Eco-Vigilantes Take Drastic Measures To Fight Climate Change By Damaging Properties Of The 1%
It is a well known issue that the Earth is not going in a great direction. Global warming and climate change are already having their effects, which encourages people to speak up and address this problem more and more frequently. According to the statistics obtained from NOAA’s 2021 climate report, since 1981, the rate of increase in land and ocean temperature is 0.18 Celsius per decade, which is double compared since the year 1880 per decade.
However, not everyone is trying to do something to help this issue, so environmental activists can be seen more and more often regarding their actions such as gluing their hands to an airport runaway in Germany, and many more desperate ways to make people pay attention.
Different groups of activists target rich people as they paint their cars, yachts, aircraft or deflate their tires
Image credits: The Tyre Extinguishers
On the windshields of deflated cars, the group puts a brochure that reads, “You’ll be angry, but don’t take it personally. It’s not you, it’s your car”
There are quite a few different actions that activists have performed. However, if you have heard about deflating tires, this year, the action is back again. According to NDTV, The Tyre Extinguishers, a British-based organization of climate activists, is going around slashing tires of SUVs (sports utility vehicles) which are parked on the road in order to fight global warming.
Additionally, Fox News shares that this organization has taken responsibility for tire-deflation operations in a number of cities throughout the world, including England, Canada, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy, as well as American cities including New York City, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco.
Image credits: The Tyre Extinguishers
Image credits: hodlonaut
Moreover, The Tyre Extinguishers’ Twitter bio says “We will make it impossible to own an SUV in the world’s urban areas.” However, you may be wondering why they attack these expensive cars. On the note that they leave it states that SUVs are the second-largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, surpassing the entire aviation sector.
But why deflate tires, then? Business Today reveals that on the note it is said that SUVs produce more air pollution than smaller vehicles and are more likely to result in fatal accidents than regular vehicles. Deflating Tyres states that politicians and governments have not done enough to safeguard citizens from these massive cars. Apart from the people who drive them, “everyone hates them,” they added, noting that polite protests had failed.
Image credits: T_Extinguishers
Another group of activists painted a luxury sports car
Image credits: futurovegetal
Additionally, deflating tires is not the only act of vandalism that eco-activists have performed recently. Diariodeibiza states that a beautiful Lamborghini automobile was painted red on Sant Josep de sa Talaia Avenue by the environmental group Futuro Vegetal.
The group posted a video on their Instagram stating that “The 1% is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than more than half of the population. They are a luxury we cannot afford. To mitigate the climate crisis, we must put an end to their way of life. To adapt to the new climate context, we cannot continue to support their privileges.”
They have also targeted a superyacht which belongs to the Walmart heiress
Image credits: futurovegetal
Image credits: futurovegetal
However, that’s not all. USA News Today states that environmental activists spray-painted a superyacht they said belonged to the Walmart heiress in Ibiza. The Spanish environmental organization Futuro Vegetal posted a video of two activists painting a boat in red and black while holding up a sign that reads, “You consume, others suffer.”
The group also made a comparison between the migrants who died trying to enter Europe and the rich superyachts in the port. Civil disobedience is used by the activist group to bring attention to the global warming crisis.
Activists made a move towards a business jet with a very similar message
Image credits: futurovegetal
The same environmental activists vandalized a business jet which was parked at Ibiza Airport. The protesters’ statements underlined basically the same goal, which is to target people in the world’s top 1% financial bracket on the grounds that they produce as much carbon dioxide as the world’s lowest 50% of people.
To protest the exclusion of golf greens from water use bans, activists plugged the holes on golf courses with cement
Image credits: xrToulouse
To protest the exclusion of golf greens from water restrictions in the midst of the terrible drought in the nation, activists filled holes with cement. BBC mentions that the protestors claimed in a petition that the exception proved “economic madness takes precedence over ecological reason”. Golf courses have been exempt from the national restrictions, but inhabitants in the worst-hit communities are unable to water their gardens or wash their cars.
Image credits: xrToulouse
It’s important to note that it’s not the first time nor year that environmental activists have organized protests like these that catch a lot of people’s attention. There are various opinions about such actions and eco activists, because many people believe that such protests are useless and won’t change anything, though as the situation is getting worse – it’s important to do at least something.
