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Original poster

To ask you all to Guy Fawkes it up with me regarding the Energy Price increases?

84 replies

Justshabbynochic · 23/10/2013 10:51

Energy price increases...no one is doing anything about it. It's unjust, immoral, and greedy. These are resources which should be available to us all freely, and yet there are people who will freeze in their homes this Winter.

I've mithered over it, chewed on it, thought about it a lot. Lost sleep over it. What, if anything, can we, THE PEOPLE, do about this?

And then it hit me this morning...

"Remember, remember the 5th of November..."

Why don't we make them remember Bonfire Night for another reason...the day we all stood up against the greedy Energy suppliers, the day we made the government take notice of us, that we will NOT sit here and let vulerable people freeze to death in their homes.

The goverment should be investing in alternative energy resources, not allowing a select few to benefit from the price increases.

Mumsnetters, I need your help.

I'm just a lowly healthcare assistant on maternity leave and Mumsnet is very dear to me. I've been here a long time (Pombears, Yoni, River of Sweetcorn, Save the kittens in the bin, etc.) and I know if I'm going to get anywhere with this, it's going to be with you lot.

Here is what I'm proposing...on the 5th of November, from 6-8 pm, we turn everything off. No electricity, no heat. No TVs, hairdryers, radios, radiators, or refridgerators.

We flip the switch.

It's not about them losing money, it's about enough people all over the country doing something all together to show them we have a voice, our numbers count, and we can make a stand. Make them notice us.

Most of us will be out celebrating Bonfire Night so I'm hoping it wouldn't be too inconvenient for two hours that evening.

It's only gonna work if I can get lots of support, and to this I know I am risking proper humiliation if no one gets behind me.

Is anyone with me? And if you are, could we start brainstorming ways in which to get this out there? Social Networking, word-of-mouth,etc.?

I just don't want to sit back, moan about it, but not do anything about it anymore. I'm hoping some of you feel the same way.

OP posts:
ChubbyKitty · 23/10/2013 12:01

Damn it's a Tuesday Sad

I'll try my best? If not I will just badger all my friends who won't be at work and make them do it.

NomDeOrdinateur · 23/10/2013 12:02

I like the idea of peaceful, law-abiding, intelligent, and well organised Solstice parties with neighbours, but realistically I think that all we could really do is switch off the power in our own homes then too. I mean, it's too cold and dark by Dec to hold a party outside, and community halls etc probably require you to use the utilities. Oh well, it was a nice idea while it lasted!

Original poster
Justshabbynochic · 23/10/2013 12:05

Ok so we have a Facebook page, and I've created an event...now off to Twitter...

OP posts:
Dobbiesmum · 23/10/2013 12:06

Nom nope! what you're looking at here is the opportunity to organise a pre Christmas BBQ with friends and neighbours with the added friendly request to turn off all non essential electricals in their own homes. Remember the street parties for the a Royal Wedding? Just a colder version!

Tanith · 23/10/2013 12:09

I'm not quite getting why people can't do the switch off and any other form of protest?

I'm sure people are capable of dealing with more than one thought at a time.

Personally, I like it: it enables everyone to take part if they want to and, if you want to march on London with flaming torches or whatever, you won't be there to have your lights etc. on.

Sallykitten · 23/10/2013 12:11

peaceful, law-abiding, intelligent, and well organised Solstice parties

That will have the energy companies quaking in their boots.

Personally I think the only thing that would make any difference to the energy companies or government is a large protest followed by some civil disobedience.

I think all things like this do is underline the lack of public will to do anything effective against these price hikes. Rather than an effective protest it's more of a green light.

It's ineffective, already on this thread we have people saying 'Oh, I'm at work, oh I can't defrost, oh, I can't do it because of my budgies'.

I won't be doing this, I think it's pointless. I would go to a protest but I think this is silly and won't make a blind bit of difference.

icetip · 23/10/2013 12:14

#powertothepeople ? Just a thought...

hiddenhome · 23/10/2013 12:15

A bigger kick in the teeth would be if people started generating their own power.

here

People can generate their own electricity......or would the powers that be crack down on folk doing this? Probably, but it would be good to try and keep trying.

ChubbyKitty · 23/10/2013 12:15

I can always switch everything off before I leave. I tend to work from 6-9ish anyway so it'd work out just fine.

