Urban Green Fair is go. Brockwell Park Sunday 9th Sept
- Thread starter shaneC
- Start date
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
That was a really nice little event. We had loads of fun on the funny bicycles.... gaijinboy ate lots of carrot cake and there was tons of familiar faces and old friends. Lovely. Well organised, peaceful and just lovely.
i had a brilliant time. what a success for the green day!
i got involved in the most hippy 1968 style excercise/dancing class called Nia http://www.nianectar.com/contact.html. unbelievable! was sincerely glad noone with a camera from here was around, phew!
i treated myself to a ki massage... only to learn that my energy levels are very blocked up and i needed further treatment costing me around £180 pounds which i thought was cheeky.
i heard some lovely sense talking about energy saving methods and a greener food industry.
i sorrowly enjoyed my day there
i got involved in the most hippy 1968 style excercise/dancing class called Nia http://www.nianectar.com/contact.html. unbelievable! was sincerely glad noone with a camera from here was around, phew!
i treated myself to a ki massage... only to learn that my energy levels are very blocked up and i needed further treatment costing me around £180 pounds which i thought was cheeky.
i heard some lovely sense talking about energy saving methods and a greener food industry.
i sorrowly enjoyed my day there
Brainaddict
slight system overdrive
I did not, though I noticed the entire stall dedicated to 9/11 at the fair. From an event I attended at the Ritzy last week it seems a number of the green activists in Lambeth are infected with conspiraloonery. But it's not loonery of course - it's serious seeking after trutheditor said:
I long for the day when I hear a 9/11 conspiracy investigator say "The evidence we have appears to be inconclusive, so let's spend our time on well-evidenced political scandals instead."
I have to say the Peak Oil people also bug me a little. They appear to be the new apocalyptic prophets. And while I suspect peak oil will cause economic depression around the world, I'm not convinced it's quite the doomsday scenario they are predicting.
editor
hiraethified
Yup. And it's a disaster for the party, IMO. I'd never vote for anyone who buys into all that fruitloop nonsense.Brainaddict said:
And with you on that one too. I'm as concerned as anyone about oil running out (and the criminal waste of oil resources going on right now) but this "we're all dooooomed!" stuff is hardly likely to engage the public.Brainaddict said:
teuchter
je suis teuchter
I went along to this for a bit. An entertaining enough couple of hours and a good atmosphere, and nice to see stuff happening in Brockwell Park; there should be more.
But I did think that it displayed a really big problem with the green movement (which I am a supporter of, by the way). All too often these things seem to become hijacked by other causes. While I was there there I saw the conspiraloons mentioned above, various dubious "natural healing" stalls, a film about deaths in police custody, Mark Thomas talking about the Westminster protest ban zone, Peter Tatchell talking about the NHS, and that pedal-powered train contraption roaming about with someone singing about cannabis and "leaving the station to another dimension".
That's all very well and good but it left me wondering what the point of the event was. I can't see that it would have converted many people to the cause, firstly because the percentage of things going on that were actually related to green/energy issues was pretty small, and secondly because I think you will put a lot of people off supporting an environmentally conscious point of view by tying it up with all sorts of other politics and non-scientific nuttery.
I did see this guy talking, though, in a pragmatic way about the practicalities of carrying out renovations to a typical London house in such a way that its energy usage could be reduced significantly. That's exactly the kind of thing people need to hear about if they are going to be converted to green thinking, and it's the kind of thing that has potential to make a difference.
But I did think that it displayed a really big problem with the green movement (which I am a supporter of, by the way). All too often these things seem to become hijacked by other causes. While I was there there I saw the conspiraloons mentioned above, various dubious "natural healing" stalls, a film about deaths in police custody, Mark Thomas talking about the Westminster protest ban zone, Peter Tatchell talking about the NHS, and that pedal-powered train contraption roaming about with someone singing about cannabis and "leaving the station to another dimension".
That's all very well and good but it left me wondering what the point of the event was. I can't see that it would have converted many people to the cause, firstly because the percentage of things going on that were actually related to green/energy issues was pretty small, and secondly because I think you will put a lot of people off supporting an environmentally conscious point of view by tying it up with all sorts of other politics and non-scientific nuttery.
