On this day, November 20, 19330, the man who would later be known as The Fox – the first “ecotage” of the late 1960s upsurge, was born.
James F. Phillips (November 20, 1930 – October 3, 2001) was an American schoolteacher and environmental activist who became known in the Chicago area during the 1960s for his environmental direct action under the pseudonym The Fox.
The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 329.7ppm. As of 2023 it is 419ppm, but check here for daily measures.
The context was that in 1962 “Silent Spring” had woken everything up to the consequences of industrialisation. Through the 1960s there was more and more concern about pollution – air, water etc. By the late 1960s, people were freaking out. And taking (symbolic) action. See below –
See also the book “Ecotage 1972
What we can learn – “ecotage” has been around a long long time. And the history deserves more acknowledgement, because it might inspire us…
What happened next.
Despite the efforts of individuals and organisations, the damage has kept piling up at our feet. It’s too late now to avoid severe consequences for “our” actions. It may not be too late to avert the very worst, but I for one don’t think we will…