Extinction Rebellion Brighton Newsletter
9th October 2021
XRB
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING?
XB BRIGHTON TAKES PART IN BLOCKADE OF FARNBOROUGH AIRPORT
On Saturday, activists from the South East region blocked all three entrances to the airport in protest at the emissions caused by private flights using the airport. The protestors highlighted the fact that 1% of the world’s population causes 50% of aviation emissions.
As world leaders gather for the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow this month, XR are calling on the world's super-rich elite of celebrities, oligarchs and business leaders to ditch private flights.
XR have also accused the airport of "greenwashing" after it announced a switch to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) which is created using non-recyclable household waste.
Todd Smith, 32, activist and a former airline pilot from Reading, Berkshire, criticised Farnborough Airport's move to offer sustainable aviation fuel as an alternative.
He said: "The term 'sustainable aviation fuel' was coined by the aviation and fossil fuel industry to deceive the public and greenwash the utterly destructive nature of biofuels.
Biofuels result in land grabs, deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, rising food prices and land-use emissions which can be worse than the fossil fuel they are replacing.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Big Climate Demo outside County Hall in Lewes
It's now less than a week until next Tuesday's (12 October) Big Climate Demo outside County Hall in Lewes, the second anniversary of East Sussex County Council (ESCC) declaring a 'climate emergency'.
Campaigners from across East Sussex, Brighton and Hove will be delivering a giant ‘climate fudge’ anniversary cake to ESCC, as part of a mass protest demanding that it start treating the climate emergency as an emergency.
In particular, we'll be calling for ESCC to:
– take rapid action to de-carbonise the County; and
– back the Climate & Ecological Emergency Bill
Please join us if you can!
We'll be assembling from 8.30am outside Lewes station for a 9am procession to County Hall. Or alternatively you can join us at County Hall (St Anne's Crescent, BN7 1UE) itself at 9.30am.
If you want to travel with other people from Brighton, join this group
The demo is being supported by a wide range of local groups including: Divest East Sussex, Lewes Climate Hub, XR Lewes, Lewes District Green Party, Lewes Labour Party, Brighton Energy Coop, Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth, Energise Sussex Coast, Frack Free Sussex, Hanover Action, Lewes Liberal Democrats, Plastic Free Seaford, Seaford Environmental Alliance, South East Climate Alliance, Transition Town Hastings, Transition Town Lewes, XR Brighton, and XR Hastings & St Leonards
Hoping to see you there.
STAYING IN BRIGHTON DURING COP 26?
Zoom meeting on Wednesday October 13th at 7.30pm
The Brighton COP26 coalition is slowly coming together, mainly around organising the biggest possible protest in our city on Saturday 6 November (rally and march assembling 12 noon at The Level, setting off at 1pm) as part of a day of action taking place as the COP26 summit meets in Glasgow.
Link to the event page Join the Telegram group here
Next Zoom:
Topic: Brighton COP26 Coalition Call
Time: Oct 13, 2021 07:30 PM London
Meeting ID: 859 4347 5298
Passcode: dairyfree
We are building an enormous trike for the COP 26 Mass Rally on November 6th!
We need your help with the following:
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Painting the cycle and doing some easy last minute creative work on the cycle to get it finished (5-6 people needed)
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Muscle to help move the cycle from Ditchling to Brighton on the 16th or 17th of October (3 strong people needed). This would involve a few hours to help lift the components of the cycle into a transit van and then unload the van at the other end - at the new storage location.
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Performers needed, dancers, actors, hula hoopers, acrobats, to support with a show stopping piece of protest art around the cycle (12 people needed). More info here
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Donations so we can raise the funds we need to complete the build. Crowdfunder here
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People to cycle the cycle on the 6th of November, would you like to drive or peddle the trike? Please contact: bigbuild2021team@protonmail.com
CYCLE RIDE TO COP26 IN GLASGOW
A 'core group' of cyclists is riding the entire way, over 9 days, riding 60 miles a day, leaving Brighton on 24 Oct and arriving in Glasgow on 1 Nov. If you're interested in joining for a day or want to turn out and cheer them on, then join this chat for all the details.
Links below to follow them on social media and spread the word:
Twitter- https://twitter.com/cop26cycle2021
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/cop26cycle2021/
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/cop26cycle2021/
NEW TO BRIGHTON XR?
If you’ve joined Brighton XR recently and have questions about how to get involved, haven’t done an induction to XR, or would like to be part of an affinity group, please join the chat below, and let’s get together soon to get everyone set up!
BARCLAYS ACTION, OCTOBER 18TH
We will be taking our protest to Barclays in North Street on October 18th at 11.00 a.m. Barclays are one of Europe’s largest investors in fossil fuels and are setting us on a path to disastrous climate crisis.
Come and join the Meditators and others as we inform the public about Barclays’ planet killing investments.
If you have an account with Barclays or HSBC, do change to a more ethical bank and let Barclays and HSBC know why you are doing it.
To join the Telegram chat, send us a message on Brighton Discussion Group and ask to be added to BTN Fossil Fuel Banks actions.
HALLOWEEN PROTEST
Spooked by the lack of action on Climate Change? Then come along to our Halloween Procession and let Brighton’s worst polluters know that we won’t put up with their devilish acts!
Dress for Halloween!
XR BRIGHTON GENERAL MEETINGS
We are now holding two meetings a week, one online on Tuesdays and one in person on Thursdays. Everyone is welcome. Come, join in, reflect, and plan our way to make a difference and create change. It’s you that makes the difference!
MEETING LOCATIONS
The Tuesday meeting has a new Zoom link, so if you had the old one saved, make sure to update it! (details below.)
Our Thursday's face to face meetings are happening inside now, so we are trying out different spaces to see what works. Next week's meeting's location below; keep an eye on this Newsletter or the Broadcast for the latest info.
Thursday 14th October:
St John’s Room at Cornerstone Community Centre, Palmeira Square, Hove. BN3 2FL