No Third Runway Climate Camp

You will no doubt have read or seen news reports of the action on Sunday 19 August 2007, but very little dramatic happened in the week leading up to this so the media largely ignored it (waiting for something confrontational and hence newsworthy). Alastair and Penny Maclachlan visited the camp on the Saturday and Penny sent this account of a peaceful and purposeful gathering.

Sipson Lane is lined with neat houses and well kept gardens, and it would be pleasant to live there, but for the roar of aircraft taking off and landing. In the otherwise quiet and peaceful ambience, this is a constant reminder that some people have to endure noise pollution whenever they are at home.

I went to visit the climate camp on 18 August. The police stood at the entrance or rode past on horseback, but there was no sign of trouble. Order prevailed. My first impression of the temporary canvas village was of impressive organisation, with clear signposts everywhere, wooden boards put down to protect campers from mud, and lists of workshops which started in the morning and went on into the night.

The camp was run in an exemplary manner as regards loos (eco friendly sanitation), grey water (filtered through jute and straw so that it could be recycled) and waste disposal, which was separated out into metal, aluminium nonmagnetic, cooked food waste, bottles etc.

Despite the cheerful, relaxed atmosphere, serious campaigners were working hard. Most of the campers were young. Some had children, well behaved and playing happily, with them. Dogs were on leads, except for one which was obviously so well trained that it always stayed close to its family.

Near the entrance stood a hardboard, two-dimensional model of a plane with a ramp leading up to an opening like a door. A child was enjoying himself, boarding the “plane”, but a notice alongside the artefact read: “Increased air travel or a future for your kids? Get real – stop flying now!”

Everywhere you looked, messages caught the eye and challenged the mind: “The world needs 90% CO2 reduction in 8 years.” The outside of a tent had painted on it a quotation from Gerrard Winstanley: “ … if thou dost not act, then thou dost nothing.” He wrote this in the 17^th century but somebody cleverly recognised his words are relevant in the 21^st century.

It is not enough to bemoan the fact that people are suffering because their fellow human beings are damaging the eco system. Well intentioned men and women have to do something. It was heartening to see that the protesters against Heathrow’s projected third runway are putting their convictions into action.