Transposed from an older blog
Ok it’s a long time since I’ve posted anything here, so I’ll put something together to make it clear I’m still alive.
Had a very pleasant greeny weekend. Friday I was volunteering at Greenpeace, sorting out a few bits and pieces in the morning. Then spending most of the day unpicking the reflective strips off fluorescent jackets. The reflective strips reflect camera flashes badly, and your modern activist has to look good for the cameras. 3 Hours unstitching stuff, oh the glamour of being a Greenpeace activist. Spent some of the afternoon keeping an eye on people practicing climbing skills, making sure they didn’t die?
Then off to the pub, to celebrate/commiserate friends from the Prescott action. Very glad I avoided arrest as the Magistrate threw the book at them. From everything I’ve read from the trial transcripts he seems like a bit of a nutter. Well the good news is they avoided prison, but got a long community service stint. I wonder would a short spell in prison be better or worse than a long community service sentence. Hopefully won’t need to find out.
Then off to Essex to join the Camp Bling road protest site. A late train and a short walk, to a very impressive communal bender/kitchen. Drinks to the wee hours before getting up to a days work. Some walkways on site, a few tree houses, lots of tents, but liable to change as Winter approaches.
Clearing some older benders. A trip round the estates looking for Pallets, and then an afternoon of building a new visitors centre. Lots of fun empowered people getting things done. A few paranoid people but nothing too out of the ordinary.
Then back to Islington for a big Greenpeace Birthday drinks session. Too many people gathered together that I know well. Being a quiet reserved chap I’d rather hid in the corner. More drinking to late and sleep before another day at work Sunday.
Monday, 7 November 2005
Sunday, 3 April 2005
Where has that Weblog gone
Transposed from an older blog
Kind of forget I'm supposed to be writing a regular weblog, what with other stuff and really crappy internet access.
But I can always go back and fill in all the cool stuff, and random ranting at a later date.
Finally got round to sorting out that job application for a role of a volunteer coordinator in the new mass networking department for Greenpeace International. It seems astronomically unlikely I'll get anywhere but hey you're got to have a go.
I do sometimes wonder about the idea of working for Greenpeace, sometimes it seems to be lots more fun to be a volunteer, but working full time would give me more scope to do more stuff. Or would I just get sucked into lots of meetings.
In any case I'll just get on and do stuff, and when the right sort of jobs come up, apply and let the fates decide.
Kind of forget I'm supposed to be writing a regular weblog, what with other stuff and really crappy internet access.
But I can always go back and fill in all the cool stuff, and random ranting at a later date.
Finally got round to sorting out that job application for a role of a volunteer coordinator in the new mass networking department for Greenpeace International. It seems astronomically unlikely I'll get anywhere but hey you're got to have a go.
I do sometimes wonder about the idea of working for Greenpeace, sometimes it seems to be lots more fun to be a volunteer, but working full time would give me more scope to do more stuff. Or would I just get sucked into lots of meetings.
In any case I'll just get on and do stuff, and when the right sort of jobs come up, apply and let the fates decide.
Saturday, 2 April 2005
Day in Bed
Transposed from an older blog
Stayed in bed all day trying to recover from night before.
Ok I emerged from bed to go for a walk in the park, and for a pub lunch down by the canal, but basically a very lazy day.
Oh yes I went down to Hackney to the very cool Pogo's cafe, for supper. I think as an East London collective we are going to try and meet at Pogo's on an irregular basis. Dunno have to talk about it at the meeting on Monday? Very cool place, if anyone ever reads this, go check it out. They had a very cool exhibition of anti coco-cola art and graphics. Should probably negociate putting a poster up, maybe in conjunction with the Islington group.
So not quite all day spent in bed, after all.
Stayed in bed all day trying to recover from night before.
Ok I emerged from bed to go for a walk in the park, and for a pub lunch down by the canal, but basically a very lazy day.
Oh yes I went down to Hackney to the very cool Pogo's cafe, for supper. I think as an East London collective we are going to try and meet at Pogo's on an irregular basis. Dunno have to talk about it at the meeting on Monday? Very cool place, if anyone ever reads this, go check it out. They had a very cool exhibition of anti coco-cola art and graphics. Should probably negociate putting a poster up, maybe in conjunction with the Islington group.
So not quite all day spent in bed, after all.
Friday, 1 April 2005
Cannot give my labour away
Transposed from an older blog
For a long time now, I have been volunteering in the office on Fridays. I guess in my head Friday belongs to Greenpeace, Sunday to Thursday belong to Work, Saturday sometimes belongs to me.
But sometimes its hard to be a volunteer. The person I usually volunteer with, is on holiday so that didn't work out. So I thought maybe I could help out with some admin, but the person concerned was well sorted with other volunteers that day. So I thought maybe I could just go in and use a computer to catch up on some of the coordination of being an Area Networker, but there weren't any computers spare. So I arranged to go and help out in the climate team, but the night before it turned out they were in a meeting all day, and so that didn't work out.
Oh well maybe next time. Meant to go in anyway and do some climb training, but ended up having an acute attack of lazyness.
Joined everyone after work for beer. Made a complete and utter arse of myself, and had a very scary moment when I thought I was going to die. Ok maybe that wasn't the beer. Wonder if anyone is still talking to me tommorrow, or whether this would be a good time to emigrate to Brazil?
For a long time now, I have been volunteering in the office on Fridays. I guess in my head Friday belongs to Greenpeace, Sunday to Thursday belong to Work, Saturday sometimes belongs to me.
But sometimes its hard to be a volunteer. The person I usually volunteer with, is on holiday so that didn't work out. So I thought maybe I could help out with some admin, but the person concerned was well sorted with other volunteers that day. So I thought maybe I could just go in and use a computer to catch up on some of the coordination of being an Area Networker, but there weren't any computers spare. So I arranged to go and help out in the climate team, but the night before it turned out they were in a meeting all day, and so that didn't work out.
Oh well maybe next time. Meant to go in anyway and do some climb training, but ended up having an acute attack of lazyness.
Joined everyone after work for beer. Made a complete and utter arse of myself, and had a very scary moment when I thought I was going to die. Ok maybe that wasn't the beer. Wonder if anyone is still talking to me tommorrow, or whether this would be a good time to emigrate to Brazil?
Thursday, 31 March 2005
Returning to the scene of the crime
Transposed from an older blog
There may have been another dolphin delivery today, back to the French embassy.
This time the dolphine were in much worse shape. It turned out that the freezer van, come dolphin ambulance had broken down, and so the dolphins weren't really frozen. Instead to keep them cold they had been stored in a childrens paddling pool with lots of ice, which kind of worked, but they were a bit slimy.
I have a bit of a phobia about being late, so for anyone who turned up early, there may have been a very grim task of getting dolphins from body bags onto stretchers. This time one of the dolphins was partly eaten (urrgghh) but worse one of them had had their belly slit open and the guts were hanging out. Fishermen try to disguise the evidene of dolphin bycatch, by cutting them open and throwing them over the side, encouraging the bodies to sink. It's a disgusting practice at sea, and its disgusting to handle at 7am in the morning.
Action itself went fine, I'll post the press release seperatly, although there was a moment where the delivery vehicle disappeared, and there was nowhere to put the stretcher poles. The event itself coincided with a similar action in France, where I think all the activists involved got arrested. Not quite sure what for, but the French police seem to work on an arrest them now, sort it out later.
Off to work, and fun evening with old housemates, where we discussed circus acts, the G8, the power of laughter and some ideas that have been circulating for ridiculing urban 4x4 drivers. More should come of this.
There may have been another dolphin delivery today, back to the French embassy.
This time the dolphine were in much worse shape. It turned out that the freezer van, come dolphin ambulance had broken down, and so the dolphins weren't really frozen. Instead to keep them cold they had been stored in a childrens paddling pool with lots of ice, which kind of worked, but they were a bit slimy.
I have a bit of a phobia about being late, so for anyone who turned up early, there may have been a very grim task of getting dolphins from body bags onto stretchers. This time one of the dolphins was partly eaten (urrgghh) but worse one of them had had their belly slit open and the guts were hanging out. Fishermen try to disguise the evidene of dolphin bycatch, by cutting them open and throwing them over the side, encouraging the bodies to sink. It's a disgusting practice at sea, and its disgusting to handle at 7am in the morning.
Action itself went fine, I'll post the press release seperatly, although there was a moment where the delivery vehicle disappeared, and there was nowhere to put the stretcher poles. The event itself coincided with a similar action in France, where I think all the activists involved got arrested. Not quite sure what for, but the French police seem to work on an arrest them now, sort it out later.
Off to work, and fun evening with old housemates, where we discussed circus acts, the G8, the power of laughter and some ideas that have been circulating for ridiculing urban 4x4 drivers. More should come of this.
Wednesday, 30 March 2005
Walking Wounded
Transposed from an older blog
So another quiet day at work, followed by a speedy actions briefing for tomorrows event. Quick pint in Marquis before heading home for an early night, for an early start.
See the thing is a coupls of months ago I saw this very cool band at the Peace News party in the Rampart Centre, and I know they're going to be playing a bar on the way home. So it would be rude not to go and see them for a bit. I can always leave early say by 10, giving me an hours worth of entertainment.
But then of course they start late, at 9.45 so it would be even worse to leave now, as they'll get all self conscious about people walking out of the bar when the music starts.
Then my flat mate turns up so I need to share a drink or two with him, and look its now midnight, and I need to be up at 6 for this action. Ho hum
So another quiet day at work, followed by a speedy actions briefing for tomorrows event. Quick pint in Marquis before heading home for an early night, for an early start.
See the thing is a coupls of months ago I saw this very cool band at the Peace News party in the Rampart Centre, and I know they're going to be playing a bar on the way home. So it would be rude not to go and see them for a bit. I can always leave early say by 10, giving me an hours worth of entertainment.
But then of course they start late, at 9.45 so it would be even worse to leave now, as they'll get all self conscious about people walking out of the bar when the music starts.
Then my flat mate turns up so I need to share a drink or two with him, and look its now midnight, and I need to be up at 6 for this action. Ho hum
Wednesday, 16 March 2005
Fastest Action Briefing in the West
Transposed from an older blog
Very busy evening, catching up with old friend and so very happy to get through briefing for tommorrow's action in like 45 minutes. This has to be a first, usually Greenpeace works on hippy time, but the briefing scheduled for 7pm started by 7.05 and finished by 7.45. Like wow.
Ok the action is pretty low key, with little risk of arrest, but it's a refreshing change to not have to go over the same ground again and again. Then off to organic pub, followed by the local that time forgot to drink lots of real cider and perry. Yummy
Very busy evening, catching up with old friend and so very happy to get through briefing for tommorrow's action in like 45 minutes. This has to be a first, usually Greenpeace works on hippy time, but the briefing scheduled for 7pm started by 7.05 and finished by 7.45. Like wow.
Ok the action is pretty low key, with little risk of arrest, but it's a refreshing change to not have to go over the same ground again and again. Then off to organic pub, followed by the local that time forgot to drink lots of real cider and perry. Yummy
Tuesday, 15 March 2005
I am a complete technophobe
Transposed from an older blog
Fond memories of Disney action, and a good picture even if the action was a bit wet.
Ok so I finally got the bloody press release sorted, like 3 days too late, but maybe the local media will need a space filler.
The problem is that I'm using a clapped out laptop and a slow dial up connection. I have to get Broadband sorted at home.
Also there seems to be whole worlds of stuff about pictures and images that I haven't got a clue about. When is a jpg a jpeg, and what is an apple file, and why can't I scan it for viruses? does that now mean I've infected the laptop with something nasty? Oh well it's the boss's computer and she may never know it was me?
Still haven't writtenm that essay yest, should write grovelling email to my tutor. I think I'm having difficulty juggling quite so much Greenpeace stuff with trying to study a course that is looking increasingly hard. Maybe after the next project is over (at GP) I might try having a day off in the week again and stop volunteering in the office? That way I'll have a better chance of catching up?
More crap news, we were planning a series of er events that got cancelled so that we could all focus on a bigger, more dramatic event, which has also just been cancelled. Talk about pissing up against a wall. The original events planning involved lots of discreet conversations, phone calls, meetings and scouting. To be cancelled for something better OK fair enough, but to be cancelled for something that didn't happen at all. Bollocks to that.
