Raising Awareness about Bio-Fuels

As part of a week of local actions against Bio-fuels Rhythms of Resistance Manchester played Samba and gave out leaflets outside Tesco on Upper Brook Street, around rush hour, on the 25th January. The band wanted to raise awareness about the issue of Bio-fuels and the consequences of large scale cultivation by companies such as Tescos.

They played for an hour and gave out about 80 leaflets. A banner saying 'Big business + Bio-fuels = DISASTER' was displayed along with a placard with 'The true cost of Bio-fuel - rainforest deforestation, food shortages, increased food prices, global warming, human rights abuses'

The event aimed to raise awareness about this issue among regular drivers and other members of the public. Leaflets contained information from www.biofuelwatch.org.uk about bio-fuels and Tesco's involvement, as well as ways people can get involved in actions and campaigns against agro-fuel investors and refineries.

People were receptive and interested. Local kids came and danced nearby. A man in a full balaclava came up to express his full support for the issue and ask the band to stop so people could hear their televisions! He looked a bit disappointed when they told him they'd already finished! ; )

After this RORM joined in this months Critical Mass.

Tesco Demo at Whitworth Art Gallery

Rhythms of Resistance Manchester joined campaigners from Keep Chorlton Interesting and Manchester Uni Campaigns Collective to protest against Tesco. The groups gathered outside Whitworth Art Gallery for the arrival of Tesco boss Terry Leahy, who was attending a university meeting at the art gallery.

The band played as the ground was washed green by the Campaigns Collective, dressed in white overall and wielding buckets of 'green-wash'. They object to their universities links with Tesco, which has invested £25 million into a Sustainable Consumption Institue at Manchester Univesity.

The Keep Chorlton Interesting group, holding placards saying 'More Sameness' and 'Make Chorlton Bland', waited to present Terry Leahy with a 'golden cork in the ear' award, to highlight their feeling that Tesco is ignoring the concerns of the local community by continuing its attemps to build a Tesco in Chorlton. They were unable to present their award as Leahy avoided walking past the protestors by sneaking into the building through a side entrance.