23 Jahre Tschernobyl

Wie viele in der deutschen Umweltbewegung war für mich die Katastrophe von Tschernobly 1986 einer dieser entscheidenden Momente, die mich zum Umweltaktivisten werden liessen. Man fühlt sich schon alt wenn man merkt, dass das 23 Jahre her ist. Die Folgen wirken bis heute. Doch der Jahrestag bekommt meist wenig Aufmerksamkeit. Gratulation deshalb besonders an Greenpeace für die Projektion am Tschernobyl-Sarkopharg. Mein Freund (und Ex-Kollege) Tobias Münchmeyer beschreibt hier seinen letzten Ausflug nach Tschernobly. Respekt.

The parent paradox

The miracle arrived. She is called Noni and, at three months, she has already changed the world: She has changed sleeping patterns and priorities. Above all, though, she has changed my attitude to time. The immediate and short term takes on a whole new significance as a parent. You live for the next feed, the next nappy change, the next time she sleeps. You wonder what the next night will be like (and sometimes bore friends with accounts of the last.) Being smiled at by my child gives me instant satisfaction. Hearing her make noises makes my heart jump. But none of this ever lasts more than seconds. And the switch to her crying can be just as fast. The short term, therefore, has new significance. Every moment has a new intensity. But at the same time, the truly long term is also more urgent than ever. The future has become tangible, visible: I can touch her. Of course, I always cared about the planet in 2050 or 2100. But now, our - and the planet´s - long term future stares me in the face every day. Looks inquisitive. Seems to wonder what world will await her. - In 2050, Noni will be barely older than I am now. In 2100, she may just still be alive. Will she live in a world that is 4-5 degrees warmer? Will she witness the (far too realistic) horror scenarios climate science provides? Will the welfare state be a history lesson for her and the idea that we could beat back genetic engineering seem quaint? Will she curse us, because we talked the good talk - and then got on the next flight? I don´t know. But the task of preventing a world I do not want Noni to witness has taken on new urgency over the last three months. You may call it the "parent paradox". I care even more about the long term future. But the short term also has a new urgency. Indeed, often, before I can get around to doing anything about the long term, one of the new short term tasks intervene. I have to walk around with her on my shoulder. I have to sing her to sleep. I cannot make this post any more eloquent (or wise), because, well, I have to change her nappy ... This ain´t a complaint, though. Life is richer this way; I have a smile on my face. But our collective task of treating us (and the planet we depend on) with basic decency has become ever more urgent! P.S. I should have known, of course . My friend Red told me all along: "Having children makes politics truly personal." As so often, he was right.

Rettet das SO 36!

Nun sind die Spiesser, die den Chamissoplatz zerstören, auch in Kreuzberg 36 angekommen ... Ein Nachbar (ich gehe mal davon aus, so doof ist nur ein Mann!?), hat irgendwie bei der Wohnungssuche nicht mitbekommen, dass er neben eine Kultstätte zieht. Nun beschwert er sich allen Ernstes über den Lärm des SO36! Da Gesetz nun mal Gesetz ist (manchmal sogar in Kreuzberg) bekommt er auch noch Recht! Und es kommt noch schlimmer: Er weigert sich umzuziehen, obwohl das SO36 ihm Maklergebühren etc. angeboten hat. Bleibt dem SO 36 also nur noch, an die Politik zu appellieren um die Schallmauer, die nötig ist, zu bezahlen. Das SO 36 selber, kann das nicht wuppen. Absurd, dass man sich mit sowas beschäftigen muss. Aber das SO36 darf nicht sterben!

Gabriel auf Grünen Kurs - 23 Jahre später ...