Maybe the moral is, that if in doubt go do it anyway, sort out the consequences afterwards.
Fond memories of Disney action, and a good picture even if the action was a bit wet.
Ok so I finally got the bloody press release sorted, like 3 days too late, but maybe the local media will need a space filler.
The problem is that I'm using a clapped out laptop and a slow dial up connection. I have to get Broadband sorted at home.
Also there seems to be whole worlds of stuff about pictures and images that I haven't got a clue about. When is a jpg a jpeg, and what is an apple file, and why can't I scan it for viruses? does that now mean I've infected the laptop with something nasty? Oh well it's the boss's computer and she may never know it was me?
Still haven't writtenm that essay yest, should write grovelling email to my tutor. I think I'm having difficulty juggling quite so much Greenpeace stuff with trying to study a course that is looking increasingly hard. Maybe after the next project is over (at GP) I might try having a day off in the week again and stop volunteering in the office? That way I'll have a better chance of catching up?
More crap news, we were planning a series of er events that got cancelled so that we could all focus on a bigger, more dramatic event, which has also just been cancelled. Talk about pissing up against a wall. The original events planning involved lots of discreet conversations, phone calls, meetings and scouting. To be cancelled for something better OK fair enough, but to be cancelled for something that didn't happen at all. Bollocks to that.
Maybe the moral is, that if in doubt go do it anyway, sort out the consequences afterwards.
Monday, 14 March 2005
Is Greenpeace Boring
Transposed from an older blog
Ok so on Saturday 7 of us were out campaigning on the streets of Stratford, and we had a pretty hard time. OK we made a Greenpeace presence felt, and we got some people to fill out polls, but it wasn't exactly earth shattering.
So should I press release it to the local media, we've got some pictures which is good, and a story to tell, 98% of locals support higher road tax for gas guzzling 4x4's but it wasn't really newsworthy.
Equally Greenpeace usually does us a press release for a campign, wher the local media is likely to be interested. This time they haven't, so does that mean we're not suppossed to press release it.
But then we did have some fun with the Stratford Climate Crime Squad, OK active supporters in silly helmets, so there is another media angle/ story to tell.
and usually the local paper is full of stories about Church fete's and cats getting stuck up the tree, so what the hell lets do a press release.
Evening fun sneaking round building site, looking for stuff, nothing whatsover interesting going on.
Ok so on Saturday 7 of us were out campaigning on the streets of Stratford, and we had a pretty hard time. OK we made a Greenpeace presence felt, and we got some people to fill out polls, but it wasn't exactly earth shattering.
So should I press release it to the local media, we've got some pictures which is good, and a story to tell, 98% of locals support higher road tax for gas guzzling 4x4's but it wasn't really newsworthy.
Equally Greenpeace usually does us a press release for a campign, wher the local media is likely to be interested. This time they haven't, so does that mean we're not suppossed to press release it.
But then we did have some fun with the Stratford Climate Crime Squad, OK active supporters in silly helmets, so there is another media angle/ story to tell.
and usually the local paper is full of stories about Church fete's and cats getting stuck up the tree, so what the hell lets do a press release.
Evening fun sneaking round building site, looking for stuff, nothing whatsover interesting going on.
Sunday, 13 March 2005
When the good go Bad
Transposed from an older blog
Completely unproductive day, due to late night drinking and playing board games, in a surreal alternative to real life.
Posse of Greenpeace people start by sitting down to play Terra, a cooperation game about er saving the world. To win however you need to be a bit selfish. Three games later, too much selfish play has doomed the planet to destruction, like all three times.
So we move on to Condottiere, warfare in Rennaissance Italy. Now we're better at this, murder, war and betrayal abound. Clawing to victory over the bodies of our fellow players.
To finish with High Soceity, a game of turning wealth into whats's important. Big status symbols like private Jets, fast sportscars, Yachts and other essential aquistions. Several bankruptcies later we call it an evening.
Luckily we're all much nicer in real life.
Completely unproductive day, due to late night drinking and playing board games, in a surreal alternative to real life.
Posse of Greenpeace people start by sitting down to play Terra, a cooperation game about er saving the world. To win however you need to be a bit selfish. Three games later, too much selfish play has doomed the planet to destruction, like all three times.
So we move on to Condottiere, warfare in Rennaissance Italy. Now we're better at this, murder, war and betrayal abound. Clawing to victory over the bodies of our fellow players.
To finish with High Soceity, a game of turning wealth into whats's important. Big status symbols like private Jets, fast sportscars, Yachts and other essential aquistions. Several bankruptcies later we call it an evening.
Luckily we're all much nicer in real life.
Saturday, 12 March 2005
Mean Streets of Stratford
Transposed from an older blog
The new Stratford group took to the streets today delivering the Choose Clean Energy climate campaign to the unreceptive citizens of Stratford.
Meet at Station, started wierd as women from Stop the War lot thought bloke with pasting table (thats me) must be the person she'd been told to look for. Every campaigning group in the world seems to rely on pasting tables, maybe we should get a discount? or maybe there's a buisness opportuity, pasting tables specially designed for protesting?
Good turnout with 7 of us, OK 6 East London folk, and an infiltrator from Camden. Tough audience, lots of people not really giving a monkeys, in what is a very poor diverse community. But then when you do find someone interested it makes it a real joy, and getting out of the white middle class ghetto on traditional environmentalism is cool.
Bit of hassle from Council goons, who objected to the table. Took a view not to push issue, as its a new group and a big argument, police involvement seemed a bit premature, and dis-empowering to new people.
Lots of other folk out, from Stop the War, and from local Chrisitians. Now I'm sort of on board with the Stop the War lot, even if they have become just another front for the Socialist Workers, but there do have some right wierdo's involved. Some really pushy leafleter insisted on standing right in front of the Greenpeace presence thrusting Stop the War leaflets in people faces. When I suggested that it would be helpfull if we could try not confuse campaign messages, and respect each others space she went off on one. Luckily they all go moved on by the council.
But a successful sunny day, and we got to stamp the Greenpeace presence on an area that probably hasn't seen it before?
The new Stratford group took to the streets today delivering the Choose Clean Energy climate campaign to the unreceptive citizens of Stratford.
Meet at Station, started wierd as women from Stop the War lot thought bloke with pasting table (thats me) must be the person she'd been told to look for. Every campaigning group in the world seems to rely on pasting tables, maybe we should get a discount? or maybe there's a buisness opportuity, pasting tables specially designed for protesting?
Good turnout with 7 of us, OK 6 East London folk, and an infiltrator from Camden. Tough audience, lots of people not really giving a monkeys, in what is a very poor diverse community. But then when you do find someone interested it makes it a real joy, and getting out of the white middle class ghetto on traditional environmentalism is cool.
Bit of hassle from Council goons, who objected to the table. Took a view not to push issue, as its a new group and a big argument, police involvement seemed a bit premature, and dis-empowering to new people.
Lots of other folk out, from Stop the War, and from local Chrisitians. Now I'm sort of on board with the Stop the War lot, even if they have become just another front for the Socialist Workers, but there do have some right wierdo's involved. Some really pushy leafleter insisted on standing right in front of the Greenpeace presence thrusting Stop the War leaflets in people faces. When I suggested that it would be helpfull if we could try not confuse campaign messages, and respect each others space she went off on one. Luckily they all go moved on by the council.
But a successful sunny day, and we got to stamp the Greenpeace presence on an area that probably hasn't seen it before?
Friday, 11 March 2005
One Step Forward, Two Steps Backwards
Transposed from an older blog
A very bitty day volunteering in the office, lots of little things interfering with pushing forward with big project that now no longer exists.
Early start and good conversation, to talk about job opportunity at Greenpeace International. The job is one I'm very interested in, well paid, and something I'd be good at. So what the hell lets have a go at applying. There may be an issue with the job being political/administrative but I'm sure I can take holiday to go and do more gritty interesting stuff.
Big project I'd started work on, got canned. Possibly in a good way a more interesting target has come along instead. But still very frustrating, all those evenings sneaking around checking out sites. Lots of discreet meetings and phone calls to put together an over arching co-ordination structure, the careful recruiting of key people for High Risk (of arrest) roles, and the careful building up of a pool of people for other roles. All now unravelled. Oh well lots of other good stuff coming this way.
Raid on leaflet stores to get lots of material for tommorrow. Update of London events listing a bit more interesting this week as lots of stuff going on, mainly tied to the Choose Clean Energy campaign.
But short of volunteers in the ASU, so helped out with some admin stuff, but basically a day of little bits and pieces. Standing people down from an event, fiddling with emails, getting stuff together, but not really achieving very much. Shame really.
A very bitty day volunteering in the office, lots of little things interfering with pushing forward with big project that now no longer exists.
Early start and good conversation, to talk about job opportunity at Greenpeace International. The job is one I'm very interested in, well paid, and something I'd be good at. So what the hell lets have a go at applying. There may be an issue with the job being political/administrative but I'm sure I can take holiday to go and do more gritty interesting stuff.
Big project I'd started work on, got canned. Possibly in a good way a more interesting target has come along instead. But still very frustrating, all those evenings sneaking around checking out sites. Lots of discreet meetings and phone calls to put together an over arching co-ordination structure, the careful recruiting of key people for High Risk (of arrest) roles, and the careful building up of a pool of people for other roles. All now unravelled. Oh well lots of other good stuff coming this way.
Raid on leaflet stores to get lots of material for tommorrow. Update of London events listing a bit more interesting this week as lots of stuff going on, mainly tied to the Choose Clean Energy campaign.
But short of volunteers in the ASU, so helped out with some admin stuff, but basically a day of little bits and pieces. Standing people down from an event, fiddling with emails, getting stuff together, but not really achieving very much. Shame really.
Thursday, 10 March 2005
Building Structures
Transposed from an older blog
Day at work finalising structure for upcoming project. Two seperate events, two co-ordinators at each. Team of 4 for the interesting bit, a couple for legal support and then recruiting 20-25 people for each event. Need a meeting venue, and a few phone calls later, not much to find, misht speak to people tommorrow in Greenpeace office, maybe a hotel?
Also planning a last minute campaigning event for Saturday, would like to introduce humourous element or a bit of drama. The campaign is about climate criminals so I've aquired some policeman's helmets, to be adapted into the Stratford Climate Crime Squad. Have to try and find some other props fro crime, criminals or climate. I'm sure we used to have a Sherlock Holmes hat around the shop somewhere but can't for the life of me find it.
Probably for the best.
Day at work finalising structure for upcoming project. Two seperate events, two co-ordinators at each. Team of 4 for the interesting bit, a couple for legal support and then recruiting 20-25 people for each event. Need a meeting venue, and a few phone calls later, not much to find, misht speak to people tommorrow in Greenpeace office, maybe a hotel?
Also planning a last minute campaigning event for Saturday, would like to introduce humourous element or a bit of drama. The campaign is about climate criminals so I've aquired some policeman's helmets, to be adapted into the Stratford Climate Crime Squad. Have to try and find some other props fro crime, criminals or climate. I'm sure we used to have a Sherlock Holmes hat around the shop somewhere but can't for the life of me find it.
Probably for the best.
Wednesday, 9 March 2005
Quest for Crappy Pubs
Transposed from an older blog
2nd meeting of the new Stratford group last night with 12 people. Ok we had made a strategic decision to meet in the only nice pub in Stratford, but it appears lots of other people like drinking there too.
It looked like we weren't even going to get a table, but we managed to sneak one in at the last minute. The landlord was pretty nice about it but suggested that there wasn't really enough space for us. Maybe Monday would be a better night?
Alternatively we could find a crap pub, where noone goes and then we wouldn't have to worry about it being busy. But what's the point of a pub with crap beer, isn't that against everything s environmentally minded people believe in?
The King Edward VII being the only decent pub, has other advantages. Two other pub patrons saw us, and decided that they really wanted to get involved too, bringing the meetin up to 14. So successful meetings in a crowded pub, or less successfull meetings in a quite pub.
We going to go on a pub crawl to decide which in itself should be a bit of fun.
2nd meeting of the new Stratford group last night with 12 people. Ok we had made a strategic decision to meet in the only nice pub in Stratford, but it appears lots of other people like drinking there too.
It looked like we weren't even going to get a table, but we managed to sneak one in at the last minute. The landlord was pretty nice about it but suggested that there wasn't really enough space for us. Maybe Monday would be a better night?
