March For Clean Water 03/11/2024

Last Sunday, Sarah and I went to that there London town to take part in the March For Clean Water. This was a protest arranged by River Action to highlight the shocking state of the UK's waterways, and the obscene and illegal practices of water companies, industries and farmers who have been polluting our rivers, chalk streams, lakes and beaches. The sad fact is that not a single one of this country's rivers is unpolluted, while only about 14% of them are still technically fit for habitation by wildlife. Meanwhile, the equivalent of 3 million hours worth of raw sewage dumping ( literally! ) was carried out by the water companies in the last year, flooding our water systems with actual shit. And, of course, these same companies have been paying huge dividends to shareholders and massive bonuses to bosses, while not reinvesting in infrastructure and simultaneously racking up colossal debts. And who's expected to pay for all this? Why, Joe Public of course. Clearly, this is a national scandal and an ecological disaster, so over 130 organisations got together to raise our voices - conservation groups ( including the RSPB and WWT ), wild swimmers, boaters, anglers, surfers, and lovers of the countryside like us  -  with the aim to get Britain's waterways off life support.

After some Tube-closure shenanigans, we got to the muster point at Albert Embankment and joined the crowds. We then walked along the Thames, past Vauxhall Bridge and then over Westminster Bridge, from there along the other bank to loop round via Horse Guards and Whitehall, past Downing Street and down to Parliament Square. Here are some of the sights and the like-minded people we met on the way...

The plan was for us all, where possible to wear blue to represent a tide of change, a wave of protest, to #FloodTheStreets ( a slogan which became sadly ironic with the recent news reports of devastating floods in Spain )

I had a brief  chat with the guy above, who was very taken by our fish banner. The reverse of his banner mentioned that much-dismissed ( fingers-in-ears, la la la la la la ) but disastrous event, Brexit, which we both agreed couldn't possibly have had any bearing on the current lack of environmental safeguards. You know, the ones that were guaranteed after leaving the EU. ( Sarcasm mode disengaged. )

I really like the photo below: people united together in a deadly serious cause, but still managing to enjoy the experience and stay positive.

Sarah in full-on Fish Person regalia, heading to Westminster to fight the Underwater Menace ( little Doctor Who joke there, for those who know ) 

 

And, of course, the Red Rebel Brigade were there to mourn the loss of the world's habitats and wildlife, through the medium of mime. ( Not pictured: the police officer outside Downing Street who was trying desperately not to laugh as they posed in front of him, lol. )

Sarah marching along to the beat of the Brigade's funeral drum. As I said above, most of the march had a feeling of positivity and togetherness, but being near the Red Rebels always reminds us of how grim things really are, here on the brink of environmental collapse.

The tide of blue washing against the symbols of power, church and state.

We assembled in Parliament Square to listen to wonderful speakers such as Chris Packham, Liz Bonnin, Olympic rower Imogen Grant, plus many young activists who were passionate and eloquent in their defence of our environment and what needs to be done to protect it. It's their future, after all. 

The final count was around 15,000 people. Maybe not as many as the Restore Nature Now protest, but that was a far more general event, whilst this was solely focussed on the water crisis. Either way, it showed the depth of feeling that exists in this country among people who can see what's really going on, and we felt very proud to be a small part of the movement.

As did King and Queen Poseidon.

I think the banner above says it all.

Sarah and a really big cat, reminding us to keep fighting for our future and theirs...

Oh yeah, we found out afterwards that we'd even appeared on ITV News. Here's a glamorous rear view of me and Sarah heading towards a big clock.

On Election Day: Let's Kick Out The Tories (Newtown Neurotics)

Restore Nature Now 2024

 

Sarah and I are so proud to have been part of Restore Nature Now, in London yesterday. 300 organisations and 60 - 80,000 people marched in celebration of our beautiful natural world, and with a mission to take leaders to task over their failures to protect our environment. It was just a small step ( well, about 20,000 steps in our case ), but it was a beginning. And *what* a beginning!

We'd previously taken part in the Walk For Wildlife back in 2018, but this was a much larger gathering. Six years on and things have only got worse ( rivers full of shit, habitat being destroyed, animal populations in decline ), so we had to step up and join in with this huge event...

It was a wonderfully inclusive, family-friendly day where groups of people from all walks of life came together for a common cause - even the likes of The National Trust, the RSPB and WWT joined in with the more radical groups like Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion. The only way we can force effective change is for us all to unite in defence of the environment as one voice.

We assembled at Hyde Park Corner, then marched down Park lane and into the heart of London, passing through Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall to all assemble in Parliament Square. Here we heard speeches from various concerned naturalists, young and old, including host Chris Packham, Megan McCubbin, Dale Vince ( my mate Kev's boss at Ecotricity ), Feargal Sharkey, Dr. Amir Khan and Nemonte Nenquimo, an indigenous activist who has secured environmental safeguards for areas of the Amazon. This last speaker ( and her interpreter ) only highlighted how environmental destruction is indeed a global problem that the whole world needs to address.

