Check out the fantastic flash “dance” mob performed by the amazing attendees of Australia Power Shift. This historic event for Australian youth was a remarkable moment when many of Australia’s largest youth organizations gathered together in Sydney to demand – and create – a power shift to renewable energy, green jobs and safe climate future.
Our issues are not National. Climate change, crumbling economies, and out-dated energy grids that rely on dirty politics are issues that effect the entire world. It is with this spirirt that we are SO excited to see so many amazing actions taking place all over the world. Last weekend’s Power Shift in Australia is a perfect example of how the whole world is standing up and making a statement. We need action now.
Check out a few of these upcoming events:
- Power Shift Canada
- Power Shift UK
- 350′s International Day of Action (already over 1000 events scheduled)
- There are talks of Power Shift Japan and India as well!
I love seeing all of this and keep hearing about more actions being planned all around the world every day. Let’s make sure to promote these as far and wide as possible. We are a powerful movement brewing all across the planet and we might come to a boil at Copenhagen. But we all now that our work while gaining momentum has only just begun.
Please let me, and the whole world, know what amazing actions (online/off), events (Conferences/summits/etc), whatever (protests/rallys/demonstrations) are getting planned. We need to work together and with our powers combined can save the planet.
I think they really got the message across that this is a serious issue and we won’t stop until real solutions are created. We will dance for most of the day if we have to!
You’re not the only ones dancing for climate change.
See this from the G8 in Italy: http://www.vimeo.com/5535555
This is really amazing and inspiring!! Did you guys get a lot of press and political attention for this? What has happened since the flashdance? We’re thinking about actions like this and would love to know what impact you feel it had.
Thanks!
When this happens in the US, I want dibs on the Earth costume.
Brilliant! Well done Aussies!
this shit is hot!
this shit is hot!
I wonder what message the audience of flashmob actions take away… the tactic started as performance art, picked up some anti-consumerist political charachter, and soon enough was adopted by advertisers (see t-mobile and A&E ads). Do people get the message (political, aesthetic, or commercial)? Or are they just confused?
from an interesting interview with the originator of flashmobs (http://www.stayfreemagazine.org/archives/24/flash-mobs-history.html)
“STAY FREE!: This brings us back to the idea of flash mobs as political protest. You can question whether things like this are useful as political protest, but you could say that about any political protest.
“BILL: Well, sure. But take, for example, the fact that flash mobs were less than ten minutes long. You don’t go and make a political statement and then wilt into the background. That doesn’t really work symbolically.
“STAY FREE!: True, but to some extent visibility is defined by whether something is covered by the media. And how many more journalists wrote about people buying a “love rug” than some of the political protests that have happened in New York? Groups try their damnedest to get coverage, and often whether they get coverage depends on whether writers consider it interesting.”
I think both Bill and the interviewer have valid points.
This powershift dance is impressively large, and I am curious what kind of local media coverage they got. The novelty factor is the draw, protests rarely get much attention from the mainstream media anymore. In this case, as far as I can see, the only internet coverage so far is on here and alternet. Not exactly the mainstream media, but maybe it circulates in the blogworld, which would be something. I applaud powershift for trying new tactics, because we need constant innovation on that front.
ps: check out the love rug
http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/1/13254/35_2008/LoveRug.jpg