Meetings were cancelled, appointments were missed, and commutes took twice as long for some residents of Beacon Hill last Thursday, after they awoke to find the tires on their luxury vehicles had been deflated. Unlike most acts of vandalism, the perpetrators did not shy away from the exposure. In fact, they took full responsibility for the act, insisting that it was a display of activism.
Referring to themselves as The Tyre Extinguishers, the climate activist group left flyers on the windshields of the 43 affected vehicles, explaining their intentions. The last line tells drivers, “You’ll have no trouble getting around without your gas guzzler, by walking cycling or using public transit.”
On their official website, the Tyre Extinguishers referred to the targeted SUV’s as “a dangerous and unnecessary environmental atrocity”. Their testimonial also references an Oxfam report from 2020, which states that the world’s wealthiest 10% “Were responsible for about 50% of global emissions in 2015 and the top 1% are responsible for as much emissions as the world’s poorest 50%, who will feel the brunt of climate impacts in terms of climate change and pollution despite contributing the least to the cause.” This explains their choice of location for the attack, as Beacon Hill remains one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods.
Many climate activists have turned toward radicalism in recent years, frustrated by the lack of action taken by the world leaders in the fight against climate change. The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues facing the youth of today- a sentiment that is not reflected in the priorities of those in charge.
President Biden’s campaign in 2020 came at a time when climate action was at the forefront of political conversation for the first time in history. After setting a number of climate action goals and targets, he seems on track to completing many of them before the end of his term. In April 2021, Biden set a national goal, to reduce emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by 2030. Though the goal is ambitious, the progress made in 2022 makes such goals a possibility. Biden also introduced an economic stimulus package after the Covid-19 pandemic which introduced a number of clean energy incentives through tax credits for things like electric vehicles.
The Tyre Extinguishers are among many climate activist groups to gain national attention in recent years. Extinction Rebellion, one of the world’s largest global environmental movements, describes their aim as “nonviolent civil disobedience to compel government action to avoid tipping points in the climate system, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and ecological collapse.” They have organized a protest this weekend outside the House of Parliament in the United Kingdom, where they expect 30,000 protesters to gather in demanding that the UK government stop all new fossil fuel searches immediately.
The support for climate action is becoming more apparent than ever, with activists like Greta Thunberg gaining international recognition and becoming household names. However, most supporters of the cause agree that non-violent and non-radical activism is the right path forward. Disrupting the everyday lives of civilians in the name of the greater good does not prove effective on an individual level, inciting frustration rather than participation.
Earth Day 2023 took place last Saturday, April 22nd, and many companies and organizations promoted ways to carry out productive change. For example, an initiative to clean up the Charles River that takes place every year with American Rivers.org, garnered lots of attention from citizens looking to engage in some helpful work on their community. Thousands of volunteers gathered last Saturday, to donate their time and help make their city a cleaner place.
There are other options for those who want to get involved in being part of the fight against climate change- options that do not involve a turn towards radicalism. Boston’s Climate Action Network is an organization that challenges people to recognize the problem, learn about it and act, by coming together to create real change. You can find more information about their mission, and more resources to help in the ongoing climate crisis online.