But what do you think about such actions? Do you agree with them or should activists find new ways to gain attention that would be useful? Share your opinion in the comments below!
People online didn’t love these activists’ actions as vandalism and wasting resources are the wrong ways to save the planet
Image credits: mac5x
Image credits: BlieckStijn
Image credits: Crypt0_Facts
Image credits: Markus Spiske (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Crypt0_Facts
Image credits: Elrr18235880
Image credits: Markus Spiske (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Christo62758389
Image credits: Crypt0Quacks
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Yeah, like setting a bloody gasoline car on fire will help protect the environment. Little twàts
and destroy a vehicle in working order, the owner will buy another one, not smart either, nothing "green" in there. not to mention the increase in insurance premiums for all policyholders, not just owners, to compensate for reimbursements.
Thereby causing a potential hard market where all premiums go up and it’s difficult to be covered
Can I ask BP genuine question, if it's right goal, wrong method; what should they be doing? What would be a more effective use of their time to achieve their goal?
For one they could seek to educate people within their community. They could work with leaders in their community and create an environmental task force or team that has tangible goals or projects. They could speak at schools or local town halls about the damage climate change is having. They could educate citizens about recycling, reducing their carbon footprint 👣 , reducing water usage, etc. They could protest. There are so many ecologists and climate activists who are working tirelessly to create change and aren’t out there destroying property.
If you bribe politicians enough, you would be able to change many things, but the poor cannot bribe them. And the few politicians who would want to change something are discredited with made up rumors.
Exactly. All the poor people who will ever live can't win against even one billionaire.
Great stuff! I guess one of their aims is to raise awareness, bring it into the public discourse, and so on. What you've suggested here is great (and already happening, as you mention), but do of any of these activities get as many front pages, as many posts on SM, as many people talking about it as what they've done here? I get the criticism - they're getting a lot of hate for it (I guess they subscribe to the aphorism "all publicity is good publicity") - so what could they do to create an equal amount of publicity (or more!)? We can agree that this method is terrible, so what method would get as many people talking, but be positive?
What they did sure as hell got people talking, however, I feel that it is bringing more negative press to environmental action. Using paint which has harmful chemicals to destroy property seems like a rather ironic and hypocritical action. I hate to say this but this reminds me of the shock campaigns used by PETA.
Good analogy with PETA! I can see the similarities. So do you think negative press is worse than no press? Because they've got people talking, and the reaction seems to be: they're idiots, but the cause is good - right goal, wrong method etc. I haven't seen anyone say "because they've done this, I'm going to pollute more". Or is there an alternative way they could use to get people talking that is all positive?
Start with boycotting the products or services of the companies etc. Vote with your wallet and once their profits drop they'll start to listen.
I thought boycotts rarely work? When has a boycott of a product based on climate impact caused change to that product?
Collect trash in parks, forrest, cities. Be seen as a good example. Plant trees and hang their motto between them. Good examples can show people more than a vandalism. This is the way how they are loosing public support. In my country they block way for buses. That buses polute the air. Sure. Is it better if all those 50 people take 50 cars on their way? They are creating traffic jams that pollutes air even more - by gluing themselves to the roads. Like...I don't get them..
Go after the warehouses stocked with food. They'll hold it until it rots. So redistribute the food to people who need it, and save all that waste.
All of the other suggestions have been done, and are being done. The problem is that oil is so intertwined in our lives that it seems we can't "reasonably" do anything about it. When all the sensible options don't work, and 8 billion people are being sensible, maybe "unreasonable" actions are the only sensible options left
They are just jealous they can't have anything nice so they destroy other people's property.
They don't really care about the environment- just using it as an excuse to break the law. Like they went on the Last Leg tv show the other week with confetti cannons to wreck havoc and the glitter they used was plastic, made from oil and none recyclable! The paints they're spraying are made of oil, the cement isn't great either. They're hypocrites and wonder why no one likes them
It seems to me that these tactics are just part of the problem. Aren't they using more of the same resources---paint, gasoline, etc.----that they are complaining about? And their actions don't do anything except cause more of the same resources to be consumed. Slash tires? Create a need for more tires. Destroy cars? Create more demand for cars. These people are the PETA of the environmental movement: let's destroy the environment in order to save the environment!
