Green Living: Climate Camp - Wharf

Technology like text messaging and Twitter allowed groups of campaigners to converge from various locations to set up the camp, which will feature workshops, locally sourced food, and training on issues as diverse as building your own wind turbine or "wooden pencil meditation" - don't ask me.

Climate Camp is an undeniably virtuous concept, but the actual reality of it sometimes makes me nervous.

To react to climate change we need a broad consensus of public opinion to back change, rather than a hardcore minority pushing from the fringes.

I have doubts about whether Climate Camp can ever be a truly mainstream pressure group when so many of its activities seem to be close to the old clichés of tree-hugging greens eating lentils.

Climate Camp also seems to attract elements from the fringes - such as some members of the animal rights movement - who could potentially do more harm than good.