[sustran] FW: CAR BUSTERS MONTHLY BULLETIN NO. 40

[Paul Barter]

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From: "Car Busters" <carbusters at ecn.cz>
To: englishbulletin-l at ecn.cz
Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2002 18:57:38 +0100
Subject: CAR BUSTERS MONTHLY BULLETIN NO. 40

Ahoj from Prague! This bulletin is free, and its remarkable longevity 
will not change that. But please remember that Car Busters is 
supported by memberships and donations, and that your contribution is 
always welcome. See <http://www.carbusters.org/subscribe/> for 
details. 

_________________________ 

     CAR BUSTERS BULLETIN >>> 
     _____________________________ 

Edition no. 40 - November 2002 - English version
                          
...............................................

This month's bulletin is brought to you by Aude Vidal, with the 
essential support of the rest of the staff.

CONTENTS 

World News 
-BELGIAN PRIME MINISTER HIT BY CAR
-GREENPEACE SHUTS DOWN ESSO IN LUXEMBOURG
-RALLY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE IN NEW DELHI
-UK ROADBUILDING: THE BATTLE IS JOINED

Car Busters Announcements 
-TOWARDS CAR-FREE CITIES III CONFERENCE
-CAR BUSTERS OFFERS HONEST LIVING
-CAR BUSTERS SEEKS FULL-TIME EURO-STAFFER

Other Announcements 
-CALL FOR PAPERS, VELO-CITY CONFERENCE
-PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND CAR SHARING WORKSHOP
-UITP CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION
-ONLY ONE NO-SHOPPING DAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS
-VOLUNTEER AT BIKES NOT BOMBS

Things to Read
-SAFE STREETS FOR CHILDREN

_______________ 

     WORLD NEWS >> 
     __________________ 


BELGIAN PRIME MINISTER HIT BY CAR
[submitted by Bernard Delloye, in Brussels]

On Sunday, November 3, Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt was hit by a 
car at a roundabout as he was biking. As this regrettable accident is 
getting little public interest in Belgium, it will not be an occasion 
for the authorities to consider the security of bike users.


GREENPEACE SHUTS DOWN ESSO IN LUXEMBOURG
[submitted by Randy Ghent, Car Busters]

In the largest Greenpeace action of the last eight years, 620 
activists from 32 countries - including one anonymous Car Busters 
staffer - shut down all 28 Esso petrol stations in Luxembourg on 
October 25.
   Wearing white chemical suits and bright yellow "Stop Esso" vests, 
they unfurled banners, locked themselves to petrol pumps, and used 
police tape to close off the stations' entrances and exits.
   There were no arrests, and only one minor outbreak of violence by 
a motorist. The shut down lasted from approximately 6 am to 7 pm.
   Luxembourg is known as "the petrol pump of Europe," selling cheap 
low-taxed fuel that draws trans-European truckers and motorists from 
neighbouring countries.
   The action took place as part of Greenpeace's global Esso 
campaign, targeting parent company Exxon-Mobil for being "climate 
criminal no. 1" - doing more than any other company to undermine the 
Kyoto Protocol.
   Esso donated US$1.3 million to George Bush's 2000 election 
campaign; and once elected, Bush swiftly washed his hands of the 
Kyoto treaty and introduced a "climate policy" that has Exxon-Mobil's 
fingerprints all over it. Since the USA is responsible for 25 percent 
of the world's greenhouse gases, the refusal from Bush to sign Kyoto 
is compromising the whole process. Not only does Exxon-Mobil still 
deny that oil contributes to climate change, the company doesn't 
invest a penny developing alternative energy sources.
   Great pictures of the action: <www.greenpeace.org>.


RALLY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE IN NEW DELHI
[from CorpWatch, <amit at corpwatch.org>]

More than 5,000 people marched for climate justice on Monday, October 
28 in New Delhi, India. The demonstrators, from the India Climate 
Justice Forum, highlighted the serious deficiencies in the UN COP 8 
conference on climate change being held simultaneously in the same 
city. The rally culminated with a colorful and spirited cultural 
programme.
   "The negotiations to solve the climate change crisis have been 
hijacked by corporations and industrialised nations, especially the 
US," said Medha Patkar, national coordinator of the National Alliance 
of People's Movements. "These meetings resemble a trade meeting to 
push globalisation over developing countries rather than a meeting to 
address the genuine needs of people."
   Following discussions at the Climate Justice Summit - a counter-
summit to COP 8 on October 26 and 27 - representatives of the poor 
and the marginalised of the world, representing fishworkers, farmers, 
indigenous peoples, Dalits and the youth, resolved to actively build 
a movement from the communities that will address the issue of 
climate change from a human rights, social justice and labour 
perspective.
   Just 122 corporations in the world account for over 80 percent of 
all CO2 emissions.


UK ROADBUILDING: THE BATTLE IS JOINED
[from SchNews, <www.schnews.co.uk>]

On October 22, workers on the Birmingham Northern Relief Road in the 
UK were able to enjoy an unscheduled break when a dozen people 
stormed the construction site of a bridge over a canal and disabled 
diggers (bulldozers) and a crane. The protesters say it represents 
the start of a new phase of the campaign against car culture and 
climate change in the face of a renewed road building programme under 
the Labour Government. The action happened one day before the start 
of the British International Motor Show and the UN climate conference 
in New Delhi, India (COP 8).
   At the motor show in Birmingham, Europe's largest, actions led by 
Friends of the Earth and Rising Tide continued to highlight the car 
industry's connection to climate change.
   Car show actions: <www.anticarshow.net>.