I did see this guy talking, though, in a pragmatic way about the practicalities of carrying out renovations to a typical London house in such a way that its energy usage could be reduced significantly. That's exactly the kind of thing people need to hear about if they are going to be converted to green thinking, and it's the kind of thing that has potential to make a difference.
vauxhallmum
had to scrap the cheap car
me and vauxhallboy had a fab time, he cycled like a loon on the Rinky Dink
but can someone explain the Whistle Therapy to me??
What the hell were they doing? Nearly made me choke on my macrobiotic juice
but can someone explain the Whistle Therapy to me??
What the hell were they doing? Nearly made me choke on my macrobiotic juice
editor
hiraethified
Tricky Skills
Well-Known Member
Maggot said:
I was slightly drunk, so made myself useless at the time, but they were doing the "why are you not dealing with this, it's the most important issue" stuff, and filming his response, presumably so they could put it up on their websites to show how they fearlessly sought truth...
The annoying thing was that other people wanted to talk to him about other stuff, but couldn't because of those useful idiots...
That was good fun, and there was Cider there...... if you looked hard enough
Blagsta
Minimum cage, maximum cage
Full set of photos here
http://www.avgp39.dsl.pipex.com/greenfair/
http://www.avgp39.dsl.pipex.com/greenfair/
Thanks to everyone who came along and supported the first Urban Green Fair. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did putting it on, just no problems at all from a production point of view, one police caution for weed.. how ironic, lots of good feedback and the park litter picked by 10pm.
A few comments on reading about UGF - and seeing the great pictures.
Council.
I reckon this is the licensing dept being bureaucratic rather than the whole council plot to thwart us. Most officers and councilors are supportive, not sure if any councillors came along but the Parks officers were happy.
9/11
I'm sure Mark Thomas can take care of himself. Always surprised at the level of cynicism from some on U75. Myself and most of the non stooge 9/11 groups and the US Green Party want an independent public enquiry, as the first one was not plainly not independent and their report was riddled with inconsistencies and omissions. This was an epoch shifting event in terms of how the neo-cons have used it to reshape global politics. I remember WE were winning before, and they were on the retreat. Bit of role reversal now. Why would you not want in independent inquiry ?
RE No Bar and Stage.
It completely changed the dynamic of the event and made educational stuff seem entertaining. People did not get rooted to one spot so much (normally bar of main stage ) but walked around the circle and took far more interest in the things we are trying to get across via speakers, workshops, stalls. It was good to see Barney from Brixton Cycles's bike workshop with 30 or so people sitting, standing and watching intently as he explained how to fix a bike brake. People who know how to fix bikes get free transport for life.
No public Cider was a bit of a bummer, but it did change the vibe a lot and mostly for the better.
Peak Oil doubters.
That it is coming is a geological fact, the main grey area is how we will cope with a recession / deepening depression having experienced nothing like it for 30 years.
A interesting quote from an essay on UP! i just read earlier tonight by John Micehel Grover called 'The Coming of Deindustrial Society.
" We live in a "prosthetic society" in which most people have totally neglected their own innate abilities in favour of ersatz mechanical imitations. Even our schoolchildren use pocket calculators instead of learning how to add and subtract. All this has to be reversed as soon as possible. Those people who can use their own hands and minds to make tools, grow food, brew beer, treat illnesses, generate modest amounts of electricity from sun and wind, and the like, will have a survival advantage over those who can't. In a violent age, practical knowledge is a life insurance policy; if you're more useful alive than dead, you're likely to stay that way. The pirate enclaves of the seventeenth-century Caribbean were among the most lawless societies in history, but physicians, navigators, shipwrights, and other skilled craftsmen were safe from the pervasive violence, since it was in everyone's best interests to keep them alive."
On a broader level we seem to have stumbled on an interesting formula that avoids the Licensing Act. The UGF was the first unlicensed event in Lambeth, with no music or bars, through being a community interest company we can get funding and along with the generous donations on the day (around £1800) we have broken even and will have something in the pot to work with for next year.
We are having a debrief next week so comments welcome.
Anyway it's late and i'm rambling.
Shane
A few comments on reading about UGF - and seeing the great pictures.
Council.
I reckon this is the licensing dept being bureaucratic rather than the whole council plot to thwart us. Most officers and councilors are supportive, not sure if any councillors came along but the Parks officers were happy.