Alternatively we could find a crap pub, where noone goes and then we wouldn't have to worry about it being busy. But what's the point of a pub with crap beer, isn't that against everything s environmentally minded people believe in?
The King Edward VII being the only decent pub, has other advantages. Two other pub patrons saw us, and decided that they really wanted to get involved too, bringing the meetin up to 14. So successful meetings in a crowded pub, or less successfull meetings in a quite pub.
We going to go on a pub crawl to decide which in itself should be a bit of fun.
Tuesday, 8 March 2005
Nothing to do with Greenpeace
Transposed from an older blog
Hey a day with no significant commitment with Greenpeace, got to be a bit wierd. OK I probably spent an hour or so, answering emails but that doesn't count.
Since I've started this weblog, I seem to be neglecting the Active Supporter forums, which is a bit wierd. Maybe I don't have the inclination to rant in two places at once? So perhaps I'll try alternating a rant on the forums, and a rant in a weblog, or maybe I shouldn't rant so much.
Hey a day with no significant commitment with Greenpeace, got to be a bit wierd. OK I probably spent an hour or so, answering emails but that doesn't count.
Since I've started this weblog, I seem to be neglecting the Active Supporter forums, which is a bit wierd. Maybe I don't have the inclination to rant in two places at once? So perhaps I'll try alternating a rant on the forums, and a rant in a weblog, or maybe I shouldn't rant so much.
Monday, 7 March 2005
Interesting Times
Transposed from an older blog
Lots of interesting opportunities passed my way today.
A week os so ago I got an email about volunteer opportunities in Northern Finland at the forest rescue station. I have been thinking about it ever since, as some of the listed required skills I'm not sure I have. Especially 'experience in harsh environments' and 'expereince with using IT in the field'. But then again it looks like a wonderful, if very cold opportunity, and I can't imagine that there are many other people out there with the required skills, so it must be worth a shot at applying.
Then I got an email about a job at GPI which looks like something I would be very good at. In fact it looks like a job I already do, as a volunteer, but getting to do it full time, which has to be a plus. Again got to be worth applying.
So interesting times ahead, which almost make up for the 2 hours I spent typing names, phone numbers and emails into a spreadsheet as part of the feedback process from the Polling day Saturday before last. My eyes are now wierd from staring at computer screens, and my back hurts from being hunched over a crappy laptop.
Ho hum
Lots of interesting opportunities passed my way today.
A week os so ago I got an email about volunteer opportunities in Northern Finland at the forest rescue station. I have been thinking about it ever since, as some of the listed required skills I'm not sure I have. Especially 'experience in harsh environments' and 'expereince with using IT in the field'. But then again it looks like a wonderful, if very cold opportunity, and I can't imagine that there are many other people out there with the required skills, so it must be worth a shot at applying.
Then I got an email about a job at GPI which looks like something I would be very good at. In fact it looks like a job I already do, as a volunteer, but getting to do it full time, which has to be a plus. Again got to be worth applying.
So interesting times ahead, which almost make up for the 2 hours I spent typing names, phone numbers and emails into a spreadsheet as part of the feedback process from the Polling day Saturday before last. My eyes are now wierd from staring at computer screens, and my back hurts from being hunched over a crappy laptop.
Ho hum
Sunday, 6 March 2005
Little about Nothing
Transposed from an older blog
Sundays child had many plans for the day, but stayed up too late and slept in instead. Just about made it to work only a bit late. Mooched around plotting.
Had a think about who's around London and is up for doing stuff. It's odd out of a city of what 8million people there are maybe 50-60 people happy to go out campaigning with Greenpeace. OK there are lots of other people active in other circles, Friends of the Earth, Rising Tide etc, but still thats not alot of people. We should change that.
Put together another East London Update, masquerading as the London (Newham) update. One day I will have to have a good old rant about that, sounds of much cringing, and then maybe do something about it.
Sundays child had many plans for the day, but stayed up too late and slept in instead. Just about made it to work only a bit late. Mooched around plotting.
Had a think about who's around London and is up for doing stuff. It's odd out of a city of what 8million people there are maybe 50-60 people happy to go out campaigning with Greenpeace. OK there are lots of other people active in other circles, Friends of the Earth, Rising Tide etc, but still thats not alot of people. We should change that.
Put together another East London Update, masquerading as the London (Newham) update. One day I will have to have a good old rant about that, sounds of much cringing, and then maybe do something about it.
Saturday, 5 March 2005
Gathering of the Tribes
Transposed from an older blog
Saturday and a chance for a big strategy meeting with focused people from all round the country. A whole gaggle of Area Networkers from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol and Devon. All volunteers, all motivated to make things happen, all very active in there local areas, and all determined to sort the problems of Environmental degradation out and kick bad guys butt.
I like meetings like this. Lots of stuff discussed, tell you about it later. Then off down the pub, kind of predictable that bit.
Party later till 5am but not really Greenpeace related. Ran into some old friends, talked a bit about the G8, the war and other cheerful subjects. Listened to beautiful music, and had a very mellow time.
One very profound moment. The party was being done by the Small World crew, who do a tent at Glastonbury and there own little festivals. Very cool visuals, some nice hangings amongst which was the legend of the 'Warriors of the Rainbow'
There was an old lady, from the "Cree" tribe, named "Eyes of Fire", who prophesied that one day, because of the white mans' or Yo-ne-gis' greed, there would come a time, when the fish would die in the streams, the birds would fall from the air, the waters would be blackened, and the trees would no longer be, mankind as we would know it would all but cease to exist.
There would come a time when the "keepers of the legend, stories, culture rituals, and myths, and all the Ancient Tribal Customs" would be needed to restore us to health. They would be mankinds’ key to survival, they were the "Warriors of the Rainbow". There would come a day of awakening when all the peoples of all the tribes would form a New World of Justice, Peace, Freedom and recognition of the Great Spirit.
Still gets ya...
Saturday and a chance for a big strategy meeting with focused people from all round the country. A whole gaggle of Area Networkers from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol and Devon. All volunteers, all motivated to make things happen, all very active in there local areas, and all determined to sort the problems of Environmental degradation out and kick bad guys butt.
I like meetings like this. Lots of stuff discussed, tell you about it later. Then off down the pub, kind of predictable that bit.
Party later till 5am but not really Greenpeace related. Ran into some old friends, talked a bit about the G8, the war and other cheerful subjects. Listened to beautiful music, and had a very mellow time.
One very profound moment. The party was being done by the Small World crew, who do a tent at Glastonbury and there own little festivals. Very cool visuals, some nice hangings amongst which was the legend of the 'Warriors of the Rainbow'
There was an old lady, from the "Cree" tribe, named "Eyes of Fire", who prophesied that one day, because of the white mans' or Yo-ne-gis' greed, there would come a time, when the fish would die in the streams, the birds would fall from the air, the waters would be blackened, and the trees would no longer be, mankind as we would know it would all but cease to exist.
There would come a time when the "keepers of the legend, stories, culture rituals, and myths, and all the Ancient Tribal Customs" would be needed to restore us to health. They would be mankinds’ key to survival, they were the "Warriors of the Rainbow". There would come a day of awakening when all the peoples of all the tribes would form a New World of Justice, Peace, Freedom and recognition of the Great Spirit.
Still gets ya...
Friday, 4 March 2005
Too fat to climb?
Transposed from an older blog
Another day volunteering in the office, or more volunteering out of the office, and drinking too much coffee.
In at 8.30 to try and sort out a few details with Jason, before getting together to review whats going on at 9.00. But the early bird beat me too it, so we got straight into it. Off to workers cafe for Breakfast, or at least coffee, for a debrief unpick of last Saturdays Polling day, and a discussion of where to go from here. Back into the office by 9.30, raring to go.
Back out at 10.00 for a different meeting.
I guess a word about bugs and security. I don't know how much is paranoia, and how much is a real threat, but Greenpeace has been known to do naughty things, no really.
As such there are a number of conversations about stuff that the spooks want to find out about, and so it is deemed foolish to discuss anything sensitive in the office. Therefore the need for 'out of the office' meetings.
Not that I'd ever have anything to do with any of that. Meeting till 11am, to move onto a different out of the office brainstorm, at an altogether more funky location.
I like Brainstorms they are fun, I don't know how many of the crazy ideas ever make it into campaigns, but get enough clever, educated, creative people together and we are going to find some more daft ideas to save the world.
Jason not sure about the pigeon concept though?
So day finally got going at 12, damn not again, how does time fly so fast. I've got things I want to do. So bollocks to taking lunch, or eating, or any of that rubbish. Slog through emails, do bare minimum to keep things on track, before getting down to sorting out the debris from Saturday.
Now activits are dumb, and I include myself in this, but sometimes we are keen and really stupid.
So last Saturday's activities involved using fluro vests (from various forest crime scenes) with stickers on the back for the Urban 4x4 poll. Fair enough. After all the materials had come back, sorted teams folded all there stuff back up neatly for storage for next time.
But you idiots you didn't take the bloody stickers off, so muggines got to screw all the folded piles up, unsticj the stickers and then fold the things up again.
It's also astonishing how much time it takes to put on a campaiging day, which lasts maybe 3 hours on the street, and many more hours in the pub. But on a personal level 6-8 weeks work, maybe 10-15 hours a week, 3 hours campaigning, 2 stories on telly, and then 2 more weeks of tidying all the materials up, and sorting out the data and feedback.
There must be an easier way. Ranting over.
Finally hit the warehouse for climb training for 3pm, OK I've been doing this for 18 monthes now and I now how to climb ropes in my sleep. So there were plans to play cops and robbers, or activists and baliffs which sounded fun, but not really enough people to make it happen. So instead played with etretia's (probably spelt wrong) and found new set of muscles to torture. Very sore now, must exercise more, keep on saying this every time I get knacked climbing. God knows how a fat bastard like me is expected to cimb ropes, hand banners and make a difference but worth a go.
Another day volunteering in the office, or more volunteering out of the office, and drinking too much coffee.
In at 8.30 to try and sort out a few details with Jason, before getting together to review whats going on at 9.00. But the early bird beat me too it, so we got straight into it. Off to workers cafe for Breakfast, or at least coffee, for a debrief unpick of last Saturdays Polling day, and a discussion of where to go from here. Back into the office by 9.30, raring to go.
Back out at 10.00 for a different meeting.
I guess a word about bugs and security. I don't know how much is paranoia, and how much is a real threat, but Greenpeace has been known to do naughty things, no really.
As such there are a number of conversations about stuff that the spooks want to find out about, and so it is deemed foolish to discuss anything sensitive in the office. Therefore the need for 'out of the office' meetings.
Not that I'd ever have anything to do with any of that. Meeting till 11am, to move onto a different out of the office brainstorm, at an altogether more funky location.
I like Brainstorms they are fun, I don't know how many of the crazy ideas ever make it into campaigns, but get enough clever, educated, creative people together and we are going to find some more daft ideas to save the world.
Jason not sure about the pigeon concept though?
So day finally got going at 12, damn not again, how does time fly so fast. I've got things I want to do. So bollocks to taking lunch, or eating, or any of that rubbish. Slog through emails, do bare minimum to keep things on track, before getting down to sorting out the debris from Saturday.
Now activits are dumb, and I include myself in this, but sometimes we are keen and really stupid.
So last Saturday's activities involved using fluro vests (from various forest crime scenes) with stickers on the back for the Urban 4x4 poll. Fair enough. After all the materials had come back, sorted teams folded all there stuff back up neatly for storage for next time.
But you idiots you didn't take the bloody stickers off, so muggines got to screw all the folded piles up, unsticj the stickers and then fold the things up again.
It's also astonishing how much time it takes to put on a campaiging day, which lasts maybe 3 hours on the street, and many more hours in the pub. But on a personal level 6-8 weeks work, maybe 10-15 hours a week, 3 hours campaigning, 2 stories on telly, and then 2 more weeks of tidying all the materials up, and sorting out the data and feedback.
There must be an easier way. Ranting over.
Finally hit the warehouse for climb training for 3pm, OK I've been doing this for 18 monthes now and I now how to climb ropes in my sleep. So there were plans to play cops and robbers, or activists and baliffs which sounded fun, but not really enough people to make it happen. So instead played with etretia's (probably spelt wrong) and found new set of muscles to torture. Very sore now, must exercise more, keep on saying this every time I get knacked climbing. God knows how a fat bastard like me is expected to cimb ropes, hand banners and make a difference but worth a go.
