FRACK SHIT UP

Camp Frack is kicking off this weekend in Lancashire, taking action against Cuadrilla’s shale gas extraction off the northern coast. Shale gas extraction or ‘fracking’ is the latest attempt by corporate energy companies to suck the few remaining scraps of fossil fuel out of the earth, and has been known to cause seismic activity, poison water supplies and leach huge amounts of toxic waste liquids (see SchNEWS 771).

Despite the climate movement generally being fairly low profile this year, fracking has been one thing that eco activists have been getting fired up about. As drilling quietly gets underway in the north of the country, a whole host of groups have formed, taking on outreach work and direct action up and down the country, including a recent banner drop from the Blackpool Tower (see http://frack-off.org.uk/frack-off-banner-drop-from-blackpool-tower/).

Although fracking has taken a strong hold in the US, it’s still a relatively small operation here. It’s vital that we act to stop it in its tracks, before it reaches the size of the other fossil fuel industries that are so hard for the environmental opposition to fight. Cuadrilla is already on the offensive, spouting greenwashing propaganda to those local residents who’ll listen, and quickly disputing any attempt by local resistance movements to put across the saner point of view.

As the first large scale action against the drilling, the camp aims to make the UK opposition to fracking visible to the energy companies, politicians and public. Camping right next to the active drilling rig, demonstrators will experience first hand the scale of Cuadrilla’s operations, and have the opportunity to meet other people interested in building a co-ordinated resistance. There will by film screenings and workshops on fracking, all culminating in a mass action targeting the rig on Sunday (18th).

So if you’re a climate activist that has been resting on their laurels this summer, or got distracted by other worthy causes such as public sector cuts, student fees or looting poundland, then get yerself oop norf to Lancashire and join the fight against fracking in the UK.
See http://www.campaigncc.org/campfrack for more info.