I decided to go to Climate Camp simply because I feel strongly about climate change. I wanted to be part of the demonstration and meet likeminded people. I didn’t expect to be surprised or even affected by what I found at Blackheath.

However, the relative diversity surprised me (not everyone was white middle-class as the media insisted), as did the efficacy of the model sustainable community. But most of all, I did not think the demonstrators would be so ‘radical’.

Before the camp, I had considered myself somewhat ‘radical’ in my views on the environment, society and lifestyle choices. I don’t drive (when my friends have cars with pet names), I don’t often eat meat (when the people around me do so daily) and I regularly nag everyone about recycling, saving energy and ethical consumption. Indeed, before Climate Camp I felt sort of smug about my efforts. Before Climate Camp, my convictions and choices contrasted awkwardly with my friends’ carefree disinterest. At Climate Camp, my own contribution to ‘the cause’ was embarassing.

Talking to my fellow campers made me think about what it means to be committed to a cause. Before, I genuinely thought I was leading a green, sustainable life; mainly because the people around me weren’t. In relation to others at Climate Camp, on the other hand, I sometimes felt like a fraud. For example, I confided in someone that I am not a vegan (or, god help me, a total vegetarian). The conversation swiftly drew to a close, with me feeling convicted of climate criminality. Relative to most of the people I met at Climate Camp, my contribution to the climate movement was…well, pathetic. That’s not to say I felt out of place. I rarely disagreed with an opinion presented or an argument put forward; I shared many of the more radical viewpoints. I just hadn’t acted upon them in the same way.

To congregate with so many likeminded people was overwhelming. Having lived in the same city all my life, I was beginning to accept that meeting people who felt strongly about the issues I did would be a rare treat. That notion soon became ridiculous; I was naive and even arrogant in my assumptions. Listening to the passionate speakers and devoted campaigners, I was in awe and uncharacteristically lost for words. What could I offer to this established, purposeful and determined movement? I felt like a baby, inexperienced and naive. But most of all, I felt relief; people are doing things. Nice people. And they’re not going down without a (passively resistant) fight.

Climate Camp was beautiful. It was a tranquil and sustainable community for a week; a model for progress. Perhaps most importantly, it was a chance for collaboration and networking within the fast-paced climate movement. The only problem was; I did feel slightly left behind. Not being one to accept that, I plan to keep up, look at my lifestyle and immerse myself in campaigning and activism from now on. However, I couldn’t help feeling that if I felt left behind, others might feel totally alienated. Climate change is a unique problem; unlike past movements which have succeeded thanks to a committed minority, tacking it needs to involve everyone. Even slight alienation is incompatible with such an all-encompassing cause. Therefore, in my opinion, effective diffusion of knowledge, ideas and solutions should be at the heart of an engaging and entirely inclusive movement. Events such as Climate Camp and organisations such as People and Planet clearly have an integral role in this aim.

Tags: Blackheath, climate camp

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 6th, 2009 at 1:24 pm and is filed under A Day in the Life Of..., Environmental Issues, Life in the Network. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.