The science on the climate crisis has been clear for decades – and the solutions have been known. However, putting words into action will require such a profound, collective change to our way of life that it faces nearly insurmountable resistance. Recognising the acute gap between words and action, Elokapina (Extinction Rebellion) is creating nonviolent mass civil disobedience to raise the alarm, to remind governments of their obligations, and to demand real climate action.

Till Sawala is a physicist and docent at the University of Helsinki. In his view, the climate crisis as an existential threat to humanity. Not content with sleepwalking to disaster, and not consenting with the current politics of inaction, he joined Elokapina in 2019, where he organises and participates in nonviolent civil disobedience.

Here are a few words from Till about his participation in Orange Alert: “I will talk about the inadequacy of current climate politics in Finland, naming a few examples, and about the sheer scale of the problem. I'll introduce the concept of nonviolent civil disobedience; why it works, and why, in my view, we are in a situation where it's justified. I'll speak about what we mean by nonviolence, what brought me to Elokapina, and show a few examples of what we have done.”

“Despite all this, the situation of containing global warming to manageable levels is nearly hopeless - but rather than experiencing paralysis, when you are no longer measuring success or failure by reaching a specific goal, you can also experience freedom to simply do the right thing. That's what we are trying to do in Elokapina,” is Till's closing message.

Text & photo: Till Sawala

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Rebecca Clamp and Hans Wessels will perform two powerful songs on Orange Alert’s Saturday night. This is what the musicians have to say about their work:

"We have been making music together for the last eight years and released our latest album In The Bright Air, earlier this year. Our lyrical music combines acoustic and electronic elements. Like so many, we have felt a growing helplessness and frustration in the face of the unfolding climate crisis, and have spoken to this in the way we know how, through our music. The climate emergency and endangered biodiversity are major themes in our current album."

As a starter, you can treat yourselves to a video clip of Winterless. The full menu will be available live on Saturday. Bon appétit!

Be sure to get your tickets strategically if you want to catch Rebecca and Hans, since they will perform at only one of Orange Alert’s shows, on Saturday 20 November. Click here to learn more about them and their latest album.

Text & photo: Rebecca Clamp & Hans Wessels

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Most of us are aware that something very unusual is already happening to our climate and some have been shocked by the disappearance of millions of birds, animals, and insects in recent years.

World leaders speak as if there were still plenty of time to solve the problem, but most scientists would agree that significant action must be taken now to reverse global warming and keep the average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees. Many young people support Extinction Rebellion’s goal of achieving net carbon neutrality by 2025, not by 2050 as politicians keep repeating.

David Rogers does what he can to reverse global warming by working with organizations like former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore's Climate Reality Network and the World Climate School. David is also part of Orange Alert's cast and will contribute with a colourful slide presentation about the science behind climate change and what ordinary people can do to help create the kind of world we all know is possible.

"During my talk, the overheating of our planet will be explained in plain language. It will also be shown why we are rapidly running out of time to reverse global warming. Some of the systemic changes that governments and the people of advanced economies will be required to make will also be described. My presentation will conclude with some specific actions which individuals can take to progressively eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and reduce plastic waste," says David.

Technology already exists to resolve the climate and biodiversity crisis in a relatively short time. The question is, are we willing to make the necessary changes in our lifestyle and way of thinking to get the job done in time?

Text: David Rogers
Photo: Anni Taponen

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When an ambulance passes you by, the pitch of its siren dwindles in this… weird meandering sonic ramble. In a less dissonant example, the light from galaxies far, far away, grows redder with the distance it travels. In physics these effects are known as Doppler-shift, describing how wavelength changes when the source of the wave moves away from you.

Such types of shifts in perception caused by the change in distance are not a trademark of physics alone. The Arts evoke similar distortions, as they create a distance from the stark or mundane reality and alters it via the prisms of fiction and creativity. Satire, for instance, will turn political ugliness into comedy. Fantasy will redress a bloody civil war as a heroic saga, a TV show, an arsenal of fire-breathing special effects, and an even scarier myriad of memes. In short, the Arts will take the ordinary and add this special extra in order to make it fascinating.

Is Art good for anything else than just escapism, I hear the taunt of the sceptic. I believe so. I believe Art can tackle important issues, Art-shifting our minds and hearts in the same way as the Doppler effect shifts what we see and hear. I can’t imagine on my own the horrors of Guernica, but Picasso’s paining will recreate an agreeable part of them in the safety of my laptop screen. On another night, La vita è bella will help me feel (a little bit) of what is otherwise incomprehensible.

This belief in the power of the Art-shift is shared by a band of musicians, poets, activists, and thespians as they join efforts in raising an Alert about one of the most pressing world problems. This Alert is not red, as you might expect, but has rather Art-shifted to Orange. An Orange that is more bearable to the eye. An Orange Alert that is way more powerful in reaching the heart.

Text: Vladislav Nenchev
Photo: Anni Taponen

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