I have met a hippy in a bus. Actually that is a bit of a clique. He is not a hippy, he just has a hippy-like bus and happens to be travelling around the world in it. Perhaps a better way to describe him would be as an 'environmentalist' or even an 'environmental activist'. This is because he is not just bumming around the world, opting out of society, but rather he is on a mission to try and change some attitudes. His bus runs on bio fuel and his personal mandate is "to drive around the world to discover how people are using and generating energy, and their attitudes t0wards carbon emissions."
During his round the world trip the Environmentalist is carrying out a survey "to see how likely we are to meet the 2050 emissions target of two tonnes per person", what is more is that unlike the rest of us who hop on planes without a second thought, he is trying to conduct the whole project without going beyond the ration of two tonnes of carbon emissions.
The Environmentalist drove through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and all was going very well. That is at least until he arrived in India, and then something rather unfortunate happened. While he was sleeping in his hippy bio fuel bus in a town called Ajmer, the Rajashtan Military Intelligence burst into his little home and arrested him as a terror suspect. He was put in the local jail for seven days, and then released on bail. He was told he was not allowed to leave the country and would have to wait to be called to trial. His crime? Possessing a satellite phone. And of course being highly suspicious travelling around with a bus full of bio fuel, and did I mention he was a paraglider? Which in January was a sport which threw the Mumbai police into terror themselves at the very thought of paragliders gliding over and dropping bombs.
Meanwhile, the Rajashtan Military Intelligence were very proud of themselves and told the press they had caught a terror suspect. The Environmentalist's photo was all over the national papers, and now there was no chance of the Rajashtan Military Intelligence backtracking and admitting that the hippy bus and its driver posed no threat to their national security. That was over a month ago and since then the Rajashtan Military Intelligence called over one hundred officers to come up with some more evidence than a satellite phone which had not even been used in India. Meanwhile, the Environmentalist spent the money saved for his carbon campaign on hiring a lawyer, and so far he has paid out a whooping £6000.
The Environmentalist's trial was today. I read his facebook status this morning and it read:
By tonight either it's all over, or i'm starting a 3yr sentence, or there will be a complication & another delay. Safe money's on C.
I sent him a text message of support, feeling totally impotent and at the same time aware of the but very real threat that he might be on his way to a few years in an Indian prison.
Thankfully reason has prevailed and instead of sitting out the next few years in jail, the judge fined the Environmentalist 1000 rupees (15 Euros) and gave him back his confiscated satellite phone on condition that he does not "use, sell or destroy in India."
To the Environmentalist:
I hope you can continue your journey and carry your message far and wide. And this message is not just that the world is facing a huge carbon emissions crisis that may, but risks being consumed by words such as 'terror' and 'suspicion'. Don't give up, the message is important. There are many good people who need to be reminded to think and not to follow; just like you continue to do. Peace brother.
During his round the world trip the Environmentalist is carrying out a survey "to see how likely we are to meet the 2050 emissions target of two tonnes per person", what is more is that unlike the rest of us who hop on planes without a second thought, he is trying to conduct the whole project without going beyond the ration of two tonnes of carbon emissions.
The Environmentalist drove through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and all was going very well. That is at least until he arrived in India, and then something rather unfortunate happened. While he was sleeping in his hippy bio fuel bus in a town called Ajmer, the Rajashtan Military Intelligence burst into his little home and arrested him as a terror suspect. He was put in the local jail for seven days, and then released on bail. He was told he was not allowed to leave the country and would have to wait to be called to trial. His crime? Possessing a satellite phone. And of course being highly suspicious travelling around with a bus full of bio fuel, and did I mention he was a paraglider? Which in January was a sport which threw the Mumbai police into terror themselves at the very thought of paragliders gliding over and dropping bombs.
Meanwhile, the Rajashtan Military Intelligence were very proud of themselves and told the press they had caught a terror suspect. The Environmentalist's photo was all over the national papers, and now there was no chance of the Rajashtan Military Intelligence backtracking and admitting that the hippy bus and its driver posed no threat to their national security. That was over a month ago and since then the Rajashtan Military Intelligence called over one hundred officers to come up with some more evidence than a satellite phone which had not even been used in India. Meanwhile, the Environmentalist spent the money saved for his carbon campaign on hiring a lawyer, and so far he has paid out a whooping £6000.
The Environmentalist's trial was today. I read his facebook status this morning and it read:
By tonight either it's all over, or i'm starting a 3yr sentence, or there will be a complication & another delay. Safe money's on C.
I sent him a text message of support, feeling totally impotent and at the same time aware of the but very real threat that he might be on his way to a few years in an Indian prison.
Thankfully reason has prevailed and instead of sitting out the next few years in jail, the judge fined the Environmentalist 1000 rupees (15 Euros) and gave him back his confiscated satellite phone on condition that he does not "use, sell or destroy in India."
To the Environmentalist:
I hope you can continue your journey and carry your message far and wide. And this message is not just that the world is facing a huge carbon emissions crisis that may, but risks being consumed by words such as 'terror' and 'suspicion'. Don't give up, the message is important. There are many good people who need to be reminded to think and not to follow; just like you continue to do. Peace brother.
To read more about the Environmentalist's adventures see http://www.2tonnesofcarbon.blogspot.com/
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