Keine Satire! Dies ist ein Wahlplakat der Grünen NRW aus dem Jahr 1986. Offensichtlich bevor die Realität des Klimawandels - und damit die Notwendigkeit eines klaren Neins zur Kohle - selbst die grüne Partei erreicht hatte. Keine Satire - aber zum Glück Geschichte (von einigen Tübinger Sonderwegen mal abgesehen). Umweltminister Gabriel, im Gegensatz, scheint in den letzten 23 Jahren nichts gelernt zu haben. Er ist bis heute ganz auf Grünen-Kurs (vintage 1986). Schwergewichtig redet er der Republik ein, der notwendige Atomausstieg sei nur für den Preis des Neubaus der größten verfügbaren Klimakiller zu haben. Schon verrückt, wenn auch leider nicht erfunden: Von Krefeld bis Mainz trommelt ausgerechnet der Minister, dem der Schutz des Klimas offiziell anvertraut ist, für die Kohlelobby. Wer widerspricht, wird hart angegangen: "Volksverdummung" betreiben die Umweltverbände mit ihrer Anti Kohle Politik. So Gabriel. In 23 Jahren aber, da bin ich mir sicher, werden wir über diese These genauso schmunzeln wie heute über das Plakat von 1986. Oder fassungslos wütend sein, dass einer, der es besser wissen musste, mit derart absurden Thesen Deutschland an einer klimaschädlichen Energiepolitik festhalten liess. Statt wirklich auf die Alternativen Energieeffizienz und Erneuerbare zu setzen. Wollen wir ihm da nicht lieber Dampf machen? Ich finde schon. Es dauert jedenfalls nicht 23 Jahre um den Appell Zukunft statt Kohle zu unterschreiben - z.B. hier. P.S. Gabriel bewegt sich - und sucht den Kohle-Frieden.

Wiwa vs. Shell - finally in court

In 1995, I spent many, many afternoons camped out in front of Shell petrol stations. Rain or shine, a good number of us were determined to make Shell notice that their complicity in atrocoties in Nigeria was not going unnoticed. We were called the "Edinburgh Coalition Against Shell" and a true coalition we were: Church people, students, Nigerians in exile, et al.. During all those hours in front of drab petrol stations, friendships were formed. There were bizarre moments, like when a lady stopped to thank us - and it turned out she worked for Exxon ... There were beautiful moments, like when some random person nobody had seen before, read out some of Ken Saro-Wiwa´s powerful poetry. There were - many - frustrated moments, when we seemed so small and insignificant and Shell customers did not care. There was real despair, when, on November 10th 1995, we learned that Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 other Ogoni leaders had, after all, been killed. Murdered. After a sham trial. Despite global protests and pleas from many who seemed important, but were impotent - like us. - Defeats like that stay with you. They are, like extinction, for ever. They never stop hurting. May be it would be wrong, if they did. - Yet, yet. Ken Saro-Wiwa would not want us to wallow in sadness. Facing the executioners, he reportedly said: "Lord, take my soul, but the struggle continues". Hence I applaud the efforts of enterprising lawyers, Earthrights and others. As a result of their tireless efforts on May 27th 2009, a landmark trial will start in New York - Wiwa vs Shell - finally. The event is significant enough to deserve a ´trailor´ - which you can watch below. To me, it was a bit scary to see all those images again. Aside from the new lawyer interviews, I think I knew every single image in this video. The devastation still makes my heart bleed. If you haven´t seen these images before ..., well, I hope they make you angry. May justice be done in New York, if over 12 years late! Mark May 27th in your diaries.

P.S. I had to repost the video as Shell had taken legal action to remove it from the original website. Meanwhile, the trial has been delayed. Go here for regular updates.

RWE-Agentur will Satire unterbinden. Humorlos!

Diese Satire einer RWE-Werbung für Atomstrom ist so lustig und gelungen, dass sie der RWE-Agentur, die das Original gemacht hat, ein Dorn im Auge ist. Ziemlich humorlos. Und kontraproduktiv. Denn jetzt werden noch viel mehr Menschen von dieser Satire erfahren und hoffentlich zu einem Ökostromanbieter wechseln. Weitere Details zu den juristischen Drohungen der Agentur findet ihr hier. P.S. Werbetexter und Grünen Politiker Michael Schäfer hat sich dankenswerter Weise dieser besonderen Irrung seiner besonderen Werbezunft angenommen. Schaut hier und hier.

Good question ...

I pass this poster regularly at the U Bahn station Weinmeisterstrasse right in the centre of Berlin. I don´t know an answer. I don´t even know why I am, sometimes, so impatient with those who ask me for money at that very station. "I remember the first time I saw someone lying on the cold street/ I thought, “I can’t just walk past you, this can’t just be true./ But I learned by example to just keep moving my feet./ It’s amazing the things that we all learn to do" are ani difranco´s thoughts on the matter. May be not just the poor are too patient and quiet about the day to day injustices we all see - and ignore, somehow ...