NomDeOrdinateur · 23/10/2013 12:16

I'm not keen on most forms of protest, Tanith - they're so easily hijacked by people who just want to make trouble, as happened at the Tuition Fees protests. It's very sad, but I'd never be involved in any protest that had the scope to escalate like that.

I like peaceful, legal, intelligent, well-organised, and (most importantly) carefully restricted/limited/contained forms of consciousness raising, without scope for escalation and loss of control. That's why I like the idea of switch-offs and themed events with people you already know and trust - they can capture public imagination without the risk of things going awry.

Tanith · 23/10/2013 12:24

Me neither, Nom. I'm not suggesting everyone should go out on a protest march. I just don't see why the people who think it's a bit of a tame way to protest can't do this as well as whatever else they are planning (bet most of them aren't, though!).

laverneandshirl · 23/10/2013 12:24

They hate anything that damages their brand image, any mileage in developing some branding for your event which creates negative associations for their branding? Any marketing/PR people out there?

NomDeOrdinateur · 23/10/2013 12:27

Fair enough, Tanith - I just can't condone anything other than the innocuous and very passive kind of activity that the OP originally suggested. I'll switch off my power for a couple of hours at a pre-agreed time, but that's as far as I'm prepared to go (or condone anybody else going).

Sallykitten · 23/10/2013 12:35

Oh yes. Innocous and passive protest.

That famous way to change the world.

Honestly, and some people wonder why I world is going to shit.

NomDeOrdinateur · 23/10/2013 12:42

I had a feeling this thread would go this way. I can't support anything other than safe, legal, intelligent, innocuous, and passive consciousness raising, so I'll leave this discussion before it makes me worry.

Dobbiesmum · 23/10/2013 12:44

But Sallykitten look at what happens when the public march out about anything! the whole thing is hijacked by people who are out looking for a fight, any fight at all and the whole point is lost amongst the reports of looting and violence. The days of the people rising up and marching on those in charge have gone, it doesn't work. Who's to say whether an organised peaceful protest will gain some notice or not but at least we're giving it a go.

Greavesey · 23/10/2013 12:54

#GreatBritishSwitchOff
Wink

Tuonz · 23/10/2013 12:56

I'm in.

Original poster
Justshabbynochic · 23/10/2013 12:57

Ok just at the most inconvenient time I have to step out for an hour or two but please keep bumping and find, join and share the Bonfire Blackout page.

I will come back with a Twitter account and more gumption, ha! Thanks for the support so far...

OP posts:
Original poster
Justshabbynochic · 23/10/2013 13:02

Just read the above and please, please dont bow out, anyone! It's supposed to be peaceful and I would never condone violence!

Sallykitten and Tanith you have every right to start your own campaign but please don't derail mine!

OP posts:
Original poster
Justshabbynochic · 23/10/2013 13:07

Nom I'm only after a peaceful stand, just an action to make them see we CAN come together if we need to.

We can be one, big community and we won't be exploited. We take care of our vulnerable citizens.

OP posts:
findingme · 23/10/2013 13:08

I like the idea of this. I just wanted to make you aware, in case you don’t know, what with mentions from some of marches and V for Vendetta masks, that a notorious UK activist group have demonstration marches planned on the 5th November, and they famously use the V for Vendetta masks.

Dobbiesmum · 23/10/2013 13:14

Bugger, some people have to just take everything don't they? I love that scene in the film when they all take the masks off! Maybe changing pictures isn't such a good idea...

BMW6 · 23/10/2013 13:14

But Sallykitten look at what happens when the public march out about anything! the whole thing is hijacked by people who are out looking for a fight, any fight at all and the whole point is lost amongst the reports of looting and violence. The days of the people rising up and marching on those in charge have gone, it doesn't work. Who's to say whether an organised peaceful protest will gain some notice or not but at least we're giving it a go.

^^ This

I will join in the switch off happily!

NomDeOrdinateur · 23/10/2013 13:19

I know I've technically bowed out of the thread already, but findingme's post just popped up in my "I'm on" list.

Based on that information (which I didn't know about before), I'm withdrawing my support for the switching-our-appliances-off thing on the 5th as there's scope for misinterpretation. If there's an official MN Campaign for lower energy prices at a later date, I'll cheerfully sit in the dark for a few hours in support of it, but that's all I'm comfortable with.

Sorry!