Protesters using thought bubbles on investors and CEOs at a gas industry protest (Philadelphia,2012)
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In Texas, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania, fracking is a particularly widespread practice. It’s also one that’s been proven to release various harmful chemical compounds, all of which cause leukemia, liver damage, eye, nose, and throat irritation, and headaches. In 2012, these health and environmental concerns were central to a significant Shale Gas Outrage protest.
During the week of September 17, 2012, an annual gas convention descended upon Philadelphia. Shale Gas Outrage took advantage of this moment, leading a rally and march outside the conference. While confronting gas industry executives, some activists brilliantly reimagined the conventional protest sign.
Protestors created thought and speech bubble signs, each containing messages that explicitly condemned the environmental and societal impacts of fracking. As soon as investors, CEOs, and other industry executives walked by the convention center, protestors waved these signs close to their heads.
“I make people sick and I don’t care,” one sign reads. “I get rich, you get sick,” another claims. One even asserts, “I’d rather be rich than raise healthy kids.”
Unlike more traditional signs, these bubbles directly implicated executives in the devastations caused by fracking. Faceless corporations suddenly transformed into a host of influential people, each of whom financially benefited from the gas industry’s attendant hazards.
“That’s creative and peaceful protesting,” one user commented on a Reddit post about the signs.
Over 10 years later, this clever tactic retains its relevance, showcasing the potential of creativity in protests. Even today, these thought and speech bubbles continue to generate awareness about the energy sector and its countless ramifications upon Pennsylvanian communities.
In 2012, during a gas industry convention in Philadelphia, Shale Gas Outrage activists reimagined the traditional protest sign.
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Protestors designed speech and thought bubble signs and held them next to gas industry executives to highlight their role in climate and health crises across Pennsylvania.
Each sign contains messages that explicitly condemn the environmental and societal impacts of fracking and the gas industry as a whole.
Sources: Protesters using thought bubbles on investors and CEOs at a gas industry protest (Philadelphia, 2012); Shale Gas Outrage: Organizers See Civil Disobedience on the Horizon; Shale Gas Outrage: Join the rally against fracking
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