Thursday, 3 March 2005
Glamour of Greenpeace
Transposed from an older blog
Now the real reason we all spend so much time involved with Greenpeace, is the glamour, the jet set lifestyle, the mixing with the rich, famous and fabulous (delete as applicable), the hordes of young fans, and the sheer Kudos of being an environmental super hero.
Yeah! lets big it up!
Or its the sneaking around industrial estates, in the freezing cold, in the middle of the night. It's like its the coldest day of the year, or the Big Freeze (as the Evening Standard calls it) and I thought I was going to catch hypothermia, looking at stuff, measuring things and counting the bad stuff.
OK this is a bit vague, but thats the way it needs to be, maybe I can edit this post when it's no longer worth worrying about.
Now the real reason we all spend so much time involved with Greenpeace, is the glamour, the jet set lifestyle, the mixing with the rich, famous and fabulous (delete as applicable), the hordes of young fans, and the sheer Kudos of being an environmental super hero.
Yeah! lets big it up!
Or its the sneaking around industrial estates, in the freezing cold, in the middle of the night. It's like its the coldest day of the year, or the Big Freeze (as the Evening Standard calls it) and I thought I was going to catch hypothermia, looking at stuff, measuring things and counting the bad stuff.
OK this is a bit vague, but thats the way it needs to be, maybe I can edit this post when it's no longer worth worrying about.
Wednesday, 2 March 2005
Environmental Policy, and cleaning stuff
Transposed from an older blog
Still feeling crap. This is unreal I am never ill, I don't think I've taken a day off work in the last 5 years until yesterday and today.
Start feeling a bit better, so on mission to get something constructive done. Very behind in my studies so decide to ninja first part of course, before writing my first essay.
Am studying DU310: Environmental Policy in an International Context with the Open University. Which is a bit woolly compared to some of my previous courses, and a bit dated, lots of stuff about ozone depletion and the montreal protocol.
However if we can't understand the success's and failures of the past, then we aren't going to succeed much in the future.
But like every student ever, as soon as I start studying I think of other things to do. Isn't it about time the bathroom got cleaned? Maybe I should do the stairs again. arrrgggghhh Why?
I mean I studying for the fun of it, I'm paying for it myself, and I have no interest in achieving anything more than knowing more stuff.
So why at the age of 34, can I not get out of this strange mindset of wanting to do other stuff as soon as I sit down with a textbook.
I think school has a lot to be blamed for.
Still feeling crap. This is unreal I am never ill, I don't think I've taken a day off work in the last 5 years until yesterday and today.
Start feeling a bit better, so on mission to get something constructive done. Very behind in my studies so decide to ninja first part of course, before writing my first essay.
Am studying DU310: Environmental Policy in an International Context with the Open University. Which is a bit woolly compared to some of my previous courses, and a bit dated, lots of stuff about ozone depletion and the montreal protocol.
However if we can't understand the success's and failures of the past, then we aren't going to succeed much in the future.
But like every student ever, as soon as I start studying I think of other things to do. Isn't it about time the bathroom got cleaned? Maybe I should do the stairs again. arrrgggghhh Why?
I mean I studying for the fun of it, I'm paying for it myself, and I have no interest in achieving anything more than knowing more stuff.
So why at the age of 34, can I not get out of this strange mindset of wanting to do other stuff as soon as I sit down with a textbook.
I think school has a lot to be blamed for.
Tuesday, 1 March 2005
War in Germany
Transposed from an older blog
Still very crap, and life is in a really pissy mood this week. My cousin who's been ill for some time, died on Monday, so bollocks to going to work or achieving anything constructive.
So sat at home playing computer games. I usually avoid computers, as I'm a bit obsessive about computer games. I start them for fun, and then end up playing them for hours and hours and hours.
However in this case I want something to keep me occupied, and that doesn't involve moving around too much (still ill), so ended up playing 'Europa Universalis'. A very long difficult historical game of world conquest.
Starting from humble beginnings as the city of Hannover, I spread my baleful influence over my neighbours, before blackmailing the arabs into maps of the middle east, trading those maps with the portugese for maps of Africa and the caribbean.
Then many profitable years in the slave trade, supplying German plantations in Hispaniola, while colonising the east coast of North America.
Several Indian wars later, lots of indian tribes get exterminated, puts me in a powerful posistion to lauch my real objective.
The bid for power, in the wars of Spanish Succession to reunify Germany in one large Fatherland, with a world spanning Empire all by 1700. Bismark I'm sure will approve.
Games over. Back to serious stuff Green and Peace like?
Still very crap, and life is in a really pissy mood this week. My cousin who's been ill for some time, died on Monday, so bollocks to going to work or achieving anything constructive.
So sat at home playing computer games. I usually avoid computers, as I'm a bit obsessive about computer games. I start them for fun, and then end up playing them for hours and hours and hours.
However in this case I want something to keep me occupied, and that doesn't involve moving around too much (still ill), so ended up playing 'Europa Universalis'. A very long difficult historical game of world conquest.
Starting from humble beginnings as the city of Hannover, I spread my baleful influence over my neighbours, before blackmailing the arabs into maps of the middle east, trading those maps with the portugese for maps of Africa and the caribbean.
Then many profitable years in the slave trade, supplying German plantations in Hispaniola, while colonising the east coast of North America.
Several Indian wars later, lots of indian tribes get exterminated, puts me in a powerful posistion to lauch my real objective.
The bid for power, in the wars of Spanish Succession to reunify Germany in one large Fatherland, with a world spanning Empire all by 1700. Bismark I'm sure will approve.
Games over. Back to serious stuff Green and Peace like?
Monday, 28 February 2005
Not Hungover any more
Transposed from an older blog
Oh bum, still very rough, looks like it wasn't a hangover after all, and I have caught some evil activist specific bug. MI29 at work again, make em all feel like poo, so they can't cause any trouble. Paranoid me, hah, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Undoubtedly shouldn't have come to work. But on account of being poorly got to scive off downstairs, keeping out of customers ways. Which gave me time to type up briefing/project proposal for Greenpeace thingy that I've been playing with. Must of taken 2-3 hours and I'm still not happy with it. Brain can't be working well.
Oh bum, still very rough, looks like it wasn't a hangover after all, and I have caught some evil activist specific bug. MI29 at work again, make em all feel like poo, so they can't cause any trouble. Paranoid me, hah, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Undoubtedly shouldn't have come to work. But on account of being poorly got to scive off downstairs, keeping out of customers ways. Which gave me time to type up briefing/project proposal for Greenpeace thingy that I've been playing with. Must of taken 2-3 hours and I'm still not happy with it. Brain can't be working well.
Sunday, 27 February 2005
Greenpeace Social Lives
Transposed from an older blog
day of feeling very very rough. One of the charms of Greenpeace is you get to meet lots of interesting people, who care about the planet, who are on a similar wavelength, and who are fun to be with. The corrollery is that you spend lots of time down the pub.
I need to become much less sociable, especially when it comes to drinking so much. But I love beer, me and Homer Simpson we're like that. The day after tomorrow and I'm still feeling rough, and I can't afford it on the crappy wages my day job pays.
and must ignore voices that suggest going on to all night drinking places.
But Sunday wasn't a complete washout. I survived a day of work, yippee. Wrote up the East London weekly update, currently masquerading as London (Newham) Greenpeace.
see link below
and I finally found the site I was looking for the other night. Where we were thinking of staging an event, but it's completely unsuitable. Oh well
day of feeling very very rough. One of the charms of Greenpeace is you get to meet lots of interesting people, who care about the planet, who are on a similar wavelength, and who are fun to be with. The corrollery is that you spend lots of time down the pub.
I need to become much less sociable, especially when it comes to drinking so much. But I love beer, me and Homer Simpson we're like that. The day after tomorrow and I'm still feeling rough, and I can't afford it on the crappy wages my day job pays.
and must ignore voices that suggest going on to all night drinking places.
But Sunday wasn't a complete washout. I survived a day of work, yippee. Wrote up the East London weekly update, currently masquerading as London (Newham) Greenpeace.
see link below
and I finally found the site I was looking for the other night. Where we were thinking of staging an event, but it's completely unsuitable. Oh well
Saturday, 26 February 2005
Polling Day for Urban 4x4’s
Transposed from an older blog
Ok big day of campaigning, lots of preparation over last 3 weeks, lots of stress getting all the materials together and here’s how the day went.
Headed into Greenpeace for 9am, to pick up some materials I couldn’t be arsed to take home on Thursday night. All very quiet. So headed up to media dept, to see what’s happening. Apparently Esperanza is doing a direct action at sea, and there is a big public communication event in Cardiff, to build support for the Barry 13, who are on trial for boarding a GM transport ship.
So lots of press releases to get sent out, and one very stressed GP press officer. The network went down Friday night, so he can’t access his contacts list, and so can’t email or fax any press release except by hand. Bum, that has every possibility to screw the day, as GP is kind of focused on getting good media. The twist is noone from IT’s coming in to fix it as the IT Manager quit the day before?
Leave them to it, and head off to London Bridge. Run into friend on bike who’s heading back in to try and get ladders to sort out banner drop at Marylebone. I didn’t know nothing about any banner drop. I thought this was just a day of polite campaigning and talking to the public. Oh well Need to Know and all that.
Tubes royally screwed, predictably so get bus. Drink crap coffee in Upper Crust while waiting for people. Always very nervous when you have no idea how many if any people are going to turn up. Couple of people running late, couple of people get lots, but eventually hordes of people come.
Now the East London Greenpeace network, which is pulling together this team is a very new entity. It’s only met once, and has never done anything, so where did those 22+ people come from. Lots of spamming to people who have expressed an interest through the Greenpeaceactive website. A personal friend I drafted in. Some people from different Greenpeace groups, Surrey/Camden/SW London, a couple of people from local FoE n and a posse of 4-5 students from SOAS. Still very reassuring to have so many people.
Split into two teams one heading down to cover Elephant & Castle. One campaigning around Borough. Pair every one up. One pair by the tube, one by each of Borough markets two entrances. One pair putting posters up in the immediate area. And 4 people heading up to London Bridge to campaign round the station and London Dungeon.
Very very cold, but easy campaign to grab people on. Simply polling people with a very leading question, Do you think Gas Guzzling Vehicles like 4x4’s should pay a higher congestion charge? Yes/No. Easy to get people to vote if you can just get them to stop. High visibility Fluro jackets very helpful. But still you only get 2-3 seconds to get someone’s attention, to convince them you don’t want money and that they are allowed to have an opinion.
Lots of rotating people through coffee shops and pub to keep warm, lots of signatures and polls filled, I think 826 of about 85% supported charging more congestion charge for vehicles that pollute more.
Then split into 3 groups one going to the pub. One going locally for food, one going to Islington for food. Back to the office for more drinks, inspiring videos, chat, music, subliminal brainwashing and to see today’s activity the lead item on LWT and London Tonight? Very cool day, could have been better of course but everything cam together one way or another.
Then off to the pub to get very, very drunk. It’s amazing how many GP activities end up in the pub. Drank way too much beer, discussed philosophy of environmental change from loving people to change to forcing change through law and direct action. The love thing sounds nice, but I think the latter works faster.
More drinking till 2pm at the Kings Head theatre bar, and conversations with US GP people over here about how local groups and local networks compare here in the UK (moderately cool) and Germany (pretty cool) and in the US (virtually non-existent). More conversations to follow by email, until we can pick the best bits of each system. To build a network structure that cannot fail to inspire people to get up and take personal responsibility for making positive environmental change happen.
Ok big day of campaigning, lots of preparation over last 3 weeks, lots of stress getting all the materials together and here’s how the day went.
Headed into Greenpeace for 9am, to pick up some materials I couldn’t be arsed to take home on Thursday night. All very quiet. So headed up to media dept, to see what’s happening. Apparently Esperanza is doing a direct action at sea, and there is a big public communication event in Cardiff, to build support for the Barry 13, who are on trial for boarding a GM transport ship.
So lots of press releases to get sent out, and one very stressed GP press officer. The network went down Friday night, so he can’t access his contacts list, and so can’t email or fax any press release except by hand. Bum, that has every possibility to screw the day, as GP is kind of focused on getting good media. The twist is noone from IT’s coming in to fix it as the IT Manager quit the day before?