9/11
I'm sure Mark Thomas can take care of himself. Always surprised at the level of cynicism from some on U75. Myself and most of the non stooge 9/11 groups and the US Green Party want an independent public enquiry, as the first one was not plainly not independent and their report was riddled with inconsistencies and omissions. This was an epoch shifting event in terms of how the neo-cons have used it to reshape global politics. I remember WE were winning before, and they were on the retreat. Bit of role reversal now. Why would you not want in independent inquiry ?
RE No Bar and Stage.
It completely changed the dynamic of the event and made educational stuff seem entertaining. People did not get rooted to one spot so much (normally bar of main stage ) but walked around the circle and took far more interest in the things we are trying to get across via speakers, workshops, stalls. It was good to see Barney from Brixton Cycles's bike workshop with 30 or so people sitting, standing and watching intently as he explained how to fix a bike brake. People who know how to fix bikes get free transport for life.
No public Cider was a bit of a bummer, but it did change the vibe a lot and mostly for the better.
Peak Oil doubters.
That it is coming is a geological fact, the main grey area is how we will cope with a recession / deepening depression having experienced nothing like it for 30 years.
A interesting quote from an essay on UP! i just read earlier tonight by John Micehel Grover called 'The Coming of Deindustrial Society.
" We live in a "prosthetic society" in which most people have totally neglected their own innate abilities in favour of ersatz mechanical imitations. Even our schoolchildren use pocket calculators instead of learning how to add and subtract. All this has to be reversed as soon as possible. Those people who can use their own hands and minds to make tools, grow food, brew beer, treat illnesses, generate modest amounts of electricity from sun and wind, and the like, will have a survival advantage over those who can't. In a violent age, practical knowledge is a life insurance policy; if you're more useful alive than dead, you're likely to stay that way. The pirate enclaves of the seventeenth-century Caribbean were among the most lawless societies in history, but physicians, navigators, shipwrights, and other skilled craftsmen were safe from the pervasive violence, since it was in everyone's best interests to keep them alive."
On a broader level we seem to have stumbled on an interesting formula that avoids the Licensing Act. The UGF was the first unlicensed event in Lambeth, with no music or bars, through being a community interest company we can get funding and along with the generous donations on the day (around £1800) we have broken even and will have something in the pot to work with for next year.
We are having a debrief next week so comments welcome.
Anyway it's late and i'm rambling.
Shane
Tricky Skills
Well-Known Member
All your work and effort was truly appreciated Shane. Many thanks for a great afternoon. I agree that the lack of (official) booze and music made it a better event. The Lambeth Show is great, but it does get a bit messy towards the end.
Next year again, hopefully
Next year again, hopefully
Not wanting to derail this thread too far... 'cos I did really enjoy the festival, and you're to be congratulated for putting it on...
Because I'd rather have a properly-resourced police investigation into a mass-murder, the backers and beneficiaries?
Because regardless of my views on what happened, it's very hard to be credible on scientific matters about climate change when you've got the holographic missile people involved?
Anyway, otherwise a great day out, and nice to see the enterprising solution to the council licensing madness
shaneC said:
Because I'd rather have a properly-resourced police investigation into a mass-murder, the backers and beneficiaries?
Because regardless of my views on what happened, it's very hard to be credible on scientific matters about climate change when you've got the holographic missile people involved?
Anyway, otherwise a great day out, and nice to see the enterprising solution to the council licensing madness
editor
hiraethified
I think you've been suckered by the whole 9/11 thing mate. Read the threads here.shaneC said:
There's a good reason why the self declared truthseekers have been laughed off urban75 and become objects of ridicule and that's because of the frightening lack of credible research offered to back up their wild clams.
We've had all sorts of utterly insane claims here - invisible explosives planted by invisible operatives, holographic planes, CIA Mike Yarwoods etc - and they've all been looked at in depth by posters here and completely torn apart by independent posters every bit as keen to find the truth as you.
I think your decision to align yourself with the whole 9/11 'truth' bandwagon is a huge mistake. I strongly urge you to spend some time carefully reading the well-researched threads here and think again before being seduced by the selectively-quoting, self-feeding 9/11 stuff.
It's a 100% vote and credibility loser. After all, they've managed to piss off the majority of posters here - so much so, that people barely bother to engage on the subject any more. And you know what? The damage that they're causing to serious debate is doing more harm than you'll know. Pilger said the same.
Oh, and great festival by the way! Photos and positive review here: http://www.urban75.org/london/urban-green-fair.html
