EC84, August/September 2003 - including the
high cost of shrimps, illegal timber used in Home Office HQ, weedkillers
and birth defects, Indonesian charcoal, the Co-op and battery eggs
EC83, June/July 2003 - including the GM Nation
debate, Greenpeace report on toxins in the home, Rolls Royce nuclear
waste victory, new research confirms that fish feel pain, Atlas of Food
EC82, April/May 2003 - including Rising Tide
Carnival against Oil Wars,
Fairtrade foods for Easter, Littlewoods leaves the Ethical Trade Initiative,
Coffee crisis, Cod stocks go critical, Pesticides overload on "natural"
cotton, Cruelty-free Week
EC81, Feb/March 2003 - including Dow chemical
and Bhopal, De Beers and the eviction of the last Bushmen from the Kalahari,
regulation for the mahogany trade at last
EC80, Dec 2002/Jan 2003 - including British
American Tobacco in Burma, Labour's corporate backers, growth in ethical
purchasing, EU ban on animal testing
EC79, Oct/Nov 2002 - including ActionA id report
on agricultural subsidies, chemicals in cosmetics, the World Summit
on Shoddy Deals,
villagers in Derbyshire protest against Rolls Royce radioactive waste
and Air France targeted for freight trade in primates
On other pages:
Latest news
EC103 November/December 2006
News archive
EC102 September/October 2006
EC101 July/August 2006
EC100 May/June 2006
EC99 March/April 2006
EC98 January/February 2006
EC97 November/December 2005
EC96 September/October 2005
EC95 July/August 2005
EC94 May/June 2005
EC93 March/April 2005
EC92 January/February 2005
EC91 November/December 2004
EC90 September/October 2004
EC89 July/August 2004
EC88 April/May 2004
EC87 February/March 2004
EC86 December 2003/January 2004
EC85 October/November 2003
EC78 August/September 2003
EC77 June/July 2003
EC76 April/May 2003
EC75 February/March 2003
EC74 December 2002/January 2003
EC73 October/November 2002
EC 84 August/September 2003
Dying for your dinner
Poor communities in Third World nations are suffering a range of human
rights abuses, including land seizure, sexual abuse, rape, child labour,
forced labour and murder, because of Western demand for farmed prawns
(also called shrimp), according to a report released in July by the
Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF). ‘Smash & Grab: Conflict,
Corruption and Human Rights Abuses in the Shrimp Farming Industry’
describes these abuses and calls for urgent remedial action.
Prawns are farmed in about 50 countries - the leading ten producers
in 2000 were Thailand, China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Ecuador, the
Philippines, Bangladesh, Mexico and Brazil. About a third of prawns
eaten each year are farmed, over 99% of which come from Third World
countries.
Shrimp farming has led to serious conflict over land rights and access
to natural resources. In Ecuador, a single hectare of mangrove forest
has been shown to provide food and livelihood for ten families, while
a prawn farm of 110 hectares employs just six people during preparation
and a further five during harvest.
“Most shrimp farmed in developing countries are eaten in Europe,
the USA and Japan. Consumers in these countries must be made aware that
when they eat shrimp they may be dining on a delicacy responsible for
hunger, suffering and death,” said Steve Trent of EJF.
To make your supermarket take action on shrimp production, sign a petition
at www.ejfoundation and it will be sent to the major European and American
shrimp importers and retailers, and to politicians internationally.
For further information or copies of ‘Smash & Grab’, contact
EJF on 020 7359 0440 or download the report directly from www.ejfoundation.org/smash.htmwww.ejfoundation.org/smash.html.
Forest Crime Scenes
On June 4th Greenpeace volunteers occupied the construction site of
the new Home Office HQ at 2 Marsham Street, Westminster and declared
it an ancient forest crime scene. This action follows a Greenpeace investigation,
which documented Government contractors using illegal and destructively
logged plywood from Indonesia’s last remaining rainforests.
This directly contravenes commitments by both Prime Minister Tony Blair
and Environment Minister Michael Meacher to only use timber from legal
and sustainable sources on government projects, such as those independently
certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
On 14th June, Greenpeace volunteers from the ‘Forest Crime Unit’
visited twenty-four Travis Perkins stores across the country. At the
Dalston store in East London, a crew of eight people from the unit cordoned
off the illegally logged Indonesian timber they identified and quickly
branded it a ‘forest crime scene’. The volunteers then hung
a banner which read ‘Stop Rainforest Destruction’.
The Forest Crime Unit delivered a copy of the Greenpeace report Partners
in Crime to the store manager and handed out leaflets to staff and customers.