Leave them to it, and head off to London Bridge. Run into friend on bike who’s heading back in to try and get ladders to sort out banner drop at Marylebone. I didn’t know nothing about any banner drop. I thought this was just a day of polite campaigning and talking to the public. Oh well Need to Know and all that.
Tubes royally screwed, predictably so get bus. Drink crap coffee in Upper Crust while waiting for people. Always very nervous when you have no idea how many if any people are going to turn up. Couple of people running late, couple of people get lots, but eventually hordes of people come.
Now the East London Greenpeace network, which is pulling together this team is a very new entity. It’s only met once, and has never done anything, so where did those 22+ people come from. Lots of spamming to people who have expressed an interest through the Greenpeaceactive website. A personal friend I drafted in. Some people from different Greenpeace groups, Surrey/Camden/SW London, a couple of people from local FoE n and a posse of 4-5 students from SOAS. Still very reassuring to have so many people.
Split into two teams one heading down to cover Elephant & Castle. One campaigning around Borough. Pair every one up. One pair by the tube, one by each of Borough markets two entrances. One pair putting posters up in the immediate area. And 4 people heading up to London Bridge to campaign round the station and London Dungeon.
Very very cold, but easy campaign to grab people on. Simply polling people with a very leading question, Do you think Gas Guzzling Vehicles like 4x4’s should pay a higher congestion charge? Yes/No. Easy to get people to vote if you can just get them to stop. High visibility Fluro jackets very helpful. But still you only get 2-3 seconds to get someone’s attention, to convince them you don’t want money and that they are allowed to have an opinion.
Lots of rotating people through coffee shops and pub to keep warm, lots of signatures and polls filled, I think 826 of about 85% supported charging more congestion charge for vehicles that pollute more.
Then split into 3 groups one going to the pub. One going locally for food, one going to Islington for food. Back to the office for more drinks, inspiring videos, chat, music, subliminal brainwashing and to see today’s activity the lead item on LWT and London Tonight? Very cool day, could have been better of course but everything cam together one way or another.
Then off to the pub to get very, very drunk. It’s amazing how many GP activities end up in the pub. Drank way too much beer, discussed philosophy of environmental change from loving people to change to forcing change through law and direct action. The love thing sounds nice, but I think the latter works faster.
More drinking till 2pm at the Kings Head theatre bar, and conversations with US GP people over here about how local groups and local networks compare here in the UK (moderately cool) and Germany (pretty cool) and in the US (virtually non-existent). More conversations to follow by email, until we can pick the best bits of each system. To build a network structure that cannot fail to inspire people to get up and take personal responsibility for making positive environmental change happen.
Friday, 25 February 2005
Backwards Blogs, and Friday?
Transposed from an older blog
Now this is the but I don't get about blogs. I did stuff on Friday and Saturday, and so had little time to write about them. By the time I get around to it, on Sunday then its going to appear under the wrong date. Why can't I edit the date the blog entry appears under?
Friday fairly low key day for Greenpeace activity, but of shopping during me lunch break for materials for tommorrows day of camapigning. How would the world hold itself together without cable ties and gaffer tape?
Spent lots of time writing blog entries, and my working day involved plotting and scheming for the next campaigning event. The charm of having a dull boring mellow job, that I'm really good at, is that I can do it on auto pilot. Then I get to spend 5-6 hours a day thinking about GP stuff, while getting paid by a different company.
The evening was a bit screwy, as I decided to go and scout out a site for a campaigning event. Unfortunately I forget to write down where the place was, so after an hours walk, OK I could've got a bus, I then spent a fruitless hour looking for the place. Must try and be more organised in future.
Went home to carefully paste 'Allianca against 4x4's' transport survey over Greenpeace Forest Crime fluro vests for tommorrow. Corporate branding is where it's at, although I'm not sure how the picture desk will view gaffer taped stickers on the back. Oh well
Now this is the but I don't get about blogs. I did stuff on Friday and Saturday, and so had little time to write about them. By the time I get around to it, on Sunday then its going to appear under the wrong date. Why can't I edit the date the blog entry appears under?
Friday fairly low key day for Greenpeace activity, but of shopping during me lunch break for materials for tommorrows day of camapigning. How would the world hold itself together without cable ties and gaffer tape?
Spent lots of time writing blog entries, and my working day involved plotting and scheming for the next campaigning event. The charm of having a dull boring mellow job, that I'm really good at, is that I can do it on auto pilot. Then I get to spend 5-6 hours a day thinking about GP stuff, while getting paid by a different company.
The evening was a bit screwy, as I decided to go and scout out a site for a campaigning event. Unfortunately I forget to write down where the place was, so after an hours walk, OK I could've got a bus, I then spent a fruitless hour looking for the place. Must try and be more organised in future.
Went home to carefully paste 'Allianca against 4x4's' transport survey over Greenpeace Forest Crime fluro vests for tommorrow. Corporate branding is where it's at, although I'm not sure how the picture desk will view gaffer taped stickers on the back. Oh well
Thursday, 24 February 2005
Day in ze office
Transposed from an older blog
Had very late night, so nightmare to wake up early to get to office for 9am. Planned on starting day with meeting with Jason, to sort out what still needed doing for Saturday’s big London wide extravaganza. Unfortunately got in to find out he’d been delayed. So sorted emails and updated London Networks events diary.
10 am, headed off to Campaign Group meeting. I’m on a mission to find out how GP turns ideas into actual campaigning events. I know how we make stuff happen out here in active supporter land, but I think it would be useful to know how the office structures its planning. As it happens I am about to start helping out on a climate project, and so I’d invited myself into the Campaign Group meeting on the back of that. Found J as I headed out of building to meeting venue.
Meeting dull, but useful experience. Lots of updates from different campaigns, look forward to new stuff, with lots of big GP hats there. Followed by communications meeting to sort out messages for new climate project. Back to office to catch up with what needs doing for Saturday. Materials all here and good looking, but posters need mounting, materials need dividing up by team, fluro jackets need stickering, stickers not here yet, no idea where other materials are hidden, need to get clipboards and other details all by 6.30pm or else.
By time been through what needs doing, we’re still waiting on another volunteer to come in. So go out to lunch to chat more, discuss other things coming up, and bits about Greenpeaceactive website. Talk with climate team about meeting tonight between GP and key people from Alliance against 4x4’s. Quick phone around to check it’s all on, then lots of other phone calls to sort out details from ‘quick’ phone around. Sit through second briefing of what needs doing (hmmm) to bring other volunteer up to speed (fair enough) but she wasn’t expecting to get drafted onto this last minute panic that’s now brewing. Help.
Clipboard buying mission to Hanways, they only have ¼ of what we need but it’s a start. Maybe should have sorted this before the last minute. Order more for tomorrow, don’t know how we’re going to distribute them by Saturday?
Finally off to warehouse to talk about practical ways of getting posters mounted fast. R has inspired idea, thanks. Collect together and bag fluoro’s, 12 teams, 10 per team, kind of heavy. Knackered now. I get on as J disappears. Turns out he’s been kidnapped by another meeting, GP business I think, arrrgghh, starting to run out of time here.
More emailing to fill time, till can get hands on petty cash and find materials. Give up waiting and start sorting material, one way or another something has to be ready. Grab J again about getting boards, and cash, track down material buried in climate space, he’s got another problem brewing so leave him to it, go over to H’s to sort stuff. Blagg a board, Jason can buy rest later. Get on with sorting materials.
J back on board 4.30pm, finally got boards from H, kidnap 2nd (Hi R) and soon 3rd volunteer (Thanks G) to get boards cut and posters stapled. No hurry here. Just 70 more boards to go. Get first few done, before meeting with climate about interesting stuff 5.30pm. Feel a bit evil dragging folk into help out, and then deserting them so bribe them with Tea. More frantic board producing. First team leaders start coming in and get drafted, staple here and here, now do it again but much faster. Starting to run from a to b at this point. Not as fit as I used to be. Me not worried at all, everything’s going to be fine.
6.30pm Alliance/GP meeting about more 4x4 stuff, all good but no time so desert meeting half way through. Photocopying of feedback forms and other miscellanea for tonight’s gathering. Back down fluro’s being relabelled not nearly enough time to finish so I guess everyone gets homework.
Finally gathering at 7.30pm. distribution of materials, final talk through, couple of new ideas, lots of briefings and feedback forms in pretty GP briefing packs/folders. Few last minute bits of troubleshooting. All done, day over. Fin
Or not, head off to Hackney for first ever Hackney green drinks. Lots of schmoozing with local tree activists, they like plant trees (cool), lots of Green party people, Agenda 21 bod? Many others, but nasty Weatherspoons pub. Long conversations about both sustainable finance and biodiesal. Lots of GP folk there, which is good, but too much beer, so bit drunk by chucking out time.
Final late night drink in Hackney, bed by 2am up at 7.30am to go to work. Pretty typical volunteer day at Greenpeace with chaos, last minute madness, but everything coming together because it has to.
Had very late night, so nightmare to wake up early to get to office for 9am. Planned on starting day with meeting with Jason, to sort out what still needed doing for Saturday’s big London wide extravaganza. Unfortunately got in to find out he’d been delayed. So sorted emails and updated London Networks events diary.
10 am, headed off to Campaign Group meeting. I’m on a mission to find out how GP turns ideas into actual campaigning events. I know how we make stuff happen out here in active supporter land, but I think it would be useful to know how the office structures its planning. As it happens I am about to start helping out on a climate project, and so I’d invited myself into the Campaign Group meeting on the back of that. Found J as I headed out of building to meeting venue.
Meeting dull, but useful experience. Lots of updates from different campaigns, look forward to new stuff, with lots of big GP hats there. Followed by communications meeting to sort out messages for new climate project. Back to office to catch up with what needs doing for Saturday. Materials all here and good looking, but posters need mounting, materials need dividing up by team, fluro jackets need stickering, stickers not here yet, no idea where other materials are hidden, need to get clipboards and other details all by 6.30pm or else.
By time been through what needs doing, we’re still waiting on another volunteer to come in. So go out to lunch to chat more, discuss other things coming up, and bits about Greenpeaceactive website. Talk with climate team about meeting tonight between GP and key people from Alliance against 4x4’s. Quick phone around to check it’s all on, then lots of other phone calls to sort out details from ‘quick’ phone around. Sit through second briefing of what needs doing (hmmm) to bring other volunteer up to speed (fair enough) but she wasn’t expecting to get drafted onto this last minute panic that’s now brewing. Help.
Clipboard buying mission to Hanways, they only have ¼ of what we need but it’s a start. Maybe should have sorted this before the last minute. Order more for tomorrow, don’t know how we’re going to distribute them by Saturday?
Finally off to warehouse to talk about practical ways of getting posters mounted fast. R has inspired idea, thanks. Collect together and bag fluoro’s, 12 teams, 10 per team, kind of heavy. Knackered now. I get on as J disappears. Turns out he’s been kidnapped by another meeting, GP business I think, arrrgghh, starting to run out of time here.
More emailing to fill time, till can get hands on petty cash and find materials. Give up waiting and start sorting material, one way or another something has to be ready. Grab J again about getting boards, and cash, track down material buried in climate space, he’s got another problem brewing so leave him to it, go over to H’s to sort stuff. Blagg a board, Jason can buy rest later. Get on with sorting materials.
J back on board 4.30pm, finally got boards from H, kidnap 2nd (Hi R) and soon 3rd volunteer (Thanks G) to get boards cut and posters stapled. No hurry here. Just 70 more boards to go. Get first few done, before meeting with climate about interesting stuff 5.30pm. Feel a bit evil dragging folk into help out, and then deserting them so bribe them with Tea. More frantic board producing. First team leaders start coming in and get drafted, staple here and here, now do it again but much faster. Starting to run from a to b at this point. Not as fit as I used to be. Me not worried at all, everything’s going to be fine.
6.30pm Alliance/GP meeting about more 4x4 stuff, all good but no time so desert meeting half way through. Photocopying of feedback forms and other miscellanea for tonight’s gathering. Back down fluro’s being relabelled not nearly enough time to finish so I guess everyone gets homework.