We made a lot of noise and turned a lot of heads. Many people laughed, cheered, took photos and honked car horns as we passed. Many more also looked bemused and / or dismissive, but nobody said this would be an easy struggle. So many people have other issues in their lives in these days of a cost-of-living crisis, and the plight of the environment may not be at the forefront of their minds. We're aiming to remind people how crucial nature and the environment are for their lives and for the life of the planet. Extinction Rebellion's Red Rebel Brigade ( above ) dress in Masque Of The Red Death-style robes to symbolise the blood we share in common with other species. After all, we're all in this together and there is no Planet B...

It was a fantastic day and we've pledged to return as often as possible to keep up the fight and to

Restore Nature Now!

I'm probably the last person on Earth to blog about this...

but isn't the news coming out of America in the last two days just fantastic?

 

30-Day Film Challenge Week 4

At long last, as we feebly stagger up the last remaining steps of this seemingly interminable journey, the clouds part and we finally see the last installment of this flamin' film challenge. Yep, it's Week 4 and it's  -

Day Twenty-Two
A film that made you angry

Not many films have done this ( no, not even Suicide Squad ) but I'm going with Michael Moore's
Bowling For Columbine ( 2002 ), a frankly frightening look into America's obsession with guns. It can be argued ( mostly by the NRA ) that this movie is a polemic, one-sided and biased  -  and well, obviously it is  -  but that's to hammer home its message and for me ( and probably any other non-gun-toting goon ) it works. By the way, if anyone objects to my choice of this movie, feel free to not comment, I'll only delete it. ( See... still angry. )
"Thanks for not shooting me."

Moving on...
Day Twenty-Three
A film by a director that is dead ( Not for the first time  -  who writes this stuff? )

I Know Where I'm Going ( dir. Michael Powell 1945 )
Known more for his colourful epics ( in collaboration with Emeric Pressburger, of course ) such as The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus, this is a lovely little black and white film from the legendary Powell, full of heart, humour and subtle magic. Wendy Hiller, as the headstrong, brittle Joan, and Roger Livesy, as Scottish laird Torquill (?) MacNeil are both wonderful as the mismatched couple who seem to be thrown together by the very elements of the Hebrides. There may well be another Michael Powell movie later in this challenge. Okay, maybe at the bottom of this very page...

Day Twenty-Four
A film you wish you saw in theatres ( or "at the cinema" as we might say here in Blighty )

Alien ( 1979 )
I was desperate to see this film at the cinema but, as it was an "X" certificate ( that's an 18 for you young 'uns ) and I was only 12 at the time, it didn't happen. Of course, I've seen it many, many times since then. We re-watched it a few weeks back, during lockdown, and I was happy to see it had lost none of its power. Our daughter Sophie had never seen it before and even she was impressed with this 41-year old "haunted house in space" movie. Ridley Scott's finest film? I think so.

Day Twenty-Five
A film you like that isn't set in the current era

David Eggers' seriously creepy, Puritan-era Folk Horror Movie
The Witch ( 2015 )
Featuring Black Philip, the scariest goat in movie history...

"Would'st thou like to live deliciously?"

Day Twenty-Six
A film you like that is adapted from somewhere

Released 10 years ago (!) last week, Edgar Wright's dazzling, underrated adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novels  -  Scott Pilgrim vs The World ( 2010 )
You can read my original review of this movie here, should you want to of course. I still can't believe I took James to see this film when he was only 10. Sadly a flop on release, Scott Pilgrim's reputation has grown over the last decade and it's now regarded as a cult classic  -  although some of us knew that from the start...

Day Twenty-Seven
A film that is visually striking to you

So many films I've already posted would fit this category ( the one above being a prime example ) but I'm going with the wuxia epic Hero ( 2002 ) by Zhang Yimou
Every shot in this movie is just gorgeous

Day Twenty-Eight
A film that made you feel uncomfortable

Pan's Labyrinth ( 2006 )
I'm in a minority here but I really don't like this movie. For a fantasy I found it totally lacking in a sense of wonder and I hated the "real-world" scenes of violence and torture. I've got nothing against Guillermo Del Toro  -  he always comes across as a very affable, intelligent film-maker who is a tireless exponent of horror and fantasy movies  -  I just don't like his films very much.

Day Twenty-Nine
A film that makes you want to fall in love

Midnight In Paris ( 2011 )
Owen Wilson and Marion Cotillard fall for each other and for Paris in Woody Allen's charming, witty time-travel romance

And finally, Esther...
Day Thirty
A film with your favourite ending

I could pick many, many great endings ( Some Like It Hot, The Truman Show, Don't Look Now, Inception, Planet Of The Apes,Casablanca, The Godfather, Withnail & I etc etc ) but it had to be
A Matter Of Life And Death ( 1946 )
Powell & Pressburger's remarkable romantic fantasy ends with David Niven's character being saved by Kim Hunter's love. It's arguably corny and sentimental but it's actually just perfect

And that's it for the film challenge. Thanks to anyone who stopped by and a special shout out to Paul McScotty and Sean for leaving comments and giving me ideas for more films to watch.

"Stay classy... Planet Earth"