The report is an investigation of the links between the UK and Indonesia’s
‘timber barons’, which highlighted the role of UK timber companies
like Jewson and Travis Perkins in fuelling the destruction of Indonesia’s
last remaining rainforests.
Indonesia is suffering the highest rate of forest destruction in the
world, which is driven by demand for cheap timber and paper products.
Many of Indonesia’s unique species depend upon these forests for
their survival and the country now has more species threatened with
extinction than anywhere else on earth, including the orang-utan.
The UK is the sixth largest importer of Indonesian plywood in the world.
Shiploads of plywood from Indonesia’s last remaining rainforests
arrive in the UK each month. Plywood is often used just once on building
sites and then thrown away.
Since the report was released, both Jewson and Travis Perkins have confirmed
that they will stop buying Indonesian timber and plywood products. In
a press statement Jewson stated, “During 2003 Jewson will import
at least 80% of its plywood product from alternative sources which can
demonstrate a clear commitment to sustainable development. Furthermore,
going forward, Jewson is committed to importing zero plywood from Indonesia.”
Travis Perkins stated that it had "suspended all purchases of Indonesian
rainforest timber, due tor concerns over illegality in the supply chain."
Greenpeace is demanding that other UK timber traders, such as Finnforest
and Montague L Meyer, stop their involvement with Indonesian rainforest
timber until it can be certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
standards, which guaranteesenvironmentally and socially responsible
forestry.
For a full copy of the Indonesian forest report ‘Partners in Crime’,
or for a copy of the edited media briefing, visit www.saveordelete.com
Rainforest paper buyers named and shamed
In June, Friends of the Earth named and shamed 11 merchants which have
been buying paper made from pulped Indonesian rainforest.
The UK paper merchant hall of shame is led by York & Ford (Leicester),
Communisis BBF (Bath), WL Coller (Manchester) and David John (Slough,
Berkshire). These four companies have been buying the largest quantities
of paper from the UK agent for the Indonesian paper giant Asia Pulp
& Paper (APP). APP’s paper is made from Sumatran rainforest,
which is home to the endangered Sumatran tiger and elephant.
Other UK paper merchants which have been buying paper from APP are:
Pioneer Print (London), Northwood Paper Sales (Harrow), Laird Paper
(Nottingham), Fleet Paper (Snodland, Kent), Beever Paper (Manchester),
Trent Paper Sales (Loughborough, Leicestershire) and Solcrown Stationery
(Woodford Green, Essex). In May, Friends of the Earth wrote to these
companies requesting that they stop trading with APP. No responses had
been received by mid-July.
Approximately 70% of the pulp for APP’s paper is sourced by clear-cutting
and pulping wildlife-rich rainforest. APP has also been accused by Human
Rights Watch of links to human rights abuses against local communities
on the island of Sumatra.
Friends of the Earth, 26-28 Underwood St, London N1 7JQ Tel: 020 7490
1555 Email: info@foe.co.uk
Website: www.foe.co.uk
Problem pesticides
Friends of the Earth is calling for urgent action after a new study
showed a clear relationship between the use of two commonly-used weedkillers
and birth defects. The study showed that exposure to the herbicides
2,4-D and MCPA could be linked to birth defects including malformations
of the heart and respiratory system.
The 2,4-D herbicide is found in 121 garden weedkillers on sale in UK
shops, while MCPA is an ingredient in another 90 garden weedkillers.
But 2,4-D was cleared in the comprehensive review of pesticides being
conducted by the EU, although 320 other pesticide products, some with
less evidence of harm to the environment or human health are to be withdrawn
from the market on 24th July 2003. The herbicide MCPA has not yet been
assessed. In addition to the risks identified in this recent study,
2,4-D appears on two lists as a possible hormone disrupter.
Friends of the Earth is calling on retailers to clear their shelves
of these products and find safer alternatives. It believes consumers
should stop using products containing these two herbicides and ask their
local council to safely dispose of them. Local authorities and other
amenity providers (e.g. private golf courses) should immediately cease
use of these products and ensure that they are safely disposed of.
MCPA and 2,4-D can be found in a range of well-known brands including
lawn weedkillers sold by Asda, B&Q, Do-it-All, Focus, Great Mills,
Homebase, Wickes and Wilko. The full list of products containing MCPA
and 2,4-D is available on the government website www.pesticides.gov.uk
under ‘product information’.
Friends of the Earth, 26-28 Underwood St, London N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Email: info@foe.co.uk
Website: www.foe.co.uk
BBQ at B&Q
Do you know where your BBQ charcoal came from? Charcoal made from endangered
tropical forests is still being imported from countries such as Indonesia.