Just the other day these morons attacked a Land Rover dealership because a few weeks ago a lady in a LR suffered a medical emergency and hit some kids at a school gate.
To clarify, two young children were killed when a 4x4 crashed through a fence, across a lawn and only stopped when it hit a wall.
Yeah, like setting a bloody gasoline car on fire will help protect the environment. Little twàts
and destroy a vehicle in working order, the owner will buy another one, not smart either, nothing "green" in there. not to mention the increase in insurance premiums for all policyholders, not just owners, to compensate for reimbursements.
Thereby causing a potential hard market where all premiums go up and it’s difficult to be covered
Can I ask BP genuine question, if it's right goal, wrong method; what should they be doing? What would be a more effective use of their time to achieve their goal?
For one they could seek to educate people within their community. They could work with leaders in their community and create an environmental task force or team that has tangible goals or projects. They could speak at schools or local town halls about the damage climate change is having. They could educate citizens about recycling, reducing their carbon footprint 👣 , reducing water usage, etc. They could protest. There are so many ecologists and climate activists who are working tirelessly to create change and aren’t out there destroying property.
If you bribe politicians enough, you would be able to change many things, but the poor cannot bribe them. And the few politicians who would want to change something are discredited with made up rumors.
Exactly. All the poor people who will ever live can't win against even one billionaire.
Great stuff! I guess one of their aims is to raise awareness, bring it into the public discourse, and so on. What you've suggested here is great (and already happening, as you mention), but do of any of these activities get as many front pages, as many posts on SM, as many people talking about it as what they've done here? I get the criticism - they're getting a lot of hate for it (I guess they subscribe to the aphorism "all publicity is good publicity") - so what could they do to create an equal amount of publicity (or more!)? We can agree that this method is terrible, so what method would get as many people talking, but be positive?
What they did sure as hell got people talking, however, I feel that it is bringing more negative press to environmental action. Using paint which has harmful chemicals to destroy property seems like a rather ironic and hypocritical action. I hate to say this but this reminds me of the shock campaigns used by PETA.
Good analogy with PETA! I can see the similarities. So do you think negative press is worse than no press? Because they've got people talking, and the reaction seems to be: they're idiots, but the cause is good - right goal, wrong method etc. I haven't seen anyone say "because they've done this, I'm going to pollute more". Or is there an alternative way they could use to get people talking that is all positive?
Start with boycotting the products or services of the companies etc. Vote with your wallet and once their profits drop they'll start to listen.
I thought boycotts rarely work? When has a boycott of a product based on climate impact caused change to that product?
Collect trash in parks, forrest, cities. Be seen as a good example. Plant trees and hang their motto between them. Good examples can show people more than a vandalism. This is the way how they are loosing public support. In my country they block way for buses. That buses polute the air. Sure. Is it better if all those 50 people take 50 cars on their way? They are creating traffic jams that pollutes air even more - by gluing themselves to the roads. Like...I don't get them..
Go after the warehouses stocked with food. They'll hold it until it rots. So redistribute the food to people who need it, and save all that waste.
All of the other suggestions have been done, and are being done. The problem is that oil is so intertwined in our lives that it seems we can't "reasonably" do anything about it. When all the sensible options don't work, and 8 billion people are being sensible, maybe "unreasonable" actions are the only sensible options left
They are just jealous they can't have anything nice so they destroy other people's property.
They don't really care about the environment- just using it as an excuse to break the law. Like they went on the Last Leg tv show the other week with confetti cannons to wreck havoc and the glitter they used was plastic, made from oil and none recyclable! The paints they're spraying are made of oil, the cement isn't great either. They're hypocrites and wonder why no one likes them
It seems to me that these tactics are just part of the problem. Aren't they using more of the same resources---paint, gasoline, etc.----that they are complaining about? And their actions don't do anything except cause more of the same resources to be consumed. Slash tires? Create a need for more tires. Destroy cars? Create more demand for cars. These people are the PETA of the environmental movement: let's destroy the environment in order to save the environment!
Just the other day these morons attacked a Land Rover dealership because a few weeks ago a lady in a LR suffered a medical emergency and hit some kids at a school gate.
To clarify, two young children were killed when a 4x4 crashed through a fence, across a lawn and only stopped when it hit a wall.