Finally gathering at 7.30pm. distribution of materials, final talk through, couple of new ideas, lots of briefings and feedback forms in pretty GP briefing packs/folders. Few last minute bits of troubleshooting. All done, day over. Fin
Or not, head off to Hackney for first ever Hackney green drinks. Lots of schmoozing with local tree activists, they like plant trees (cool), lots of Green party people, Agenda 21 bod? Many others, but nasty Weatherspoons pub. Long conversations about both sustainable finance and biodiesal. Lots of GP folk there, which is good, but too much beer, so bit drunk by chucking out time.
Final late night drink in Hackney, bed by 2am up at 7.30am to go to work. Pretty typical volunteer day at Greenpeace with chaos, last minute madness, but everything coming together because it has to.
How to Volunteer
Transposed from an older blog
Ok so if I'm going to do this blog thing I better find something suitably dull to write about. So I'm going to tell you about my day yesterday, coz I can't write about today yet as it hasn't really happened.
I volunteer at the Greenpeace office one day a week, usually Friday. This fits in with my job as I work from Sunday to Thursday. But yesterday coz there was some stuff I thought needed doing, and a meeting I wanted to go to, I juggled days off, to go and volunteer on Thursday.
Some notes about volunteering in the office, and how to get involved if you want to.
Lots of people contact GP wanting to volunteer, however a sizable amount of people seem to be after paid employment under the guise of volunteering. Sorry folks that’s not how it works. New volunteers are also a pain for campaigners & staff to manage. Like any new job the first couple of days you work there, you require lots of attention, and the person supervising you ends up spending there constructive working time helping you. Then after the first week you might end up contributing something positive to the job. Well volunteering is just like that, at one day a week, you are a bit useless for the first month, then you start being useful, then you get good at it and then everyone loves you. Hey it’s good to be loved. Many people do not last that first month, and unfortunately waste time.
Because of this ‘hump’ Greenpeace doesn’t use many volunteers. Frankly I think it should use lots more, I think there should be hordes of volunteers seizing any unmanned PC to go make stuff happen. I also think there should be a specific space for volunteers in the office with lots of PC’s close together and phone lines. It might be effective to have two evenings a week where volunteers can come and do stuff. But in any case the offices are too quiet and lots more people would LIVEN THINGS UP.
But when there is a need for a volunteer, usually someone known to GP gets the role. You can write to GP and fill out a form, but the odds are it’s going to end up in the bottom draw of a filing cabinet in HR. I know I’ve seen the files.
So if you do want to volunteer, get involved with your local London network and group. Do lots of campaigning. Go to the office as often as possible. Go down the pub after work with GP people, get drunk, talk office politics. Then figure out what you want to do, find the relevant person who you by now know and ask them if you can help them out.
So yesterday being a typical mish mash and mad panic went like this (next entry)
Ok so if I'm going to do this blog thing I better find something suitably dull to write about. So I'm going to tell you about my day yesterday, coz I can't write about today yet as it hasn't really happened.
I volunteer at the Greenpeace office one day a week, usually Friday. This fits in with my job as I work from Sunday to Thursday. But yesterday coz there was some stuff I thought needed doing, and a meeting I wanted to go to, I juggled days off, to go and volunteer on Thursday.
Some notes about volunteering in the office, and how to get involved if you want to.
Lots of people contact GP wanting to volunteer, however a sizable amount of people seem to be after paid employment under the guise of volunteering. Sorry folks that’s not how it works. New volunteers are also a pain for campaigners & staff to manage. Like any new job the first couple of days you work there, you require lots of attention, and the person supervising you ends up spending there constructive working time helping you. Then after the first week you might end up contributing something positive to the job. Well volunteering is just like that, at one day a week, you are a bit useless for the first month, then you start being useful, then you get good at it and then everyone loves you. Hey it’s good to be loved. Many people do not last that first month, and unfortunately waste time.
Because of this ‘hump’ Greenpeace doesn’t use many volunteers. Frankly I think it should use lots more, I think there should be hordes of volunteers seizing any unmanned PC to go make stuff happen. I also think there should be a specific space for volunteers in the office with lots of PC’s close together and phone lines. It might be effective to have two evenings a week where volunteers can come and do stuff. But in any case the offices are too quiet and lots more people would LIVEN THINGS UP.
But when there is a need for a volunteer, usually someone known to GP gets the role. You can write to GP and fill out a form, but the odds are it’s going to end up in the bottom draw of a filing cabinet in HR. I know I’ve seen the files.
So if you do want to volunteer, get involved with your local London network and group. Do lots of campaigning. Go to the office as often as possible. Go down the pub after work with GP people, get drunk, talk office politics. Then figure out what you want to do, find the relevant person who you by now know and ask them if you can help them out.
So yesterday being a typical mish mash and mad panic went like this (next entry)
Wednesday, 23 February 2005
Why I'm writing this Rubbish
Transposed from an older blog
Ok I'm not convinced by this blog concept, but I have been encouraged to write one so I'll give it a go and see how it works.
Bribery might also work, so anybody who enjoys this rubbish send me cash and beer money.
I think blogs as a whole are dull and egocentric and mine will be no different. I also don't think I'm that much of an interesting person, so why would anyone want to read about me?
I'm also not sure how blogs differ from a diary, except that you can't put so much personal stuff in. Well sod that, if you want to read this then you can put up with all my personal moans and groans too.
Also as a note to people who know me, or who are involved in Greenpeace I'm not really a very nice person. I'm good at faking it, but really I'm a grumpy cynical twisted git. So there! So as a disclaimer this will probably be a very dirty look at Greenpeace, coz its a bit crap sometimes, and if I offend people then I am genuinely sorry.
but despite all my grumbles Greenpeace is a cool organisation to get involved in, you meet fun people, you get to do all sorts of strange things and it works, it really does contribute to making good things happen.
God alone knows how I put stuff in a blog that might get me arrested, but I'll worry about that at a later date?
Ok I'm not convinced by this blog concept, but I have been encouraged to write one so I'll give it a go and see how it works.
Bribery might also work, so anybody who enjoys this rubbish send me cash and beer money.
I think blogs as a whole are dull and egocentric and mine will be no different. I also don't think I'm that much of an interesting person, so why would anyone want to read about me?
I'm also not sure how blogs differ from a diary, except that you can't put so much personal stuff in. Well sod that, if you want to read this then you can put up with all my personal moans and groans too.
Also as a note to people who know me, or who are involved in Greenpeace I'm not really a very nice person. I'm good at faking it, but really I'm a grumpy cynical twisted git. So there! So as a disclaimer this will probably be a very dirty look at Greenpeace, coz its a bit crap sometimes, and if I offend people then I am genuinely sorry.
but despite all my grumbles Greenpeace is a cool organisation to get involved in, you meet fun people, you get to do all sorts of strange things and it works, it really does contribute to making good things happen.
God alone knows how I put stuff in a blog that might get me arrested, but I'll worry about that at a later date?
Monday, 7 February 2005
First Ever Stratford Meeting
Transposed from an older blog
The first ever meeting of a new group is always tense. We're meeting at 7.30 and I have no idea if anyone is coming, but equally if everyone who has expressed an interest does come, then we are going to have even more of a problem.
Everyone involved in the feud is under strict instructions not to mention it. Ther last thing new people need to see is all this internal politics and general bollocks.
In the end a solid 10 people turn up, not too many, not too few. Yippee. Most of the meeting is me talking, which is dull, but I do a whole intro to Greenpeace thing followed by a deconstruction of the Scary Dairy GM Campaign. I went through every point of the campaign from lobbying, letter writing to subvertising, street campaigning to full on non violent direct action.
So a good evening, and of the 10 people there 5 committed themselves to coming out campaigning on the 26th. Good beginnings
The first ever meeting of a new group is always tense. We're meeting at 7.30 and I have no idea if anyone is coming, but equally if everyone who has expressed an interest does come, then we are going to have even more of a problem.
Everyone involved in the feud is under strict instructions not to mention it. Ther last thing new people need to see is all this internal politics and general bollocks.
In the end a solid 10 people turn up, not too many, not too few. Yippee. Most of the meeting is me talking, which is dull, but I do a whole intro to Greenpeace thing followed by a deconstruction of the Scary Dairy GM Campaign. I went through every point of the campaign from lobbying, letter writing to subvertising, street campaigning to full on non violent direct action.
So a good evening, and of the 10 people there 5 committed themselves to coming out campaigning on the 26th. Good beginnings
Saturday, 5 February 2005
Street Campaigning, remind me how?
Transposed from an older blog
Down to Merton Abbey mills to join SW London for the new climate campaign. It's been a long time since I did any street campaigning, I guess I organise more things than I do these days, which is a shame.
Very cool venue, sort of a crafty farmers market, with nice people, but not very many people walking past. Definetly a venue worth revisiting, but a bit of a wash out.
Then pub, a few drinks, and off to the squatted Rampart Centre in East London for the Peace News party. Except I got really lost, but eventually made it for poetry and some cool music. Nice night out a bit distorted from being so tired from the night before.
Down to Merton Abbey mills to join SW London for the new climate campaign. It's been a long time since I did any street campaigning, I guess I organise more things than I do these days, which is a shame.
Very cool venue, sort of a crafty farmers market, with nice people, but not very many people walking past. Definetly a venue worth revisiting, but a bit of a wash out.
Then pub, a few drinks, and off to the squatted Rampart Centre in East London for the Peace News party. Except I got really lost, but eventually made it for poetry and some cool music. Nice night out a bit distorted from being so tired from the night before.
Friday, 4 February 2005
Late Night Drinking
Transposed from an older blog
The first Friday of the month is usually a climb training workshop in the Greenpeace warehouse. Usually it's just a matter of showing people the gear and the ropes, and giving them a basic into.
I've learnt the ropes many times, but try and get along to keep my skills fresh. Not that I ever get to use those skills on an action, but one day (I hope)
But buried under meetings and work to do, to try and get this 4x4 poll on the road. We need to recruit lots of people quick.
So skip climb training, which is a shame as someone has come up with a really cool obstacle course round the warehouse. With things to climb, ropes to traverse accross, a big pully slide to whiz across and some more ropes to traverse onto.
OK sitting in front of a computer may be more productive, but the climbing looked fun.
Down pub with networker from Essex, who by now has arranged the great big stitch up (see later) and then lots and lots of beer till early with a German activist.
From these drunken conversations spins off a whole dialogue in the forums, comparing Greenpeace volunteers networks here, in Germany in Finland and who knows where else?
The first Friday of the month is usually a climb training workshop in the Greenpeace warehouse. Usually it's just a matter of showing people the gear and the ropes, and giving them a basic into.
I've learnt the ropes many times, but try and get along to keep my skills fresh. Not that I ever get to use those skills on an action, but one day (I hope)
But buried under meetings and work to do, to try and get this 4x4 poll on the road. We need to recruit lots of people quick.
So skip climb training, which is a shame as someone has come up with a really cool obstacle course round the warehouse. With things to climb, ropes to traverse accross, a big pully slide to whiz across and some more ropes to traverse onto.
OK sitting in front of a computer may be more productive, but the climbing looked fun.
Down pub with networker from Essex, who by now has arranged the great big stitch up (see later) and then lots and lots of beer till early with a German activist.
From these drunken conversations spins off a whole dialogue in the forums, comparing Greenpeace volunteers networks here, in Germany in Finland and who knows where else?
Thursday, 3 February 2005
They really are out to get me?
Transposed from an older blog
Big Climate Crisis meeting organised by the Campaign against Climate Change, with speakers from George Monbiot to Phil Thornhill.
An excuse for Greenpeace folk, from far and wide to get together, which is a shame as we're still at war.
Meanwhile somewhere else in London, those in power have decided to put there foot down, and to point out that what happens in London is the concern of those who live in London and those employed to sort out this structure.
Quick 5 minutes conversation turns into 3 hour argument about why East London can't be called East London because Havering is in East London.
And about why the office is evil, for not communicating more, and how even though its not my fault, it really is my fault.
and that the world and Greenpeace would be better off if I'd just Sod off and die.
Thanks for that
Big Climate Crisis meeting organised by the Campaign against Climate Change, with speakers from George Monbiot to Phil Thornhill.
An excuse for Greenpeace folk, from far and wide to get together, which is a shame as we're still at war.
Meanwhile somewhere else in London, those in power have decided to put there foot down, and to point out that what happens in London is the concern of those who live in London and those employed to sort out this structure.
