Climate Change Bill
There's only a few months left to make sure that the Climate Change Bill is as strong as possible.
Now is the time to pile the pressure on MPs to support the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition's 3 key campaign demands. The Top 3 Changes needed to the Climate Change Bill are:
1. Increase the carbon dioxide reduction target, from 60 to at least
80 per cent by 2050.
2. Ensure that the UK's share of emissions from international
aviation & shipping are included in the reduction targets.
3. Set binding carbon budgets with annual milestones, to make
sure that emissions reductions do not go off track.
The Coalition has produced 'Have I told you...80' Valentine's Day cards for supporters to send to their MPs about the Climate Change Bill. There'll also be an online version to send as an e-valentine at icount.org.uk
A Week of Action willl take place Sunday 30th March - Saturday 5th April. During this week there needs to be as much activity as possible at the constituency level, getting local media coverage (which MPs will see). Stop Climate Chaos will provide a Week of Action resource pack nearer the time.
Visit their website for more info at
www.icount.org.uk
G Star and FFI back down
Last issue we reported on FFI, a company producing garments in India, which was using legal action to silence organisations in Holland and India which were speaking out about severe labour rights violations.
Critics were under threat of arrest and imprisonment. Campaigners were targetting G Star, FFI's largest customer and a key player in the dispute.
However, by December 6th, international pressure had persuaded G Star, Armani, RaRe, Guess, Gap and Mexx to withdraw future orders from the factory. Campaigners kept up the pressure on FFI and on January 29th, the company withdrew all court cases against the Dutch and Indian organisations.
The negotiated solution includes a new post of ombudsperson to follow up complaints from FFI employees.
More information from www.cleanclothes.org
Fairtrade Fortnight
14 years ago you couldn't buy a Fairtrade product in Britain. Today
over £300m worth of Fairtrade marked goods are sold every year,
transforming the lives of over 7 million farmers, workers and their
families. Fair trade products include flowers, footballs, tea, coffee
and even condoms and balloons.
This year, Fairtrade Fortnight takes place 25 Feb-9 March with the call to action of 'Change Today, Choose Fairtrade'. The Fairtrade Foundation are urging supporters to hold an event to promote Fairtrade in 2008.
Go to www.fairtrade.org.uk/getinvolved/events to enter events you are organising and check what else is going on in your area.
Freeconomy adds toolshare and spaceshare
The Freeconomy website is designed to allow people to "make the transition from a money-based communityless society to more of a community-based moneyless society."
One freeconomy initiative, Toolshare, enables members to have access to every tool under the sun without it costing the earth. Members of Toolshare in each local community name the tools they are willing to lend to other freeconomists, and then they have access to the tools of fellow freeconomists.
Spaceshare is ideal for people who have got some space to offer. This space may come in the form of a room offered to a volunteer worker, but it may also be a small bit of office / studio space you can lend to an ethical organisation or a space for your local community to hold courses.
Other things shared in the freeconomy are Skillshare and Landshare. It’s free to become a member of freeconomy.
Sign up at www.justfortheloveofit.org
Supermarkets and animal welfare
Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) published a new report in December based on the results of a highly detailed survey of supermarkets' policy and performance on key farm animal welfare issues.
The report includes sections on company commitment to animal welfare, auditing, laying hens, broiler chickens, dairy cattle, pigs, turkeys ducks and geese, sheep and beef cattle, veal and foie gras, farmed fish, transport, markets and slaughter.
PDF versions of the guide and the full report are available from the website www.ciwf.org.uk
For hard copies of the pocket guide please contact CIWF on: Tel: 01483 521 953