Over 50% of Indonesian charcoal is made from endangered mangrove forests.
If you want to help protect these diminishing areas of ecological value
look out for the Forest Stewardship Council logo or, even better, buy
locally produced charcoal.
BioRegional Charcoal Company’s (BRCC) Local Charcoal is available
in B&Q stores nationwide and carries the FSC logo. It is produced
by a 30-strong network of rural woodland workers across the UK.
BioRegional Local Charcoal is made from wood harvested by re-introducing
traditional woodland management in the UK, known as coppicing. As a
result of coppice management, woodland flowers flourish and act as food
plants for threatened species such as pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies,
at the same time creating new habitat for woodland birds like the nightingale.
Coppiced woodlands have been reduced as a habitat by 95% since 1900.
BRCC was set up by the BioRegional Development Group, an independent
environmental organisation, which aims to bring sustainability into
the mainstream by increasing local production for local needs. Its projects
include wood products, textiles, food, transport and housing.
More info is available from BioRegional Development Group, BedZED Centre,
24 Helios Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 7BZ
Web: www.bioregional.com
Tel: 020 8404 4881.
Green fibres
Where do you get undyed cashmere blankets, organic silk underwear, rubberised
wool underlays or organic latex matresses? Or what about organic cotton
and linen fabrics available by the metre, organic knitting wool and
organic wool felt juggling balls?
Call 08453 303440 for the new Greenfibres catalogue or shop online at
www.greenfibres.com
Co-op and battery eggs
As a company which boasts ethical values, the Farm Animal Welfare Network
(FAWN) is calling on the Co-op to stop selling battery eggs and it has
produced postcards to send to the Co-op. Contact FAWN on 01484 688650
or go to www.fawn.me.uk
Vegetarian travel guides
Specialist travel publisher, Vegetarian Guides, has just relaunched
its website at www.vegetarianguides.co.uk. The easy to navigate site
offers updates on Vegetarian Guides’ current publications: Vegetarian
London, Vegetarian Britain, Vegetarian France and Vegetarian Europe.
The online shop sells not only Vegetarian Guides' own publications but
also a selection of vegetarian travel guides from other publishers,
including guides to Spain and Italy. The site also features a links
section with suggestions of sites to visit for travel and accommodation,
as well as links to animal welfare groups and vegetarian organisations
around the world. There are also links to sites with advice on vegetarian
nutrition.
Vegetarian Guides are available by mail order online from www.vegetarianguides.co.uk
or from bookshops priced from £5.99 - £9.99. Alternatively,
call Vegetarian Guides direct on 020 7580 6386
The Green Building Bible
A new guide has just been launched which will help people to adapt or
build their homes so they will become less of a burden on the environment
and healthier to live in.
The Green Building Bible includes subjects such as solar power, solar
heating, insulation, choosing eco-building products, wood-fired heating
systems, roofing, painting and decoration, buying an ecohome, grants
for renewable power systems and waste management.
The book also includes a directory of the Association for Environment
Conscious Building (AECB) members, which gives the reader direct access
to the widest available range of eco-building professionals.
Price £4.50 plus p&p. Available directly from the Green Building
Press: www.newbuilder.co.uk
or ring 01559 370908 for local stockists. There will also be an
electronic version available at half price.
The "GM Nation?" debate
GeneWatch has been closely following the GM public debate process and,
along with many other groups, are critical of a number of aspects of
the debate (see below). Despite these problems, GeneWatch believes that
as many people as possible should take part in the debate process, which
takes place during June and July 2003.
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) is the only national organisation
to have officially agreed to take part in organising local public meetings,
with many organisations highly critical of the organisation of the debate.
‘GM Nation?’, as the debate is now called, will consist of
a series of meetings on a regional and local level. Each group will
be provided with a toolkit consisting of a video, a CD-ROM and a workbook
containing a feedback form where each individual will be able to express
their views on both GM and on the process of ‘GM Nation?’
itself.
For how to get involved, check out the website at: www.genewatch.org/Debate/Debate_howtogetinvolved.htm
or phone 01298 871898.
GeneWatch UK’s main concerns with ‘GM Nation?’:
1) A lack of adequate resources and restricted timescale.
2) The Government’s continuing with the process of granting
EU commercialisation authorisations for import and growing of GM crops.
3) The exclusion of the Farm-Scale Evaluations from the debate
because they will not be produced until at least September, by which
time the public debate will have been finished.
