Eastbourne Greenpeace are hosting an “Ice Ride” on Saturday, 4th October 2014 at 3:15pm, starting from the prom outside the Redoubt Fortress.
The route goes from the Redoubt to the Sovereign Centre and back. As the byelaw banning cycling along this stretch of the seafront is still in force, riders are asked to wheel their bikes as far as Fishermans Green, where cycling is permitted.
This is not a Bespoke event, but it’s one we know many of our members are supporting.
Greenpeace Ice Ride Press Release
Eastbourne residents host ‘Ice Ride’ to join global celebration of the Arctic and add to pressure on political leaders.
On Saturday (4 October) more than 30 Eastbourne residents will cycle in their ‘Ice Ride’, to celebrate the Arctic and demand protection for this unique region of the world.
The cyclists taking part in ‘Ice Ride’ will meet at 3.15 pm behind the Redoubt Fortress where there will be a photo taken with Stephen Lloyd MP, the cyclists and the Eastbourne Greenpeace polar bear, with the pier in the back ground. The cyclists will then walk along on the prom, to the start of the cycle path by the Fishermans Club and cycle to the Sovereign Centre and back.
The Eastbourne ‘Ice Ride’ is part of a global day of action, which will see thousands get on their bikes in more than 30 countries across the globe. In the UK, ‘Ice Rides’ are happening in London, Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester, Bristol and Eastbourne.
Riders are calling for a sanctuary in the uninhabited area around the North Pole, to protect the Arctic which is under severe threat from climate change.
Evie Sier from Eastbourne Greenpeace, said: “The Arctic matters, no matter where in the world you call home. The melting of Arctic sea ice upsets our global weather systems, which results in more extreme weather around the world. It also has a devastating impact on the Arctic’s unique wildlife, and the people that call it home. To drill for more oil in a place that is warming faster than any other place on earth is madness. Thanks to the millions of supporters around the world and the many thousands who take to the streets today, we will make sure that the growing movement to save the Arctic will not be ignored.”
The global day of action is co-ordinated by Greenpeace, but organised and led by volunteers. More than 150 events are taking place from Lebanon to Switzerland and from Chile to Bangladesh. The biggest turnout is expected in Buenos Aires in Argentina, Athens in Greece, Aguascalientes in Mexico and Phitsanulok in Thailand, while the biggest number of ‘Ice Rides’ are taking place in the US, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Spain and Germany.
In the past two years, a massive global movement has emerged calling for a sanctuary around the North Pole, to protect the Arctic and its unique wildlife from the onslaught of oil drilling and destructive fishing. More than six million people have joined the movement, and more than 1,000 influential people have signed an Arctic Declaration, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Emma Thompson and Sir Paul McCartney.
On 19 September UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met with Arctic campaigners in New York to receive a global petition and said he would consider convening an international summit to discuss the issue of Arctic protection.
