Five things I learned from the Reclaim the Power Didcot Camp
Date: 8 June 2015
Last week, I took part of the Reclaim the Power Camp, in Didcot Oxfordshire. What may be erroneously depicted as a bunch of hippies’ gathering, was in fact a powerful moment to network, learn new skills, and strengthen the climate justice movement. Although more compact than previous years, this year camp mobilised something between 300 and 400 people from all over the country. On Monday activists carried out an impressive 18 successful direct actions in different cities around the country.
Here are five lessons I’ve learned this past weekend.
1.There is neither minimum age nor age limit to be an activist
If you’ve never taken part of an activist camp before, you may be surprised by the family-friendly atmosphere and the diversity of people that take part. I was inspired by many of the mothers who carried their babies whilst actively participating in the debates. More than just happy kids running around the camp, these children are the seeds who will flourish into the next generation of activists. Equally impressive was the incredible excitement and boldness of the Lancashire Nanas, who don’t make it easy to fracking industry. I felt really fortunate for the chance to work with experienced activists who taught me a lot.
2.Shared responsibilities make community experience work
Being at Didcot camp reminded me that the roles we play are equally important, and that we share the responsibility to create the social, environmental and economic just future we all desire. Having to perform daily tasks (washing up, site maintenance, waste sorting, etc.) was a great way to remind me of that. When people work together like this, a great sense of community is created. No doubt living this alternative reality is amazing, but if we are to make a profound change, we need to make sure others will appreciate and adopt a way of living that celebrates equity within diversity.
3.I could easily live on vegan food
Our eating habit has a huge impact on the planet. That’s not new. The link between meat and dairy consumption and climate change is clear. It is estimated that raising livestock accounts for 14.5% of global emissions. Whereas the ideal target of animal consumption would be 70 pounds per person per year, countries like the USA and the UK consume about 265 and 185 pounds, respectively. Having tried to decrease my meat consumption for years, I can tell that changing people’s habits is not an easy task. One thing is sure though: if I had that food Reclaim the Power provided in the camp every day, being vegan would be a piece of cake.
4.Creative action is key to challenge the fossil fuel industry
Taking direct action has always been part of the struggle to resist oppressive power. It was the simple act of Rosa Parks in refusing to give her bus seat to a white passenger in 1955, in the USA, for example, that inspired the civil rights movement worldwide. With creative elements such as the massive Cuadzilla monster and shivering grannies, the actions carried out this Monday are part of this movement. As the activist group Notes from Nowhere wrote, “When resistance becomes joyful and not a sacrifice, then the process of changing the world becomes dangerously infectious”.
5.The government may be in bed with the Big 6, but people won’t accept this affair
With energy companies making large donations to the Tories, it is not a surprise that activists accuse the government of being in bed with the Big Six. Whilst energy bills continuously increase, an estimated one in five people in the UK had to choose between eating and heating at some point last winter. In the same period, 15,000 people died because they couldn’t afford to heat their homes. That’s a harsh reality for one of world’s biggest economies. Fortunately, people are not willing to accept this corporate love affair, and by exposing it activists intended to mobilise the wider society. After the recent election this is a challenging task. But if I were to name only one lesson from the camp at Didcot, it would be: no matter how tough the fight may seem, people will always be organised to reclaim their power.