4) The dates, timescale and organisation of the debate have been
continually changing. This makes it very difficult for the public to
understand what is going on and how to get involved.
5) Confusion as to how the three strands of the debate (the science
review, the economics review and ‘GM Nation?’) will fit together.
In theory, each should have informed the other. However, the science
review is now well underway and will produce a report in the early summer
of 2003 and the economics review will be published in June 2003. It
will therefore not be possible for their reports to be influenced by
the public debate.
GeneWatch UK, The Mill House, Manchester Road, Tideswell, Buxton, Derbyshire
SK17 8LN
Tel: 01298 871898
Visit the GeneWatch UK web site at www.genewatch.org
Meanwhile, a second edition of ‘Eat your Genes – how genetically
modified food is entering our diet’ has just been published. Permaculture
Magazine described it as ‘readable and easy for a lay person to
understand … a devastating indictment of genetic engineering.’
It costs £12.95 and is published by Zed Books
Toxic house dust
In November 2002, the Greenpeace toxics team temporarily gave up inflatable
boats and instead took up vacuum cleaners to get the message on toxics
out to the government. Greenpeace vacuumed 100 homes around the UK,
including those of Anita Roddick, Malcolm Bruce MP and Robin Harper
MSP, revealing the presence of potentially harmful chemicals linked
to cancers and other health problems in homes.
Newly proposed EU legislation has the potential to be the most far-reaching
reform of chemical regulation for many years. But Greenpeace is campaigning
to make sure the final proposals are not watered down by the chemicals
industry, which is already lobbying hard to see them weakened.
The majority of chemicals that have been identified in house dust arise
from the use of consumer goods in the home - everyday consumer products
like toys, televisions, carpets and toiletries. This is despite manufacturers’
claims that these chemicals are bound into products and present no risk.
Humans can breathe in the dust and any chemicals it contains, ingest
it from contaminated food or teething toys, or even absorb it directly
through the skin.
Greenpeace found substantial amounts of
* hormone disrupting akylphenols, used in cosmetics and other personal
care products
* phthalate esters used mainly to soften PVC, which are harmful to the
reproductive system
* brominated chemicals, which disrupt hormones, used as fire retardants
* chlorinated paraffins which may be cancer-causing, used in paints,
plastics and rubbers.
New laws being drafted by the EU present a rare opportunity to improve
current legislation on chemicals, which for years has failed to protect
people and the environment from contamination with these substances.
The proposed new EU laws require chemicals of the highest concern to
hold an ‘authorisation’ to be able to continue production.
Greenpeace supports this but believes this action is meaningless unless
a second step is put in place; chemical-producing companies must be
placed under a legal obligation to substitute chemicals of high concern
wherever an alternative exists. Where an alternative does not exist
and the chemical is deemed essential, an authorisation must be granted
for a limited time period until a safer alternative chemical or product
is developed.
Rolls Royce nuclear waste victory
The two-year campaign by local residents to halt the dumping of low-level
nuclear waste in Hilts Quarry at Crich, Derbyshire has reached another
milestone. On 20th March Rolls-Royce made their first delivery of nuclear
waste to the BNFL Storage Site at Drigg in Cumbria instead of tipping
it in the village.
The last delivery to Crich was six months ago, but campaigners will
not rest until they are sure no further nuclear and toxic material can
ever be brought in to the village. They want permissions to dump to
be cancelled, and the site closed and cleaned up.
Local residents began blockading the quarry in July 2001 and have successfully
turned away a number of deliveries of waste. Prior to the blockade,
Rolls Royce was making daily deliveries of foundry sand and weekly deliveries
of radioactive waste to the site.
Paul Devlin, Chair, Crich & District Environmental Action Group,
The Old Schoolhouse, 12 Church Street, Fritchley, Derbyshire DE56 2FQ
Tel: 01773 857311
Email: devlinp@ace.org.uk
New research shows that fish feel pain
Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) is demanding that the Government
act immediately in response to new research published at the end of
April confirming, what would appear to be common sense: that fish feel
pain. The organisation is demanding an immediate ban on inhumane slaughter
practices and comprehensive legislation prohibiting excessive stocking
densities in fish farms.
Farmed fish (mainly trout and salmon) represent the UK’s second
largest livestock sector after broiler (meat) chickens. Up to 50,000
salmon are confined in individual cages with each fish allocated less
space than a bath. Up to 27 trout can be found farmed in the same space.
The prevalence of fin and tail injuries, blinding cataracts, deformities,
abnormal behaviours, lice infestation and mortality rates of up to 30%
indicate that these stocking densities are too high and fish are suffering.