_____________________________ 

     CAR BUSTERS ANNOUNCEMENTS >> 
     ________________________________ 


TOWARDS CAR-FREE CITIES III CONFERENCE
[March 17-21, 2003 - Hosted by Car Busters
Toulcuv Dvur Ecological Centre - Prague, Czech Republic
<http://www.carbusters.org/conference> - <carbusters at ecn.cz>]

Towards Car-Free Cities III will bring together 75 people from across 
Europe and beyond who are promoting alternatives to car dependence 
and car culture. We will focus on collaboration and exchange, 
assisting the practical work of conference participants - whether it 
be organising car-free days or building the car-free cities of the 
future.
   Those interested in the conference are encouraged to join the 
<carfree_conf3 at yahoogroups.com> listserve (subscribe with an e-mail 
to <carfree_conf3-subscribe at yahoogroups.com>), where ideas for the 
conference will be discussed and decisions regarding the programme 
will be made. The listserve was just launched October 21, and, once 
subscribed, you can read the postings you missed on the Yahoogroups 
website.
   More information and a registration form can be found at 
<http://www.carbusters.org/conference>, to which a draft programme 
and more will soon be added. Questions?: <carbusters at ecn.cz>.


CAR BUSTERS OFFERS HONEST LIVING

Car Busters is looking for two "core" staff members to provide long-
term organisational stability by joining the collective for two years 
or more. If you have a good number (but not necessarily all) of the 
following attributes, then you could be among the finalists: strong 
English writing and editing skills, a sense of humour, publication 
layout skills, web design ability, an activist perspective, 
communications/media skills, campaigning experience, attention to 
detail, extensive knowledge of transport(ation) issues, fundraising 
experience, self-motivation/initiative, and a desire to pull these 
all together to stir things up at the international level. Please 
send us your resume (CV) and a cover letter describing yourself and 
your relevant skills and experience. The first test of your personal 
initiative will be to find our address.


CAR BUSTERS SEEKS FULL-TIME EURO-STAFFER

Car Busters has an immediate and unexpected opening for a European 
citizen under 26 (funder's requirements) to join us as a full-time 
collective member from now (meaning as soon as possible) through 
September 2003. Opportunities for a longer stay may be possible. You 
receive an intern-level wage appropriate for the Czech Republic (at 
least 5,000 CZK plus accommodation). For desired skills/experience 
and application instructions, see the previous announcement above.


_______________________ 

     OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS >> 
     __________________________ 


CALL FOR PAPERS, VELO-CITY CONFERENCE
[Paris, France, September 2003]

It's still a long time until the world's largest cycling conference 
begins, but the deadline for submissions of abstracts is November 15. 
Papers are welcomed on five (badly translated) themes: "Established 
facts: bicycle-use today?," "The future, the vision, the aim: a more 
friendly city," "Integrating the bicycle in comprehensive policies," 
"Strategies: methods, alliances," and "Conditions for efficient 
implementation."
   Get in touch with <velocity2003 at mairie-paris.fr> or Velo-City, 
Mairie de Paris, DVD, 40 rue du Louvre, 75001 Paris, France.


PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND CAR SHARING WORKSHOP
[Bremen, Germany, December 4-5]

Organised by the UITP (International Association of Public 
Transport), the workshop addresses the effects, practicality and 
implementation of car-sharing: the impact on mobility patterns, the 
use of organisational models, electronic ticketing, and so on. 
   More information from UITP, rue Sainte-Marie 6, B-1080 Brussels, 
Belgium, or <www.moses-europe.org>.


UITP CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION
[Shanghai, China, November 18-20]

The International Metropolitan Railways Conference, the third UITP 
Asia-Pacific Congress and a Mobility and City transport exhibition 
are all taking place simultaneously in Shanghai. 
   More info: <www.uitp.com>.


ONLY ONE NO-SHOPPING DAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS
[submitted by Matthew Sasaki, Adbusters]

November 29 marks the 11th annual celebration of "Buy Nothing Day," a 
24-hour opportunity to take a break from excessive consumerism. Buy 
Nothing Day is both a challenge and a golden opportunity to stop 
and smell the roses. Think. Hang out with friends. Give the wallet 
a rest. You may decide to never go back to gorging again.
   More info: <www.adbusters.org>.


VOLUNTEER AT BIKES NOT BOMBS
[submitted by Rick Jarvis, Bikes Not Bombs]

This is for you, if you happen to live in the Boston (USA) region... 
Bikes Not Bombs simply couldn't function without our tremendous 
volunteer support! Volunteers earn credit by the hour, which can be 
cashed in for used parts, frames, or even whole bikes. 
   Join our volunteer e-mail list and we'll keep you updated with the 
numerous opportunities as they roll around! 
   Contact Arik Grier: +1(617)442-0004; <arik at bikesnotbombs.org>.


___________________

     THINGS TO READ >> 
     __________________ 

   
SAFE STREETS FOR CHILDREN
[submitted by Catherine Elliott]

The British Institute for Public Policy Research published a report 
on the 
links between social inequality and road accidents. The report found 
that 
child pedestrians from lower socio-economic groups are far more 
likely to be 
killed than their wealthier counterparts. It calls for a universal 30 
km/h speed 
restriction in residential areas as in Holland, as an attempt to 
remove the 
traffic from the children, rather than removing the children from the 
traffic.
   See <www.ippr.org.uk> for the full report.


[end]
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<http://www.carbusters.org> ____________________________________________

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Hosted by Car Busters  -  March 17-21, 2003
<http://www.carbusters.org/conference>