& occupy. *occupyecofx.org*
Twinkling the business Up or Down goes great with this Direct Action. More info about Twinkle Business >
So here are some Occupy ecofx ideas that can help empower individuals -- and groups -- when they occupy the sidewalk in front of specific environmentally or socially irresponsible businesses.
Before occupying, first ask the manager or owner of a business to stop taking a specific earth killing action, and ask them to sign a prewritten statement saying they promise to do so. (The agreement does not have to be typed or fancy. A agreement that is handwritten on the back of an old flyer is fine.)
If the manager or business owner says yes, then have them sign their copy and your copy of the agreement that states that they will stop taking the stated environmentally bad action. Then celebrate with them for a moment and recite a nice poem and/or thankyou message and/or give them a gift. (A gift such as a blue painted rock or a lime to symbolize the earth, or an EarthE Award that can be printed for free and EarthE.org.)
Once they have said yes, go outside and joyfully occupy in front of the business to celebrate their agreement for promising to take the stated action. Dance around the perimeter of an area representing the approximate area of habitat that the agreement will help protect (or a smaller area that represents a multiple thereof). If possible, take a picture of the signed agreement and email it to your contacts. Then show the signed paper to passersby and invite them to celebrate the victory.
If the manager or owner says they will not agree to the requests, but say they will consider the request. Then say, "ok, so will you please sign that you and your business's management will consider this request?" If they say yes, then write these words on the bottom of the statement. "This is only a statement of request. This manager (or owner) agrees that this business will consider this request(s)."
Once they have signed the agreement to consider the request, go outside and optimistically occupy in front of the business to cheer on their agreement to consider the stated action. Stride around an area representing the approximate area of habitat that the future agreement will help protect (or a smaller area that represents a multiple thereof). If possible, take a picture of the signed agreement to consider, and email it to your contacts. Then show the signed paper to passersby and invite them to cheer on the victory.If a business says they will NOT stop taking the action that hurts our planet and the people, and will NOT sign an agreement to consider the request, THEN (while in front of the owner/ manager) on the bottom of the agreement write, on this day "date here" owner (or manager) "their name here" has refused to sign this request to consider. Signed, "your name here".
Then tell them that you must occupy the area of habitat loss on the sidewalk in front of the doors of the business (or a smaller area that represents a multiple thereof). Walk and stomp around an area representing the approximate area of habitat that the future agreement would have helped protect (or a smaller area that represents a multiple thereof). If possible, take a picture of the un-signed agreement, and email it to your contacts. Then show the un-signed paper to passersby and invite them to stomp with you.
Use ecofx.org main page to estimate the habitat loss.As an option to a sign, a green and/or blue clothe or flag with the appropriate words and/or the planet drawn on it held up in the air or tied around the wrist or arm are good. Small quarter page flyers about your action to give to passersby and customers are good too.
Plus, below are some other ideas, a song and resources to power up your ecofx sidewalk occupy.
Occupy ecofx /by stele tyombe lorne feather bubbles
I occupy here to change your mind,
for the benefit of all the life (humankind, tree kind, ocean kind,)
((using styrofoam, using plastic bags, selling bottled water )) is a shame
Stop it now, help save the day,
For all the life that loves to live,
for all the fish that love to swim,
for all the kids that want to play
for all the lovers that want to kiss
for all the moose that want to bugle
for all the owls that like to fly
Here at ecofx.org, you can learn how to quickly estimate the ecological effects of buying (or selling) a product -- including the impact on natural habitat (in square meters or feet), plant and animal life (in kilograms or pounds), extinction and humankind.When "occupying with ecofx" on the sidewalk in front of a business that is not eco ethical, call out the square meters or square yards of habitat being lost due to the business's shameful actions or sales.
Walk around the area as many times as necessary to represent the loss of habitat every time the business takes that anti-ecological action - or to represent multiples of that area.
EarthE.org has a bunch of good ideas for how to use your talents or an EarthE Award to honor businesses once they have taken the ethical eco action you have asked them to take. Offering the reward to the business when making a request is a respectful way to encourage them to make the change.The EarthE thankyou may be a song, a poem, a drawing, an apple, a signed EarthE Award that you can print at EarthE.org, a cartwheel or thousands of other cool things. Check out more ways to occupy at EarthE.org.
XO Earth is calling on all earth defenders to always wear something that shows they are happy to take environmental actions in their lives -- whether or not they are occupying. Showing others that you are honored to take actions for the planet invites others to join us in this crucial endeavor to save our sweet planet.
One way to do that is to put on the XO (X drawn with a dot as a human, and an O drawn as the earth) on clothing, backpacks, personal items and skin. The XO drawn this way could become a universal symbol of environmental commitment.
So put on the XO to encourage others to take eco actions in their lives and to take a stand for the planet in public.
Again, it does not have to be the XO. Other words and symbols that show others we are happy to take actions for the planet are great too. More occupy at XOEarth.org.VoxErth.org calls on everyone to use their talent and resources to help create media that nurtures eco ethical actions in the world. More occupy at VoxErth.org.
Occupy actions on the sidewalk in front of a business may last for days. However, Occupy actions that only last an hour or more may affect a change too. And even though big groups are great, individual Occupy actions are crucial as well.
Tell others about your Occupy actions on our ecofx facebook page, and invite others to join in.
Occupy resources::
OccupyWallStreet.org
OccupyWallSt.org
OccupyTogether.org
HowToOccupy.org
& fx.
Explore the ecofx.org main page at to learn how to quickly estimate the ecological effects of buying (or selling) a product -- including the impact on natural habitat (in square meters or feet), plant and animal life (in kilograms or pounds), extinction and humankind.
Ecofx participants are also invited to sign the ecofx pledge on the back of the ecofx card that says::
"Before buying (or selling) a product or service, I pledge to estimate the ecological effects it has on natural habitat, on humankind, extinction and/or climate change, and then decide if the personal benefit outweighs the environmental impact."
#4 The ecofx card print-page #4 has 4 cards on each print page. (Cut out and fold to get 4 cards out of eachs page.) >>
#8 The ecofx card print-page #8 has 8 cards on each print page. (To print both sides of the cards, run the paper through the printer two times.) >>
#10 The ecofx card print-page #10 has 10 cards on each print page. (However, your printer and browser combo must be capable to do it, and the top and bottom margins need to be set to zero. Internet Explorer does 10-up pretty well.) >>
Here is a page with tips for printing these cards.