Quick 5 minutes conversation turns into 3 hour argument about why East London can't be called East London because Havering is in East London.
And about why the office is evil, for not communicating more, and how even though its not my fault, it really is my fault.
and that the world and Greenpeace would be better off if I'd just Sod off and die.
Thanks for that
Wednesday, 2 February 2005
Briefings about this and about that
Transposed from an older blog
Briefing in Greenpeace office, about something really surreal I'm not going to talk about. OK I'm up for doing just about anything if it helps, but wierd or what.
Then more briefings about the Urban 4x4 day, and the embargo on telling anybody about what's going on is finally lifted.
Then pub (OK you knew that bit)
Briefing in Greenpeace office, about something really surreal I'm not going to talk about. OK I'm up for doing just about anything if it helps, but wierd or what.
Then more briefings about the Urban 4x4 day, and the embargo on telling anybody about what's going on is finally lifted.
Then pub (OK you knew that bit)
Tuesday, 1 February 2005
Cake and Cards
Transposed from an older blog
Snuck along to the SW London meeting, even if I am no longer local. Loads of people. And then very sentimental card and prezzie giving to senile old Area Networker, being shuffled off to East London.
What a nice bunch of people. The best thing about Greenpeace is the people you meet, I'm going to miss them. Not that I'm going to be that far away.
And with a new group, I think it'd be a mistake to try and do too much. Maybe one event a month to start with. Whereas I am a mad fanatic who wants to do 2-3 campaign events or more a month. So I'll undoubtadly be doing more stuff with SW London
Snuck along to the SW London meeting, even if I am no longer local. Loads of people. And then very sentimental card and prezzie giving to senile old Area Networker, being shuffled off to East London.
What a nice bunch of people. The best thing about Greenpeace is the people you meet, I'm going to miss them. Not that I'm going to be that far away.
And with a new group, I think it'd be a mistake to try and do too much. Maybe one event a month to start with. Whereas I am a mad fanatic who wants to do 2-3 campaign events or more a month. So I'll undoubtadly be doing more stuff with SW London
Monday, 31 January 2005
Kyoto picket, Whales & pointless feuds
Transposed from an older blog
Just about made it along to the tail end of the Kyoto picket. Every Monday the Campaign against Climate Change mounts a vigil outside the US embassey, for there sabotage of the Kyoto Protocol.
Last year some naughty pixies, subvertised lots of Icelandic posters on the underground. Apparently they disagreed with all these healthy tourism ads for a country that has just resumed commercial whaling. The ads apparently looked better, with new slogos' such as 'Only in Iceland can you eat a tourist attraction'. Questions were asked in the Icealndic paliment. It's amazing how much influence 2-3 committed people can have.
Anyway whatever plans those pixies may have had, have got lost in this daft feud with Essex.
Further to Saturdays rant it appears the world is a much more spiteful place. For some time, some of us have noticed that there are communication problems between the Greenpeace office, and the local networks. So we tend to be more self reliant, networking between ourselves, rather than expecting the office to sort everything out. To that end we have been meeting regularily, and have built up a good working relationship. Or at least I thought we had.
So when a difference of opinion occurs the sensible thing would be for the two people disagreeing to sort it out. Or at least talk to each other about it. Not for one of them to phone everyone else, bitching about it, and how they've been stitched up, before evening speaking to the other party. The wierd thing is noone else cares, everyone else wants to just get on with the real problem of getting out there and dealing with the worlds problems.
When will this bollocks end?
Just about made it along to the tail end of the Kyoto picket. Every Monday the Campaign against Climate Change mounts a vigil outside the US embassey, for there sabotage of the Kyoto Protocol.
Last year some naughty pixies, subvertised lots of Icelandic posters on the underground. Apparently they disagreed with all these healthy tourism ads for a country that has just resumed commercial whaling. The ads apparently looked better, with new slogos' such as 'Only in Iceland can you eat a tourist attraction'. Questions were asked in the Icealndic paliment. It's amazing how much influence 2-3 committed people can have.
Anyway whatever plans those pixies may have had, have got lost in this daft feud with Essex.
Further to Saturdays rant it appears the world is a much more spiteful place. For some time, some of us have noticed that there are communication problems between the Greenpeace office, and the local networks. So we tend to be more self reliant, networking between ourselves, rather than expecting the office to sort everything out. To that end we have been meeting regularily, and have built up a good working relationship. Or at least I thought we had.
So when a difference of opinion occurs the sensible thing would be for the two people disagreeing to sort it out. Or at least talk to each other about it. Not for one of them to phone everyone else, bitching about it, and how they've been stitched up, before evening speaking to the other party. The wierd thing is noone else cares, everyone else wants to just get on with the real problem of getting out there and dealing with the worlds problems.
When will this bollocks end?
Saturday, 29 January 2005
Airport Pledge leads to all out war
Transposed from an older blog
Now I’m not sure I should be writing about this, as it’s a tale of bitchyness and woe. But to give a true insight into local groups, networks, and Greenpeace I guess it’s worth covering the bad stuff.
This is of course my version of events, I’m sure other people have there own views, which are no less valid, except of course I’m right and they’re wrong. So there.
To date 3 of us had decided to start up a new Group meeting in Stratford. I had discussed the idea with the old Area Networker for NE London, and he may have suggested Stratford as the place. Then in January I had had a long conversation with the new Area Networker, and she seemed pretty cool with the idea. Before the Esso picket I had emailed the Area Networker’s for Essex and SE London to see what they thought. At the Esso picket itself we had long conversations between the 3 ‘East Londoners’, the Area Networker for Essex, the group contact for Havering (part of the Essex Network) and the Area Networker for NE London.
Everyone happy, everyone consulted, new group in East London, lots more people going to get involved, more stuff going to happen, world now saved. Wrong.
Friday before last I had been in the office, and rather than get IT to create a new home page for the new group, we luckily discovered that the home page for the old East London network still existed, so we just reactivated that and I edited it back into shape, cross linking it with the Essex network as well as London NE and London SE.
That way everyone is encouraged to check out what’s going on all over East London, and neighbouring areas, good idea eh? Unfortunately not.
So Saturday I didn’t have any plans, and I knew the Essex network were looking to expand there activities into Hertfordshire at Bishops Stortford. Last year they had expanded into Kent, and had set up 3 new groups there. The Essex networker was also looking for a climate campaign to support and Bishops Stortford was a good place to try and get people to sign the airport pledge.
So we’re all mates, and I thought I’d come along and help them out. Didn’t have much else to do, even if Bishops Stortford was a bit of a pain to get to from Hackney, especially if I go a stupid way, via bus to Liverpool Street.
Several hours of campaigning in the rain later, lots of pledge cards signed, campaign event considered a success, so we hit the pub. Couple of pints later, need to have a quick word with Essex networker to see how things are going. Then I get my head ripped off.
Wow! Don’t like getting abused, and especially not after a couple of pints, but hey the charm of NVDA training is you learn to keep your mouth shut, smile and nod.
His complaints seem to revolve around a conversation he’d had in the office, not with me, although I am apparently to blame. He’d been told that there was a new East London network and I was the new Area Networker. First thing I’d heard about my promotion. OK as a collective of people who were going to meet in Stratford, maybe one day we would be a network, but not yet and the idea seems a bit premature. Equally there is nothing wrong with the idea.
But as the Networker for Essex his view was that there isn’t room in East London for another Network, and that if there is going to be another group then it shouldn’t be called East London, as that confuses the issue with Havering (a London borough, part of the Essex network)
OK I’m confused now. What business of Essex is it, what happens in London? If Havering wants to be the East London Network then that’s cool, then they can call themselves that, but you can’t be part of the Essex network and the East London Network. OK you probably can, but they didn’t want to be. And more specifically you can’t forbid another group to call itself East London, if you don’t want to call yourself East London. Arrgghhh, and what difference does it make.
If there is a webpage called East London, then more people are going to get in touch, more people are going to get involved, and more stuff it going to happen. Still can’t see what’s wrong with that.
What’s especially frustrating is that as a volunteer, I have spent my time over days and weeks keeping Essex in the loop regarding what’s going on in London. I have built bridges and set up meetings to get everyone’s input into what’s going on. In the absence of any Greenpeace activity in East London I have published leaflets, emailed 1000’s and edited web pages to push anyone in East London towards Havering to help build there group. And now I get all this grief, because the office doesn’t consider them part of London, because they don’t get enough respect for what they do, and they don’t get to veto every decision in London, beyond there existing empire in Hertfordshire, Essex and Kent. And they still want to be part of the Essex network, not a London network, I mean what on earth…
Well bollocks to that.
More pythonesque, in fighting to follow.
Now I’m not sure I should be writing about this, as it’s a tale of bitchyness and woe. But to give a true insight into local groups, networks, and Greenpeace I guess it’s worth covering the bad stuff.
This is of course my version of events, I’m sure other people have there own views, which are no less valid, except of course I’m right and they’re wrong. So there.
To date 3 of us had decided to start up a new Group meeting in Stratford. I had discussed the idea with the old Area Networker for NE London, and he may have suggested Stratford as the place. Then in January I had had a long conversation with the new Area Networker, and she seemed pretty cool with the idea. Before the Esso picket I had emailed the Area Networker’s for Essex and SE London to see what they thought. At the Esso picket itself we had long conversations between the 3 ‘East Londoners’, the Area Networker for Essex, the group contact for Havering (part of the Essex Network) and the Area Networker for NE London.
Everyone happy, everyone consulted, new group in East London, lots more people going to get involved, more stuff going to happen, world now saved. Wrong.
Friday before last I had been in the office, and rather than get IT to create a new home page for the new group, we luckily discovered that the home page for the old East London network still existed, so we just reactivated that and I edited it back into shape, cross linking it with the Essex network as well as London NE and London SE.
That way everyone is encouraged to check out what’s going on all over East London, and neighbouring areas, good idea eh? Unfortunately not.
So Saturday I didn’t have any plans, and I knew the Essex network were looking to expand there activities into Hertfordshire at Bishops Stortford. Last year they had expanded into Kent, and had set up 3 new groups there. The Essex networker was also looking for a climate campaign to support and Bishops Stortford was a good place to try and get people to sign the airport pledge.
So we’re all mates, and I thought I’d come along and help them out. Didn’t have much else to do, even if Bishops Stortford was a bit of a pain to get to from Hackney, especially if I go a stupid way, via bus to Liverpool Street.
Several hours of campaigning in the rain later, lots of pledge cards signed, campaign event considered a success, so we hit the pub. Couple of pints later, need to have a quick word with Essex networker to see how things are going. Then I get my head ripped off.
Wow! Don’t like getting abused, and especially not after a couple of pints, but hey the charm of NVDA training is you learn to keep your mouth shut, smile and nod.
His complaints seem to revolve around a conversation he’d had in the office, not with me, although I am apparently to blame. He’d been told that there was a new East London network and I was the new Area Networker. First thing I’d heard about my promotion. OK as a collective of people who were going to meet in Stratford, maybe one day we would be a network, but not yet and the idea seems a bit premature. Equally there is nothing wrong with the idea.
But as the Networker for Essex his view was that there isn’t room in East London for another Network, and that if there is going to be another group then it shouldn’t be called East London, as that confuses the issue with Havering (a London borough, part of the Essex network)
OK I’m confused now. What business of Essex is it, what happens in London? If Havering wants to be the East London Network then that’s cool, then they can call themselves that, but you can’t be part of the Essex network and the East London Network. OK you probably can, but they didn’t want to be. And more specifically you can’t forbid another group to call itself East London, if you don’t want to call yourself East London. Arrgghhh, and what difference does it make.
If there is a webpage called East London, then more people are going to get in touch, more people are going to get involved, and more stuff it going to happen. Still can’t see what’s wrong with that.
What’s especially frustrating is that as a volunteer, I have spent my time over days and weeks keeping Essex in the loop regarding what’s going on in London. I have built bridges and set up meetings to get everyone’s input into what’s going on. In the absence of any Greenpeace activity in East London I have published leaflets, emailed 1000’s and edited web pages to push anyone in East London towards Havering to help build there group. And now I get all this grief, because the office doesn’t consider them part of London, because they don’t get enough respect for what they do, and they don’t get to veto every decision in London, beyond there existing empire in Hertfordshire, Essex and Kent. And they still want to be part of the Essex network, not a London network, I mean what on earth…
Well bollocks to that.
