Where next for eco-activism?

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Eco Activism Special
As a new film encourages people to Just Do It, Matilda Lee looks at the future of eco-activism in the UK
 

Ecologist readers will be familiar with, and in many cases involved in, eco-activism in the UK. Yet rarely does anyone get to see very much of the secretive world behind the environmental direct action community- that small group of people that put their bodies in the way and are not afraid to get arrested to do something about climate change.

A new film, Just Do It, launching on July 15th gives us this glimpse. Director Emily James spent over a year embedded with some of the major direct action groups - the ones mainstream media despair over, and like to portray as terrorists. Just Do It paints a fuller picture and gives us the inside story of who they are and why they do what they do.

And, as an advocate for radical environmental action since our first issue back in 1970, the Ecologist took this opportunity to look more closely at the issues shaping the future direction of Britain's eco-activism movement...

Eco-activism special report:

  • Where next for eco-activism in the UK? After the failure of the Copenhagen climate talks, the undercover police scandal, the disbanding of Climate Camp - and the sudden rise of UK Uncut - Bibi van der Zee takes the temperature of Britain's green activism movement

 

Get involved

The Ecologist has, over the years, published a number of guides on powerful tools activists can use to press for change, from the basics such as letter writing, to video activism, data activism,to communicating your campaign and working with the media.

Other resources include:

How to campaign: climate change and energy

Undercurrents: the campaign film pioneers still setting the agenda

How to turn 'clicktivists' into activists

How to stop a supermarket opening up in your area

 

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