July 11th, 2009
Conveyor Belts, Pasta and No Sleep
Earl Beadle
Wow, where do I start with the experience that I just had occupying the second largest coal fire plant in Italy. Going into this action with very little knowledge of what we were getting ourselves into we really kicked some butt. The team of 9 occupied the main conveyor belt for 2 night and just over 2 days, we slept on the floor which was full of coal dust, the conveyor belt was left on to stress us and there was this siren that went off every half hour to keep us awake. So really we had very little sleep.
The first day myself and 2 other climbers hung a banner twice that read Energy Revolution Green Jobs Now. We hung from our ropes 50m to 60m off the ground, it was very windy and we had to crawl out these tiny windows. The second day we painted a message on the main building that read G8 Lead or Lose, obviously the G8 lost and I have heard that the G8 leaders were talking about what the Greenpeace International activists were doing in Italy. Overall 4 power plants were occupied.
After our second night the brave and tired team left the conveyor belt area early morning. We packed everything up, stopped the conveyor belt which felt great to do for the second time and made our way out. My legs were a bit unstable at this point which made it a difficult task to actually leave.
Overall, the workers of the plant were very pleasant, even though we were blocking two stariways from preventing them to enter the area we were in. One night I even woke to a plate of pasta, with cheese and bread, and that same night while I was on my blocking shift they brought me some cantaloupe. So now after some rest, a few glasses of beer, a pizza and a good nights sleep I am safe and sound in Milan.
I can speak and write about this event for ever, it was a life changing action, I learned so much as an activist, a climber and how much I can really taking during these high stress situations. It will be so great to pass this on too my fellow activists in Canada.
I wish you all well
Earl
p.s. my internet card is running out so sorry about the spelling and or grammer. hehehe
Conveyor Belts, Pasta and No Sleep
Categories: Activism on the ground, Climate Defenders, Energy and Climate, Greenpeace, KYOTOplus
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July 11th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Wow, Earl!
You done good! Thanks for representing all of us Canadians, and what we really wanted from the G8!
A true scholar and a gentleman . . .
I am in awe.
<3 Laura
p.s. Be Aware of Wonder . . . I am sure you already are.
July 11th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
WOW!!! That is so amazing… You Rock! I’m sure you will teach us a lot of stuff when you get back… This is inspiring all of us here. I look foward to talk to you.
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Bravo you are all terrific. When back in your own communities I would like to see some research and plan on how we can safely use our resources, provide for all living things without depleting but enhancing our earth. Forget the old paradigm, start as if we had authority to build a better world that is acceptable to all. We must put something positive out there so we inspire people with what might be.
July 24th, 2009 at 1:07 am
I see that you have had this great experience, but I wonder how you got to Italy from Canada? As an environmentalist, I do tend to consider how environmental it is to get on a jet plane and whether there were Greenpeace activists available in Italy who could have done the job.