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Direct Action
 
Radical Ecology
Autonomous Activism
Indigenous Peoples' Rights
Earth Liberation
Animal Liberation
 
 

Direct Action gets the goods!
Direct action is primarily used by Earth First! activists in their campaigns and struggles to defend wilderness. It is also the main tactic in waging the battle against corporate rule, the primary reason for ecological destruction. It is called ecodefence or monkeywrenching when employed by radical ecologists and it has been proven effective since its inception. Direct action is not limited to the radical ecological movement. It is generally defined as a method and a theory of stopping objectionable practices or creating more favorable conditions using immediately available means, such as strikes, boycotts, workplace occupations, sit-ins, or sabotage, and less oppositional methods such as establishing radical social centres, although these are often squatted. Direct actions are often (but not always) civil disobedience. Those employing direct action aim to either
  • obstruct another agent or organization (in EF!s case, maybe a logging firm, a multinational corporation or a fast food chain) from performing some objectionable practice
  • act with whatever resources and methods are within their power, either on their own or as part of a group, in order to solve problems
This method and theory is direct in that it seeks immediate remedy for perceived ills, as opposed to indirect tactics such as electing representatives who promise to provide remedy at some later date.