Joyce D’Silva, CIWF Chief Executive said, “We always knew
that these conditions were inhumane, but the industry refused to act,
believing perhaps that fish were not susceptible to pain. This new research
from the Royal Society proves categorically that fish feel pain and
need to be given legal welfare protection beyond today’s industry
standards.”
A CIWF report on farmed fish shows that most supermarket trout and some
salmon are also slaughtered using methods that would cause significant
pain and suffering to the fish. Suffocation in air or on ice, and stunning
using carbon dioxide, are methods that CIWF condemns as inhumane.
“This welcome research from the Royal Society proves beyond any
doubt that fish feel pain. We suggest that consumers boycott farmed
fish immediately,” added Ms D’Silva.
Contact CIWF at 5a Charles Street, Petersfield, Hampshire GU32 3EH Tel:
01730 264208
Website: www.ciwf.co.uk
The Atlas of Food
Who eats what, where and why is the subject of a new book by Tim Lang
and Erik Millstone. Are GM crops safe? How do food markets work? What
are the impacts of different forms of farming, processing, transportation,
retailing and eating habits? The Atlas of Food tackles these questions,
presenting the answers vividly through the creative use of maps and
graphics.
Cost: £11.99 from Earthscan on 01903 828800 or order online at
www.earthscan.co.uk
BP– Big Protests
London Rising Tide are inviting you to be part of a Carnival Against
Oil Wars and Climate Chaos outside BP’s Annual General Meeting
on April 24th 2003 at the Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, South
Bank, London.
Book the day off work and say NO to:
- Bloody Politics - BP is pushing for a big slice of
the Iraqi oil pie;
- British Plunder - BP's pipelines in Colombia, Tibet,
Alaska and West Papua are causing destruction, murder and destitution;
- Burning Planet - BP is planning to build the Baku-Ceyhan
oil pipeline, which would have an enormous negative impact on the
climate, not to mention the human rights implications. (See Feature
in EC81.)
The Carnival will be a celebration of the many safe, sustainable
and socially just futures that could lie ahead of us. In the run up
to the AGM there will be a speaker tour, alternative AGM and the publication
of an alternative BP annual report of which the initial aim is to counter
the illusion of the ‘good’ oil company. April 24th will also
be an international day of action against BP.
To get involved in any of the above, or for more information, contact
London Rising Tide at 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES. Email: london@risingtide.org.uk
Website: www.burningplanet.net
Poverty in your coffee cup
There is a crisis destroying the livelihoods of 25 million coffee producers
around the world. The price of coffee has almost halved in the past
three years to a 30-year low. Farmers sell at a heavy loss while branded
coffee sells at a hefty profit. The coffee crisis has become a development
disaster whose impact will be felt for a long time.
Oxfam launched a global coffee campaign at the end of last year which
is calling for a Coffee Rescue Plan to make the coffee market work for
the poor as well as the rich. The plan needs to bring together the major
players in coffee to overcome the current crisis and create a more stable
market.
There are a great many companies, known as ‘roasters’, around
the world who buy green coffee beans and turn them into roast and ground
or instant coffee. But the four main roasters - Kraft, Nestlé,
Procter & Gamble and Sara Lee - are giants in the coffee world and
shape its retail market. Their brands include Maxwell House, Nescafé,
Folgers, Douwe Egberts and Kenco.
The campaign’s aims are:
- The big companies should pay farmers a decent price
for their coffee and also buy Fairtrade coffee.
- Governments of rich countries should back a Coffee
Rescue Plan by supporting producers’ plans to make companies
trade only in good-quality coffee; paying for the destruction of excess
stocks; and providing aid to help poor farmers out of the crisis and
restore their environment.
- Consumer power: everyone can play an important part
- put pressure on companies to act responsibly - and buy Fairtrade
coffee.
Nicaraguan Coffee Kids’ Crisis
The current global coffee crisis is having a devastating impact on thousands
of Nicaragua’s coffee workers and their families. The crisis has
been brought about by a glut of coffee beans resulting in a crash of
the world price of coffee. Consequently, thousands of coffee plantation
workers have no work, resulting in a total loss of income which in turn
is leading to starvation for possibly thousands of children.
A church-funded clinic for these severely malnourished children now
operates in Matagapla in Nicaragua’s main coffee growing region.
The clinic, the only one of its kind in the country, is struggling to
deal with the influx of young children and babies, many of whom are
close to death when they arrive. “The situation is deteriorating
and yet we receive no Government help or support,” says the clinic’s
Director Adriana Bracamonte.
