This is the cutting from Monday’s Metro newspaper featuring the Oxford Street Christmas Lights campaign of a few weeks back. Many thanks to Jack the Lass for scanning and sending it. I do have a scan of the entire page (of which this is just a small corner) but haven’t posted it as I am trying to save my bandwidth. If anyone really wants to read the whole thing send me an e-mail.

Posted by Dave at 8:42 am on December 6, 2006 and filed under Environment, One-man campaigns.

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All being well our Oxford Street Christmas Lights campaign along with this cartoon will shortly feature in the ‘Metro‘ newspaper, available in London and (I think) other urban areas of the UK.

I don’t know whether it will be today or some other day – all I have had is an e-mail (last night) asking for permission to use the image and saying they will mention the campaign. If anyone can look in a copy of Metro today or in the next few days then I would be very appreciative.

I did not ever get a response from the Oxford Street Authorities.

Posted by Dave at 11:06 am on November 30, 2006 and filed under Cartoons, Environment, One-man campaigns.

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This campaign was inspired by the fact that the Oxford Street Christmas lights will be going on a week earlier in 2006 than they did in 2005, this in a time when the world is ever more aware of the need to cut down on unnecessary energy usage.

Here are the Oxford Street switch-on dates for the last five years:
• Friday 15th November 2002
• Wednesday 12th November 2003
• Monday 15th November 2004
• Tuesday 15th November 2005
• Thursday 9th November 2006
(Thanks to Diamond Geezer)

My aim is to make the public aware of this so that Oxford Street are forced to change their ways. Some might choose to do so by writing to the Oxford Street organisers (my letter), others by boycotting Oxford Street (not practical for everyone I know) and others by displaying a cartoon.

You are welcome to add this cartoon to your blog if you’d like to register your support. You can either save the cartoon and upload it to your own webspace, or simply copy and paste the code below:

<img src="http://www.weblogcartoons.com/cb/christmas-lights-2.gif" alt="cartoon from www.weblogcartoons.com" />
<p>Cartoon by <a href="http://www.cartoonchurch.com/blog/">Dave Walker</a>. Join the <a href="http://www.cartoonchurch.com/blog/2006/11/06/oxford-street-christmas-lights/">Oxford Street Christmas Lights</a> Campaign at the Cartoon Blog.</p>


Other bloggers who have said that they support this campaign:
maggi dawn: Bah Humbug
42: Campaign against London lights waste
Generous Town – Home
John Davies
Rosamundi’s ramblings
the maturest student in the world
Freedom Bound!: Illuminating
The Shiny Headed Prophet: a mad waste that harms the world!
think bubbles
What’s For Afters?
notinventedhere: Join the campaign….
Thoughts from the Bus Stop: Oxford Street Christmas Lights: A Turn-Off
Deep Thought: It’s just not right…
Mike Peatman
Opinionated Old Fart: Election Is Over, Christmas Is Here.
Mustard Seed Shavings: Energy Saving
roundacow: Oxford Street Christmas Lights Campaign

Posted by Dave at 3:07 pm on November 6, 2006 and filed under Cartoons, One-man campaigns.

10 Comments

I have been indoors for a bit too long trying to make a church website. I am going to stop that now as I have got all tangled up in WordPress themes and if I do any more I will have a funny turn.

I was pleased to see that Maggi Dawn has joined me in my ‘Boycott the West End’ campaign. I should now remove this action from my ‘One Man Campaigns‘ list as it now involves more than just me, although having said that the ‘Save the SPCK’ campaign involved other people too. It is difficult to have a One Man Campaign these days as other people keep joining in, a fact about which I am pleased.

I suspect some people might say that Christians should not write grumpy letters as it makes them look negative and against everything. I suppose it is deciding which battles to fight. I suppose I for one care more about the planet and Christian bookshops than some other things. I find I am getting more grumpy about the world as I get older. I do not know if this is normal.

Those who are wanting to create a good Christian impression could do worse than to spend some time doing Evangelistic walking. This is a procedure I learned about fom the Diocese of Chichester Mission Department. The idea is that you walk around your area in groups of up to twelve being evangelistic. You can start in the church building if you like for an easy introduction, although one person with the gift of evangelism should be present at all times otherwise it could go horribly wrong.

I have to say that I think I might be a bit scared if 12 people approached me in an evangelistic manner. If you have been converted by such methods please write in.

Also listed is what appears to me like a form of evangelistic speed dating involving forming two circles. I don’t quite understand it but perhaps you will.

Posted by Dave at 6:17 pm on November 5, 2006 and filed under Church, One-man campaigns.

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I am boycotting the West End of London until I forget to do so or have particular reason to go there.

This is why. Diamond Geezer informs me that the lights are going on even earlier in Oxford Street than normal – a whole week in fact. This is despite the fact that we are more aware now than ever of our need to cut down on energy usage for the future of the planet. (By the way, if you were hoping to go on the Climate Change March it was today – sorry.) The Oxford Street lights organisers quite clearly do not care about the planet, so I will be spending my money elsewhere and urging you to do the same. If you like you can tell them why as I just did:

Dear Oxford Street,

I am appalled at your decision to put the Christmas lights on a week earlier than in 2005. I will be avoiding Oxford Street and urging the readers of my weblog to do the same.

http://www.cartoonchurch.com/blog/2006/11/04/boycott-the-west-end/

Sincerely,

Dave Walker

As an aside, I am reminded of this cartoon from my last year’s advent calendar blog.

Posted by Dave at 3:51 pm on November 4, 2006 and filed under Current events, One-man campaigns.

10 Comments

From: dave at cartoonchurch dot com
To: contactus at scottishpower dot com

Dear Scottish Power,

Today I had a call from one of your Scottish Power salesmen asking whether I would be interested in switching over to Scottish electricity from the English variety I am currently using.

I was not too pleased about this, mainly because unannounced electricity salesmen are on my ’10 most loathed’ list. The fact that he asked whether my parents were in (I am of middle age, though I maintain a youthful demeanour) did not help.

To tell you the truth I am very happy using the English electricity that I get through my wires at the moment. Unless you can explain to me why your electricity is better I can see no reason to change, particularly as it will mean the power has to be piped over a long distance (I assue you transport it that way rather than via fleet of lorries). Please do not say that your electricity is cheaper, as I am interested in quality not price. I am on the brink of making a fortune by being an internet cartoonist and so price is not an issue.

Perhaps you can send a free sample and we can take things from there.

There is one thing I need to say though. You really need to stop making these unannounced telephone calls as everyone that I know intensely dislikes companies who do that and will not buy from them on principle. Please reassure me that you intend to stop making the calls so that I can assure the readers of my daily internet column (who are being informed about this letter) that that is the case. If you do not stop making the calls I will have to inform my readers and I cannot see that it will do the reputation of Scottish electricity any good. I can see that my Scottish readers in particular will be ashamed that their electricity is sold in this way. Please spare them this embarrassment and change your ways for the good of us all.

Yours faithfully,

Dave Walker

Posted by Dave at 7:09 pm on June 24, 2006 and filed under Letters, One-man campaigns.

11 Comments