of the population reliant on the state and foodbanks for survival.
Fracking
The ecocidal fracking industry spreading across the country, poisoning our water, land and air for a short term injection of capital into the dying fossil fuel industry. UK Gov plc deploying the UK’s public police force to act as private security to ‘protect’ the fracking industry. From the knitting nanas of Lancashire. By throwing them around, arresting them and dragging them through the courts…
Proxy Warmongering and Fascism
Refugees and immigrants from poor countries fleeing the effects of climate change wrought on them by richer countries. Refugees and immigrants fleeing the secret proxy wars of a dying empire which is closing it’s borders, abandoning them to die and worse. These human beings are almost exclusively referred to in terms of the problems they present at the borders. The hostile environment. Those fucking ‘Go Home’ vans. The horror of Yarl’s Wood detention centre and Guantanamo. Trump locking children in cages. Trial runs for fascism in full flow.
The Rise of the Neo-McCarthyist Corporate Police State
Lush managed to pierce the established media networks with their excellent but much maligned #SpyCops campaign, shedding precious light on the undercover policing scandal, which otherwise nobody would know anything about. Undercover police formed intimate, long term relationships with activists, fathering children with them before abandoning the families they had co-created. Spycops apparently compiled blacklists of environmental, peace and human rights activists, members of Parliament and trade unionists, undermining union disputes. High profile victims of this scandal include the incumbent Prime Minister, Jeremy Corbyn.
The impetus for writing this little rant/blog/article is this week’s revelation, courtesy of Baroness Jenny Jones: UK Gov Plc are now deploying children as #SpyCops to do dangerous police work. If this isn’t the straw that broke the camel’s back I dread to think what will be.
This list is by no means comprehensive. I think it’s sufficient to make my point though.
We need to make earth great again. Whatever you’re doing to make this happen, keep it up. Do more if you can. Don’t forget to practice self-care, be kind to yourself and others.
Keep it lit.
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The Extinction Symbol represents extinction. It is quite important to raise awareness of the 6th Mass Extinction, particularly as corporate power invests so much pretending that it isn’t really happening…
(This image was created by Donnachadh McCarthy, who wrote passionately about David’s passing on facebook here.)
Rest in Power David Buckel, prominent US gay rights lawyer and environmental activist, who tragically burnt himself to death this week. He set himself alight with petrochemicals to draw attention to the escalating climate crisis, which the corporatocracy has been persuading people to ignore for decades. In his note, he said “Pollution ravages our planet, oozing inhabitability via air, soil, water and weather,“
“Most humans on the planet now breathe air made unhealthy by fossil fuels, and many die early deaths as a result — my early death by fossil fuel reflects what we are doing to ourselves.” He expressed hope that his death would serve as a call to action, saying, “Honourable purpose in life invites honourable purpose in death“.
David Buckel is sadly not the deep green movement’s first martyr.
Earlier this year environmental activist, Kavous Seyed Emami, a professor and prominent environmental activist, apparentlycommitted suicide while detained in a Tehran prison.
In late October 2016, Environmentalist Jawahar Kumaran killed himself and left a video protesting about toxic plastic. In the video, he said “I am sacrificing my life in the hope that it will trigger serious concern about plastic use in India. Since all of my peaceful means of protest failed, I’m forced to choose suicide. To save the lives of millions of people affected by toxic plastic, I don’t think it’s wrong to kill myself.”
In July 2016 a pioneering environmentalist couple, Judi and Lou Friedman had apparently also killed themselves. They had been extremely active in educational, environmental, peacekeeping, alternative energy and anti-nuclear efforts locally, nationally and internationally.
In December 2005, ELF environmental activist and animal rights activist, William C Rodgers was found dead in his cell. According to police, he had used a plastic bag to commit suicide.
In September 2003 ecologist and author, Dr Garrett Hardin and his wife, Jane Hardin took their own lives. Dr. Hardin was suffering a heart disorder, and Jane had Lou Gehrig’s disease. They were both members of End-of-Life Choices, formerly known as the Hemlock Society.
Kristin Marie Snyder, a self-employed environmental consultant apparentlytook her own life in February, 2003. A search for information about her tragic passing certainly raises far more questions than it does answers.
In July 1995: Alexander Langer ended his life by hanging himself from an apricot tree at Pian de’ Giullari, close to Florence. His note read: “Don’t be sad, continue doing what is right.” He was active in the social movements of 1968, a renowned journalist, and the founder and leader of the Italian Greens.
The list goes on and on. I can’t bring myself to keep compiling it. I’ve been trying to remember the name of the first such deep green suicide I heard of, some years ago now. He was an American hermit concerned with overconsumption who had been living a sustainable lifestyle off-grid. I’m ashamed to admit that I can’t remember his name now. If anybody knows who I’m talking about, please remind me. (*update – a kind reader has emailed to remind me that his name was Michael Ruppert, a writer, musician, police officer, investigative journalist, political activist, and peak oil awareness advocate who tragically chose to end his incredible life with a gunshot to the head in April 2014).