In contrast, those coffee farmers who supply the Fairtrade market have
had their income guaranteed and so far have escaped the impact of the
crisis.
For more information visit the Fairtrade Foundation’s website:
www.fairtrade.org.uk
Fairtrade pineapples and Easter eggs
The world’s first Fairtrade pineapples are now on sale – brought
into the UK by AgroFair UK, a Fairtrade firm owned by the fruit growers
themselves.
The pineapples, from the Asoproagroín association of farmers
in Costa Rica, join Fairtrade bananas and mangoes as the only fresh
fruits to be certified Fairtrade.
In a ground-breaking move, the Co-op has decided to switch all its pineapples
to Fairtrade. This is another ‘Fairtrade first’ for the Co-op
and AgroFair which together brought the first Fairtrade bananas into
the UK in 2000 and the first Fairtrade mangoes in 2001. The pineapples
will carry Oké (AgroFair’s brand) and Co-op labels and are
being phased in to more than 900 Co-op stores nationwide. Subsequently,
the Fairtrade pineapples will also be available at other selected supermarkets.
More info from AgroFair at www.agrofair.com
or tel: 020 7375 1221
Meanwhile, Divine Fairtrade chocolate Mini Eggs are now available from
shops such as Co-op, Tesco, Waitrose and Oxfam, just in time for Easter.
Littlewoods shuns ethical trade
Littlewoods, the high street clothing retailer, has decided to leave
the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a voluntary intitiative set up
to help improve labour standards in poor countries. The company is also
closing its ethical trade department and making many of its experts
in labour standards redundant. Littlewoods was a founder member of the
ETI.
LW Investments, owned by media entrepreneurs the Barclay Brothers, bought
Littlewoods in November 2002. Since the sale, the company has been split
into several business units and the department set up to carry out and
monitor its ethical policy has been disbanded. Littlewoods confirmed
to Christian Aid its decision to leave and said that ethical practice
would now be ‘mainstreamed’ throughout its supply chain. The
company said its ethical policy had not changed.
According to Christian Aid: “In one fell swoop, Littlewoods has
gone from being one of the most ethically clean clothing retailers on
the high street to a company that is clearly happy to risk its reputation
for the sake of rationalisation. Consumers in Britain who campaigned
so hard for more ethical trading are likely to be extremely disappointed
by Littlewoods’ decision.”
The Ethical Trading Initiative was established after a number of campaigns
in the 1990s had exposed the poor labour standards and employment practices
behind many high street goods.
Christian Aid is organising an email appeal. Go to www.christianaid.org.uk
and email the Chief Executive of Littlewoods calling on him to rejoin
the ETI.
Behind the seams
At first sight, cotton might appear to be a good choice for people looking
for natural clothing, but did you know that more chemicals are used
on cotton than on any other crop?
In response, the Soil Association, the UK’s leading organic certifier
and campaigning organisation, has developed new standards for organic
clothing which were launched during London Fashion Week (16-22 February).
The move is backed by designer Katherine Hamnett, who is planning to
launch a range of organic cotton clothes later this year.
The cotton that is used to make the majority of our clothes is sprayed
with some of the most deadly chemicals in the world. Around 150 grams
of pesticides, the equivalent of one cup of sugar, are used to grow
the cotton for one T-shirt.
It is estimated that 20,000 people die each year in developing countries
as a result of sprays used on cotton. In addition, at least 8,000 chemicals
are used to produce textiles, some of which are harmful to human health
and wildlife. People who develop allergies as a result of chemicals
in clothing may find that organic materials are kinder to their skin.
Under the new Soil Association guidelines, clothes that display its
symbol will have met a number of rigorous standards. Raw materials must
be grown without the use of unnecessary and dangerous chemicals and
GM crops are not allowed. Any substances used in processing, such as
dyes, must be safe and as natural as possible.
For a list of companies producing organic textiles or more information,
contact www.soilassociation.org
or call 0117 914 2444.
Save our cod
“Cod stocks are at their lowest ever recorded levels and urgent
action is needed to prevent their collapse in the very near future.
Only consumers can save cod now,” says Bernadette Clarke, author
of the Good Fish Guide. The Guide recommends that consumers only buy
Icelandic cod, choose only line-caught fish and diversify their tastes
in fish to relieve demand for the more traditional species – cod,
haddock and plaice.
The second edition of the Good Fish Guide is published by the Marine
Conservation Society and gives specific information on which fish to
eat and which to avoid. It lists the Top 20 species to avoid and 25
species to eat with a clearer conscience.
