“I think that in society there must have been crisis points, moments when a generation realises that something was wrong and that something needed to change. Otherwise that wrong would keep getting worse and, actually, humanity would be meaningless and the world would be a difficult place. This government is useless at thinking long term, and soon we are going to have a climate crisis which is going to far eclipse the economic crisis, and again we’re going to have to say its because we didn’t have long term vision – we’re sorry. And that won’t do for me.”
These are the opening remarks spoken by founder and creator of Climate Rush, Tamsin Omond, for the activist group’s premier short-film, entitled Climate Rush: Deeds Not Words. And for the next twenty-five minutes you’ll surely see that not a footpound of political energy is lost in this delightful screening.
As what would be expected from a low-budget, ‘underground’, environmental activist group, the theme and subject for this title film are all to apparent. Tamsin Omond, Cambridge graduate, publisher, eco warrior, and now, filmmaker, has been incredibly busy over the last two years.
Ever since her launch into the public eye (Omond was banned form the Palace of Westminster for unruly protesting in Oct 2008) the face of Climate Rush has been doing her utmost to make headline after headline in an attempt to stamp her party slogan across the spreadsheets of Britain – toting Deeds Not Words. And her film, produced by Tubby Brother and available to watch on the Climate Rush website, is a documentary dedicated to announce and enhance their cause.
Echoing the 100 year anniversary of the rush on parliament by the women’s Suffragette movement, the Climate Rush group decided to take the causes of climate change into their own hands. Unimpressed with the government’s response to the protest marches held against the Iraq war, Omond and her merry band decided to get creative with the ways in which to grab a headline.
Some of their stunts include a protest picnic at Heathrow, a tour of South West England’s carbon hot spots, and awarding the commemorative statues of some of Britain’s most inspirational figures with Climate Rush red sashes in order to highlight a syntax of past leaders who were not afraid to make radical decisions in view of what was right.
The film is an easy going political update with regards to climate change as a whole. It flows charmingly for twenty-five minutes accompanied by a looping piano sequence in which there is just enough time to fit right in and really start to feel some of these contemporary issues at hand.
Visit the Climate Rush website and see why you should rush for climate change.
