Top 5 Eco-Activism Events of the Past Decade

Tallest: The highest tree-sit however, is attributed to Australian environmental group The Wilderness Society, where protesters occupied one of the mighty hardwoods of the Styx Valley in Tasmania--some of them growing to a towering 279 feet (85 meters) in height and 40 feet in diameter. The hardwoods were threatened by a logging company that wanted to turn them into low-grade wood chips.

Longest Urban Tree-sit: Who said you have to be in the woods to get a piece of the action? The longest tree-sit in an urban setting can be claimed by the University of California, Berkeley, where controversy ignited over an oak grove slated to be cut down to make room for a new athletic centre. For 643 days spanning the years from 2006 to September 2008, a variable number of protesters occupied the trees in the grove to save them from being cut down. Conservation analyst Lech Naumovich noted then that "this is one of the most outstanding examples of oak woodland in an urban interface, and the last remnant of coast live oak woodland ecology in the Berkeley lowlands." After much legal wrangling, the tree-sit ultimately ended when the university cut them down.

Image: World Naked Bike Ride, Vancouver. Photo via beyondrobson.com.

5. Largest Nude Protest: World Naked Bike Ride

For those who would rather partake of a tamer ‘extremism,’ rather than sailing the seas or living in a tree, the annual World Naked Bike Ride Day could be the right ticket. Inspired by the spontaneous bike-protests of Critical Mass, World Naked Bike Ride Day is celebrated with bold pizazz worldwide by thousands of participants in over 70 cities, as a "clothing-optional, human-powered transport" protest aiming to raise awareness about oil dependency and climate change.

Ultimately, the definition of "extreme" is relative--the view changes depending on one's perspective and position. Some of the acts above may seem outrageous--or not at all--to you. When isolated as individual acts, it sure does seem extreme. But in the larger picture, more people of courage and determination to experiment with change are certainly needed--whether it is going "no-impact" or going vegetarian/vegan--small things can make a big difference and positively inspire others.

More on Extreme Activism
Observe the Environment, Let Terrorism Flourish?
The Green Scare and Civil Liberties
12 Warriors, Adventurers With Really Loud Green Messages
"Green" McMansions Torched in Seattle
Killing Rare Animals Funds Terror
Help No Impact Man Have an Impact
More Extreme Environmentalists Needed (La Marguerite Blog)
Green Glossary: Tree Sitting : Planet Green
Green Glossary: Relational Activism : Planet Green

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