Event Activism

Types of Civic Activism


Blocked Bike Lane Protest

This clever form of protest is less disruptive than a full car-block, bringing attent

Blocked Bike Lane Protest

2:19 minute video shows how protesters called out illegally parked cars while helping to actively protect those who are supposed to be able to use those same lanes.

Car Block

Car blocks are illegal in some places including the USA, so do your research ahead of time to determine what level of risk you are willing to put yourself in. Make sure that others also know if they will be engaging in illegal activity and focus on personal safety. Some activists have been seriously injured or killed by angry drivers deciding to run over people on the ground.

If you do decide to engage in blocking traffic, please try to avoid blocking emergency vehicles.

Citizen Science 

Join in when the mood strikes or help with specific programs by reporting on wildlife or other issues. These programs help extend the scope of data needed to help protect wildlife, track pollution, and more. 

We have some citizen scientist opportunities listed on r/PlaneteerHandbook including the apps that can help you participate.

Clean-Ups 

Whether it's plastic on a beach, oil in the ocean, or mining waste in a river, organizations can help bring people together to make an amazing impact on our planet. 

We have some opportunities listed on r/PlaneteerHandbook for river clean ups and ocean clean up info, and beach clean ups.

Mass Unwrap 

The idea of this is to show your displeasure with unnecessary packaging by taking it all off at the place of purchase and dumping the packaging where the store itself has to deal with the mess. There are conflicting thoughts on the effectiveness of this method.

Movie Nights & Film Festivals

These have helped people transform their lives and the environment around them. This mobile theater https://youtu.be/RPJ9T4yAEGs has started a water-saving revolution in drought stricken Tanzania.

Outreach

Outreach event can include setting up a table with cookies and pamphlets, offering class events or movie screenings, handing out fliers at a farmer's market or other public places.

Physically-Distanced Rally

Phone Jam

Protests 

These are great in normal times, but please be careful during the age of Covid! The following are guides and a checklist for things to consider while organizing your protest(s).

Tabling

Tabling refers to people sitting at a table with pamphlets and other items such as petitions or sign up sheets. People volunteering to tabling events should make sure to understand the groups activities and goals well enough to explain to passers by. 

Twitter Storm

"A Twitterstorm is a sudden spike in activity surrounding a certain topic on Twitter. Using a certain and ideally an original hashtag, the tweet quickly spreads as people are notified of the message and then reuse the hashtag with subsequent retweets and tweets. The goal is to trend (at least locally) to gain attention." (Source = Techopedia.) 

Not sure how this method might be impacted by the new changes at twitter, but similar or the same tactics may be useable on other platforms too.

Veganism & Vegetarianism

Eating a plant-based diet can help improve our food security, boycott unsustainable food production systems, reduce your water/deforestation/energy/emissions/errosion footprints, and more.

Specific events might include movie nights, film festivals, veggie food festivals, marches and more.

Cube of Truth

A cub of truth is a non-violent event where activists stand in a group holding screens with undercover footage from farms and food production operations. This is an excelent option for people with bad social anxiety, who doesn't speak the local language well, or who might otherwise struggle with verbal interactions. There's usually 1+ volunteers who stand outside the group and talk with people as they pass by asking what they think and giving suggestions on how to help, if the viewer feels moved to action.

iAnimal 

This is a powerful single person experience. Volunteers help curious people with a virtual reality headset (people with vertigo or balance issues may need to be seated before wearing the headset). I've seen the 2D version of the same videos, but the 3D version feels much more powerful and immersive.

Funding 

Events need funding, so sponsor local groups and show up to their events!

Raffles, food, entry charges, and donations make up a large part of what organizations need to keep running year round. 

End of Life

You can also name organizations of your choice in your will, so consider if you want your unused savings to plant trees or help support something important like human rights or conservation.

Music Playlist Suggestions

Music has a wonderful ability to unite and inspire certain emotions. These are some of the pieces that help us get in the mood for action.

What music inspires you?

Deluxe

This is fun just to dance or work out too, but also feels right for event music.

half·alive

These two songs might be a little less "pump you up" than the others selected here, but a friend shared them with me when I was struggling with depression and uncertainty about where I wanted to go with my life. I was in such a bad place at the time that it took me a while to really hear and understand why he had shared them with me. Now that I'm through those tough times, I can hear the wisdom he was trying to share with me through these.

Jain 

Makeba (Making of) video talks about the making of the Makeba video, including who Miriam Makeba was and the hiring of traditional African dancers for the project.

Jon Batiste 

This song always makes me want to dance and stand up for human rights.

MEUTE

Portugal the Man

This song has a fun rebel feel.

Maps

International

Grants

International

North America

USA

Minnesota

Oceana

Australia

Western Australia