With the utmost respect to their individual right to self-determination, all of these climate disaster martyrs could have achieved much more if they were still alive and campaigning with a crew of supportive people around them.
As noble as the motivations for their choices might be, we really don’t need any more conscious, conscientious human beings to go this way. Particularly as there are so few like them and especially as corporate power is assassinating environmental activists in their hundreds across Latin America and worldwide. 200 environment protectors across 24 countries were killed in 2016. That’s four murders a week. If the trend has continued, it should be around one a day by now.
As the overwhelming savagery of the 6th Mass Extinction continues to escalate, we’re going to need to really look out for and help each other cope.
If anybody reading this is feeling so low as to consider doing something so radical as to take their own life in the name of any cause, (or none), please reach out for help first. If you don’t have friends or family you can talk to, I’ll always be here to listen and to help if I can. annnarkeh(at)gmail(dot)com – (remove brackets, insert symbols).
IF YOU’RE ABLE, please consider making a contribution,cheers.
The Extinction Symbol represents extinction. It is quite important to raise awareness of the 6th Mass Extinction, particularly as corporate power invests so much pretending that it isn’t really happening…
Signed by 15,364 scientists from 184 countries around the world, the “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity, A Second Notice” was published on November 13th, 2017.
This short film was produced by Ann Narkeh for all you internet zombies. Some parts have been paraphrased for legibility. The original text with acknowledgements, references and supplementary materials can be found here.
Keep it lit.
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The following is a roundup of just some of the last week’s extreme weather disasters from around the world. This article was created to help end climate change denialism and to persuade the fossil fuel industry and the Trumps of this world to put their resources towards mitigating the crisis rather than fuelling it.
While it’s technically easy to compile all this information, it’s emotionally traumatic to catalogue all the tragedy and suffering which is apparently escalating so dramatically. My condolences to all those directly affected. Whatever you’re doing to avert, or otherwise survive the sixth great extinction, stay strong and be excellent to each other.
It’s useful to be aware of how bad things are, but it’s equally if not more important to remember that there are solutions to these challenges which we should also be focusing on.
Please note: Some of these links are to dubious corporate media sources which Ann Narkeh Media would ordinarily boycott. However, taking the escalating ecological crisis seriously is an exception, because it is one of the many conversations which urgently need to be dragged into the public sphere. If they get clicks for significant, truthful coverage, it might persuade them to do more of it.
CANADA: Ongoing, out of control BC wildfires have forced 14 thousand people and rising to evacuate. 29 new fires broke out over the weekend, bringing the total to 218 with many of these 0% contained. Meanwhile Saskatoon was flooded amidst damaging wind and ‘bullet like’ hail.
CHINA: 1.2 million evacuated, at least 56 people dead as over 60 rivers burst their banks in the South.
CZECH: Deploying drones to help search for abandoned drainage systems to fight third consecutive year of drought.
UK: Flooding across the country, amidst +30C heatwaves.
This list is by no means comprehensive. You might also be interested in this report from the World Meteorological Organization, regarding the last two months of this “spell of exceptional global warmth” that has now lasted since mid-2015. This article offers another overview of the unprecedented heatwaves currently gripping the planet and their consequences.
*A study by Henry Patton, a researcher at The Arctic University of Norway warns that a similar collapse of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets at the end of the last ice age led to chaos across the European continent with floods forming ‘mega rivers’ that swept some of the continent (including the English Channel) clean, affecting the human habitability of the region.
The extinction symbol is intended to help raise awareness of the urgent need for change, in order to address the crisis.
Massive A-B march and demonstration in London today to get the #ToriesOut.
Great turnout, atmosphere and rhetoric, with many speakers calling for more strikes, occupations and direct action. Well done to the thousands who turned out to support comrade Corbyn’s movement to occupy democracy.
Resistance continues at Preston New Road, Lancashire on day 124 of their rolling blockade against fracking idiots, Cuadrilla. All love and power to the brave protectors holding their ground to protect the UK’s drinking water.
Here’s some of today’s extreme weather from around the world;
All these links/articles were posted in the last 24 hours of writing. It’s the same thing almost every day now, if you can bring yourself to take a few minutes to check. Keywords: weather, floods and fires.
Sad as hell. Be excellent to each other.
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UK Gov. Plc has invested almost nothing on safer cycling but tens of £billions on ever more roads for the car-lobby. £billions more is given in annual tax-cuts to the toxic diesel/petrol lobby, which is accelerating the 6th Mass Extinction.
