We need you all there!
The Hazelwood protest is the community climate movement's big protest action in the lead up to the Copenhagen negotiations. It's timed to coincide with the peak arctic ice melt, and it's far enough ahead to have a bearing on the Copenhagen negotiations, which are happening now!
The day is building to be a big success.
It is billed as a protest and peaceful mass civil disobedience and we need every one concerned about climate change to be involved! Here's what it means:
There are two distinct arms to the event:
You can protest outside the station with banners, clowns, some great creative and positive props, music and speakers - hopefully to include Senator Christine Milne, one of the few politicians advocating a reasonable science based approach to climate change.
At some point in the day, the second arm of the protest will attempt to walk on to the station to serve "Community Decommission Orders" to Hazelwood Power Station. This completely peaceful act of protest may result in those people being liable for charges of trespass: a decision that people have been willing to take because of the scale of the threat to our well-being posed by the climate crisis.
Participants in both groups are equally important!
Some further information:
Background
Coal burning power stations are one of the main contributors to climate change, which poses an enormous threat to the world and it's inhabitants. Hazelwood is one of the dirtiest coal power stations in the industrialised world. It releases an average of 17 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year and represents around 5% of Australia's emissions. It was scheduled to be shut down this year, however it was given a lifeline by the ALP state government in 2005 allowing it to continue operation until 2031. We need support renewable energy instead and extend the lifeline to our planet!
We are advocating an urgent transition to 100% renewable energy and away from coal. This is already technically possible. We are also demanding that the government support the Latrobe Valley community in a transition away from fossil fuels towards a clean energy manufacturing hub - protecting jobs and giving us all a future. Replacing dinosaurs like Hazelwood with renewable energy is the first step in this transition.
Our State and Federal Governments are failing on climate change. Their policies are nowhere near what scientists are saying is needed to avoid catastrophe.
Details of the Event
On 11am on Sunday September 13, 2009 we will meet on the corner of Broadribb & Nadenboushs Rd (South of Morwell) and march to the front gates of the Hazelwood, rallying to 'Switch on Renewables and Switch off Coal' and slap a Community Decommission Order on Hazelwood Power Station. The event will be well organized with speakers, media link ups, first aid and medical help available but you'll need to bring your own food and drink.
Skills Workshop
There is a weekend skills workshop coming up this weekend, 29/30 August: to build skills for future climate protest organizing as well as skilling up for the day . Look on the website for details!
And Of Course...
Climate change is a threat of unprecedented proportions to our world and all it's inhabitants. People who have never been involved in protest before are getting involved in protests over limate change. The science says we already have too much carbon in the atmosphere to avoid run away climate change. We need to motivate our politicians to act fast enough - that means stopping burning coal, building renewable energy ASAP and sequestering carbon out of the atmosphere. We need to speak strongly, loudly and persistently until it happens!
If possible, RSVP on the website to help with planning for the day. Any questions and for further details of the protest and how to get there go to the website: www.switchoffhazelwood.org
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