By Thomas Barlow
In an age of increasing fuel bills,lack of transparency in government and business and climate change, we believe we need to reclaim the power. We need to take back local control of our energy, food production and decision making.
The government believes we should be making a dash for gas to provide for our energy needs – and fracking is a big part of this.
However, communities can provide their own energy – cutting fuel bills and taking power out of the hands of big energy companies – whilst at the same time putting the brakes on climate change.
How? By building renewable energy locally (and creating energy efficiency), which will create jobs and bring communities together to take control of decisions that affect us.
What is the Dash For Gas?
The old power stations are dying out. They are soon to be replaced. and they. The government wants to replace them with gas based power stations which last for about 30 years, instead of renewables. This will leave us increasingly dependent on foreign gas supplies and the use of fracking.
What does this mean?
For the country: not only will we ruin any chance of hitting our emissions targets, but we will be handing control of our fuel bills to the big 6 energy companies who have increased bills 20% year on year.
For communities: more than 10,000 extra winter deaths have occurred the past three winters, due to rising fuel bills forcing pensioners choosing between eating and heating their homes.
What is fracking?
Fracking is an unconventional form of gas extraction that involves drilling into shale and pumping millions of gallons of chemical water into the ground to flush gas out.
It has been linked with severe health issues and a potentially disastrous impact on the environment.
Additionally, fracking is likely to cause house price drops of 25%, damage agriculture massively because of water loss, and affect tourism and small business negatively.
Reclaim The Power is a collective of people bound by the common belief that we should not make a panicked dash for gas.
Groups like the Carbon Co-op encourage groups of people to bulk buy their energy from renewable sources they create, and to insulate their homes and make energy savings.
When people come together to do this, they find not only do they save lots of cash, but they have control of their own energy and are not dictated to by government or big business.
That freedom, thanks to renewable energy, is forever.
This is something we would like to see expand into all areas of life. Together, we can find solutions to the common problems of life. Everything from community food projects to supporting local business help reclaim power for the community.
What is the camp?
It is a place where the alternatives are showcased, from large communal kitchens to renewable energy media centres, to democratic decision making.
It is also a place for learning, where speakers attend and debates are held, with people with a wide range of expertise attending. It is a place that aims to allow everyone to have a voice.
This year Reclaim The Power will happen again – 14th August-19th August. Check the facebook page, or nodashforgas.org.uk, or get in touch with RealFare, for more details.