Copies of the guide are available from MCS or online at www.mcsuk.org
for £10 per copy. Contact MCS at 9 Gloucester Road, Ross-on-Wye
HR9 5BU Tel: 01989 566017
Cruelty free week
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) is launching
the UK’s first national Cruelty Free Week during the week commencing
16th June 2003.
Cruelty Free Week 2003 will support one of the BUAV’s key campaigns,
to end animal testing for cosmetics around the world, and specifically
aims to raise public awareness that, although animal testing for cosmetics
has ended in the UK, it still continues around the rest of the world.
The recent EU test ban won’t come into effect until 2009 and a
full ban on the sale of new animal tested cosmetics won’t be brought
in until 2013 at the earliest.
The BUAV will be publishing an updated version of its ‘Little Book
of Cruelty Free’, a consumer guide to products that are not tested
on animals. An interactive version of the ‘Little Book’ will
also be featured on a brand new Go Cruelty-Free section of www.buav.org
linking ethical consumers to Humane Cosmetics Standard (HCS)-approved
companies such as the Co-op, The Body Shop International, Montagne Jeunesse
and Liz Earle.
Launched in 1998, the HCS is the world’s only reliable and international
‘kitemark’ for cosmetics and toiletries that are not tested
on animals. The Standard currently operates throughout America, Canada,
the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Sweden, Italy and Finland.
The Standard’s requirements are simple and effective. Companies
that join must no longer conduct or commission animal tests, and must
not purchase ingredients that have been animal tested after a fixed
cut-off date. The HCS and its ‘rabbit and stars’ logo helps
consumers select products whose animal testing policies have been approved.
More info from BUAV on 020 7700 4888 or visit www.buav.org
Dow refuses to clean up Bhopal
Activists from the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal wanted
to give something back to Dow in January: a few barrels of the waste
the chemical giant refuses to clean up. Dow’s response: arrests
of over twenty activists. Their crime: unloading four barrels of waste
transported from India aboard the Greenpeace ship “Arctic Sunrise”
and delivering them to Dow’s largest chemical plant in Europe,
near Terneuzen, the Netherlands.
The poisonous waste is only a fraction of hundreds of tonnes that have
been strewn around the derelict pesticide plant in Bhopal since 1984
when Union Carbide, which is now owned by Dow, fled the city after a
gas leak at the plant killed 8,000 people and injured half a million.
No-one has accepted responsibility for the waste and the chemical company
still refuses to clean up the site. For 18 years, chemicals have leaked
into the soil and ground water in and around the factory site and have
been poisoning people who survived the gas leak. Today, the death toll
stands at 20,000 and is rising every day. Children born to survivors
are suffering health problems and 150,000 people are in urgent need
of medical attention.
The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal is calling on Dow to
accept its liabilities in Bhopal: to clean up the site and provide people
with clean drinking water, long-term medical care and full compensation.
It is also calling for international legislation to be put in place
to make sure companies are held responsible for pollution or accidents
their operations cause, wherever they occur.
You can write to the Dow CEO from the Greenpeace website at www.greenpeace.org
De Beers store opening loses its sparkle
The opening of the first De Beers shop (45-50 Old Bond Street) was picketed
recently by Survival International over the eviction of the Bushmen
from the Kalahari.
De Beers has been caught in a storm of controversy over the eviction
in 2002 of most of the last remaining Gana and Gwi Bushmen and Bakgalagadi
from their homes in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana. De
Beers holds the concession on a large diamond deposit in the reserve,
and is prospecting for more. De Beers claims its finds are ‘subeconomic’,
but it has laid out millions of dollars on the area and keeps a licence
to mine there in the future.
The Botswana government and De Beers both deny that diamonds have anything
to do with the evictions. Yet Bushmen have been told by government officials,
‘If diamonds are found somewhere, the people have to be chased
away’.
Stephen Corry, Director of Survival said: ‘We encourage De Beers
to pressurise the Botswana government into reversing its disastrous
policy. We will not stop our campaign until the Bushmen are allowed
back onto their land.’
More info from www.survival-international.org
or tel: 020 7687 8700
Victory for mahogany
Ten years of work to protect Amazon mahogany has paid off. This high-priced
hardwood was driving the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, corruption
and even murder. But a decision to regulate international trade of mahogany
will give the species and the forest a fighting chance.
At a meeting in November in Santiago, Chile, nations from around the
world agreed it is time to give the tree species a chance to survive
under controlled and legal trade. Mahogany is now listed on Appendix
II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Flora and Fauna. This vote effectively means that trade of this highly
valuable species will be from sustainable sources and strictly managed
forests.