More pythonesque, in fighting to follow.
Friday, 28 January 2005
Volunteering in Office
Transposed from an older blog
Finally get to find out what needs doing, for the 4x4 polling day, lots and lots, and so jump in and start making stuff happen.
Not sure why we've left it so late, but we've got 3 weeks to recruit people, so no time to worry about why?
Finally get to find out what needs doing, for the 4x4 polling day, lots and lots, and so jump in and start making stuff happen.
Not sure why we've left it so late, but we've got 3 weeks to recruit people, so no time to worry about why?
Thursday, 27 January 2005
Spotting Sneaky People
Transposed from an older blog
More sneaking around looking at things, hoping to spot something bad, so we can do something about it.
More than that a gathering of sneaky people, to review what we've been up to, and to discuss where to go. Course everyone forgot, and only 2 of us made it, but 2's better than none.
More sneaking around looking at things, hoping to spot something bad, so we can do something about it.
More than that a gathering of sneaky people, to review what we've been up to, and to discuss where to go. Course everyone forgot, and only 2 of us made it, but 2's better than none.
Friday, 21 January 2005
Gone but not forgotten
Transposed from an older blog
Day volunteering in the office, and sorting out what makes SW London tick, to hand over to the new area networker.
As a network we have always been focused around an email discussion list, and its evolved into quite a complicated setup. I'm not sure if that's a reflection of my innner confusion, or the best way of using the resource.
But it makes it difficult for someone else to take over, so wish her ever success.
Day volunteering in the office, and sorting out what makes SW London tick, to hand over to the new area networker.
As a network we have always been focused around an email discussion list, and its evolved into quite a complicated setup. I'm not sure if that's a reflection of my innner confusion, or the best way of using the resource.
But it makes it difficult for someone else to take over, so wish her ever success.
Tuesday, 18 January 2005
Say Hello to Friends of the Earth
Transposed from an older blog
Back in Lambeth where I used to live, FoE were pretty inactive. OK lots inactive, but I thought I'd check out the local Hackney group.
And I was pretty impressed, 8 people at a meeting, solid, a bit of a talk on recycling, a certain amount of dynamism and plans to sort a campaigning event.
All very inspiring, perhaps I should explore more what FoE is up to
Back in Lambeth where I used to live, FoE were pretty inactive. OK lots inactive, but I thought I'd check out the local Hackney group.
And I was pretty impressed, 8 people at a meeting, solid, a bit of a talk on recycling, a certain amount of dynamism and plans to sort a campaigning event.
All very inspiring, perhaps I should explore more what FoE is up to
Monday, 17 January 2005
Network Brainstorm
Transposed from an older blog
Way back when, well Febuary 2004 I started volunteering in the Active Supporters Unit at Greenpeace. One of the first things I pulled together was a meeting between key people in London to try and organise a big event where all the local groups took to the streets at the same time.
The meeting was a bit wet, and we all got depressed by the fact there only seemed to be 30 people in all of London willing to volunteer to do stuff with Greenpeace.
Then we went to the pub. Oh the pub, beer is the root of all inspiration.
So, hic, 30 people, hic say we get 32, that could be 16 teams of 2, hic yes I'll have another Guinness, if each team did two events one in the morning and one in the afternoon, hic, thats 32 events, or one in every London Borough, that's be cool.
So we did it, and it worked. OK we recruited lots of new people to come help, but we hosted 30+ campaigning events all round London, collecting loads of nasty GM Milk, swapping it for lovely organic milk FoC. The nasty GM milk got delivered back to Sainsbury's HQ in a big direct action, but that's a different story.
So we had some more Network meetings, which got bigger until last October it turned into an unproductive waste of time.
So this time we had uber facist facilitaion by Richard. We'd identified different reasons to get together, but this meeting was to come up with ideas for how London networks could work together.
You weren't even suppossed to come unless you had a kick arse idea, but then everybody was invited.
So one of the most productive meeting to date, lots of cool ideas, putting the Climate Summit back, but unleashing the idea of Urban 4x4 polls, which turned into a great success
Way back when, well Febuary 2004 I started volunteering in the Active Supporters Unit at Greenpeace. One of the first things I pulled together was a meeting between key people in London to try and organise a big event where all the local groups took to the streets at the same time.
The meeting was a bit wet, and we all got depressed by the fact there only seemed to be 30 people in all of London willing to volunteer to do stuff with Greenpeace.
Then we went to the pub. Oh the pub, beer is the root of all inspiration.
So, hic, 30 people, hic say we get 32, that could be 16 teams of 2, hic yes I'll have another Guinness, if each team did two events one in the morning and one in the afternoon, hic, thats 32 events, or one in every London Borough, that's be cool.
So we did it, and it worked. OK we recruited lots of new people to come help, but we hosted 30+ campaigning events all round London, collecting loads of nasty GM Milk, swapping it for lovely organic milk FoC. The nasty GM milk got delivered back to Sainsbury's HQ in a big direct action, but that's a different story.
So we had some more Network meetings, which got bigger until last October it turned into an unproductive waste of time.
So this time we had uber facist facilitaion by Richard. We'd identified different reasons to get together, but this meeting was to come up with ideas for how London networks could work together.
You weren't even suppossed to come unless you had a kick arse idea, but then everybody was invited.
So one of the most productive meeting to date, lots of cool ideas, putting the Climate Summit back, but unleashing the idea of Urban 4x4 polls, which turned into a great success
Saturday, 15 January 2005
Stratford Stop Esso
Transposed from an older blog
Moved into new house last night, out picketing Esso station today. Folk from Essex and Islington had pulled the evnt together, but I had been thinking for some time about starting up a local group for East London.
There had been an East London network, up until summer 2003 but the Area Networker Robin, got a job at Greenpeace on the climate team, and the network slowly shrunk without him.
So I was thinking Stratford would be the perfect place to meet, and then we could campaign accross East London. The idea would be to do something as ourselves each month, and something in conjunction with one of the three neighbouring groups each month. i.e. Islington, Greenwich & Havering.
So an Esso picket in Stratford seemed the perfect place to launch a new group. Especially as 2 other people from East London were going to be there.
So 3 hours of picketing later we headed to the pub to sort out details. arrgghhh I'd say the devil was always in the details, but it turns out the details are the work of the devil. It took another 2 hours to sort out a meeting date, mainly because folk from Essex didn't want the date to clash with any of there, very variable meetings or with Islington meetings.
Finally got sorted by getting Havering to meet on a regular date, i.e the first Wednesday of the month. Then we get to meet on the second Wednesday and everyone gets to be happy for now.
For Shaun's write up of the day see here
Moved into new house last night, out picketing Esso station today. Folk from Essex and Islington had pulled the evnt together, but I had been thinking for some time about starting up a local group for East London.
There had been an East London network, up until summer 2003 but the Area Networker Robin, got a job at Greenpeace on the climate team, and the network slowly shrunk without him.
So I was thinking Stratford would be the perfect place to meet, and then we could campaign accross East London. The idea would be to do something as ourselves each month, and something in conjunction with one of the three neighbouring groups each month. i.e. Islington, Greenwich & Havering.
So an Esso picket in Stratford seemed the perfect place to launch a new group. Especially as 2 other people from East London were going to be there.
So 3 hours of picketing later we headed to the pub to sort out details. arrgghhh I'd say the devil was always in the details, but it turns out the details are the work of the devil. It took another 2 hours to sort out a meeting date, mainly because folk from Essex didn't want the date to clash with any of there, very variable meetings or with Islington meetings.
Finally got sorted by getting Havering to meet on a regular date, i.e the first Wednesday of the month. Then we get to meet on the second Wednesday and everyone gets to be happy for now.
For Shaun's write up of the day see here
Friday, 14 January 2005
Christmas is finally over
Transposed from an older blog
The last 3 months have been dead busy at work, it being Christmas and the games industry. Unfortunately the muppets I work for, had lost a key member of staff through what can only be gross stupidity and so I have been stuck working 6 days a week.
So I've been going into the office in the early morning i.e 7.30/8.00 ish and then going onto work at 9.15.
But finally we have some new staff, and I can go back to volunteering on Friday's, and not have to get up early to get things done.
Bit of a conflict about the Climate summit. Issue about how busy we are going to be as active supporters. Which is a bit wierd. We don't wat you to volunteer to do this thing, you have been planning, because we want you to volunteer to do something else we've been planning but aren't going to tell you about.
Hey! if it was going to be easy everyone would do it
The last 3 months have been dead busy at work, it being Christmas and the games industry. Unfortunately the muppets I work for, had lost a key member of staff through what can only be gross stupidity and so I have been stuck working 6 days a week.
So I've been going into the office in the early morning i.e 7.30/8.00 ish and then going onto work at 9.15.
But finally we have some new staff, and I can go back to volunteering on Friday's, and not have to get up early to get things done.
Bit of a conflict about the Climate summit. Issue about how busy we are going to be as active supporters. Which is a bit wierd. We don't wat you to volunteer to do this thing, you have been planning, because we want you to volunteer to do something else we've been planning but aren't going to tell you about.
Hey! if it was going to be easy everyone would do it
Tuesday, 11 January 2005
Media Scrum at the School Run
Transposed from an older blog
Got up early to join the 'Alliance against 4x4's' at a school in Belsize Park. Dressed as old fashioned school teachers and lollipop folk we tried to persuade local mums, that they didn't need a tank to drive little Belinda to school.
Embaressing start as only 4-5 of us, and about 10-12 media people, invluding two film crews. I'm sure at one point I say media people holding placards? but luckily the morning filled out quickly, and I guess there were 25-30 of us all told.
Loads of coverage the next day, whatever your views on car use and 4x4's its a great intro to the transport debate, and there is a huge groundswell of opinion that thinks they're an unessecary pointless burden on soceity.
A poor choice of Vehicle
Could do better
Got up early to join the 'Alliance against 4x4's' at a school in Belsize Park. Dressed as old fashioned school teachers and lollipop folk we tried to persuade local mums, that they didn't need a tank to drive little Belinda to school.
Embaressing start as only 4-5 of us, and about 10-12 media people, invluding two film crews. I'm sure at one point I say media people holding placards? but luckily the morning filled out quickly, and I guess there were 25-30 of us all told.
Loads of coverage the next day, whatever your views on car use and 4x4's its a great intro to the transport debate, and there is a huge groundswell of opinion that thinks they're an unessecary pointless burden on soceity.
A poor choice of Vehicle
Could do better
Saturday, 8 January 2005
Blitzkrieg!
Transposed from an older blog
A Saturday of carefully co-ordinated postering. Too long we have moaned about the lack of advertising of our local groups. So finally we get it together to plan a poster/flyer event in the same way we plan any other activity. 8 folk from round London sticking up posters in local shops, advertsing all the London groups.
In hindsight I wish I hadn't been pushing so hard for the existence of an East London area as part of the Essex network.
A Saturday of carefully co-ordinated postering. Too long we have moaned about the lack of advertising of our local groups. So finally we get it together to plan a poster/flyer event in the same way we plan any other activity. 8 folk from round London sticking up posters in local shops, advertsing all the London groups.
In hindsight I wish I hadn't been pushing so hard for the existence of an East London area as part of the Essex network.
Thursday, 6 January 2005
GM, no Climate, no Oceans, no Climate
Transposed from an older blog
Meeting at Royal Festival Hall to discuss if we're going to get an Oceans Summit/skillshare together, in the face of opposition from the office. Or whether we're going to get a Climate Summit/skillshare together in the face of opposistion from the office.
Meeting at Royal Festival Hall to discuss if we're going to get an Oceans Summit/skillshare together, in the face of opposition from the office. Or whether we're going to get a Climate Summit/skillshare together in the face of opposistion from the office.
Tuesday, 4 January 2005
My last stand as an Area Networker
Transposed from an older blog
South West London meeting, with 15 people, pretty solid at a trendy new venue, Project Orange.
and my last official meeting, as I formally quit as Area Networker for SW London, to move to East London.
To be succeeded by the wonderful Julie, who is better at it than me, and much more organised, so good stuff to come.
South West London meeting, with 15 people, pretty solid at a trendy new venue, Project Orange.
and my last official meeting, as I formally quit as Area Networker for SW London, to move to East London.
To be succeeded by the wonderful Julie, who is better at it than me, and much more organised, so good stuff to come.
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