Paulo Adario, who works in the Amazon for Greenpeace, says he is very
proud of the result of years of campaigning. “This is a victory
for mahogany, the environment and the people of Latin America forests
who depend on forest resources for their survival.”
More info from Greenpeace on www.greenpeace.org.uk
or tel: 0800 269 065
Pretty nasty
Top brand cosmetics on sale in Sweden and Britain contain phthalates, chemicals hazardous to human health and fertility, according to a recently published report. Four out of five products tested for “Pretty Nasty: phthalates in European cosmetic
products”
contained at least one phthalate and more than half contained multiple
phthalates.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals that are often used as softeners in PVC plastic. In cosmetic manufacturing phthalates are used to enhance fragrances, and as solvents or denaturants for alcohols.
The report's authors are calling on:
-
Manufacturers to pledge to remove all phthalates from their products
and to clearly label products in the interim
- The European Union to unconditionally ban all
phthalates from cosmetics
- Consumers to press retailers, manufacturers and politicians to make sure phthalates are no longer used in cosmetics.
Women´s Environmental Network in Great Britain and The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, in co-operation with the international organisation Health Care Without Harm, tested 34 leading cosmetic products in Sweden and Great Britain for phthalates. Perfumes, deodorants, hair mousses, hair gels and hair sprays were tested to see if they contained one or more of six different phthalates. Potential health effects include birth defects in the male reproductive organs and contamination of human breast milk. One US study found “a substantial internal human dose” of one banned phthalate, DBEP, in every person tested. Women aged between 20 and 40 years old appeared to receive the highest exposures, up to 20 times greater than for the average person and, in some cases, above the US national safety standard.
“Chemicals that affect animal and human health in this way should not be in cosmetics at all. Many people are exposed to multiple doses every day from the range of cosmetics they use, while workers in the cosmetics and beauty industry face greater exposure,” says Helen Lynn, Health Co-ordinator at Women´s Environmental Network. “Yet because the manufacturers don’t have to list phthalates on the product label, it is impossible for the consumer to avoid them.”
Two of the phthalates found, DEHP and DBP, are already banned from children’s toys likely to be put in the mouth, and last November the European Commission also agreed they should be removed from cosmetic and personal care products. However, loopholes in the ruling may still allow them to be used for some time.
A list of products can be found at www.nottoopretty.org and a copy of the report can be downloaded from www.wen.org.uk
Further info from Women’s Environmental Network, PO Box 30626, London E1 1TZ
Tel: 020 7481 9004
Solar water heating grants
From mid-February 2003, the Government’s ‘Clear Skies’
renewable energy grants scheme initiative will distribute grants to
any UK householders installing solar water heating.
The flat rate £500 cashback grants cover all UK households where
the applicant owns their home. It covers professionally installed systems,
but not DIY kits. Total grant funds are, however limited. In addition,
‘Community Grants’ for ‘not for profit’ community
organisations are also available on a competitive basis at approx 50%
or £100,000, whichever is the lower.
Barry Johnston, managing director of Solar Twin Ltd stated: “In
our experience only 3% of householders in UK have ever considered solar
water heating seriously and over 60% of them are put off by the capital
costs or payback. This grant will make solar water heating a reality
for more than just 'deep green' thinkers for the first time ever.”
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland go to www.clear-skies.org
or call the ‘Clear Skies’ hotline: 0870 2430930. In Scotland
call 0800 138 8858 or visit www.est.co.uk/scri.
Animal-free shopper
The latest edition of The Vegan Society's Animal Free Shopper has just
been published. With sections on areas like chocolate, household goods,
drink, supermarket produce and much more, this pocket-sized guide tells
you which products are ‘animal-free’: i.e. are free from animal
ingredients and animal testing. Although product based, the guide does
indicate which companies have a no animal testing policy and a no animal
ingredients policy.
The book is available from all good bookshops and is distributed by
Central Books: ISBN number 0-907337-25-2 price £4.99.
Government rescues Huntingdon Life Sciences
The Department of Trade and Industry has announced that it will provide
insurance for animal-testing firm HLS after a global campaign against
HLS insurance brokers Marsh forced it to withdraw. HLS cannot find a
single insurance company or broker world-wide to provide it with insurance
cover, and without the UK government’s intervention would have
been forced to close.
Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) is the largest contract testing lab in
Europe. It kills 500 animals a day in tests for products such as weedkiller,
food colourings and drugs. Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty was set up
in 1999 with the sole aim of closing HLS down.
Contact SHAC at www.shac.net
or Tel: 0845 458 0630.
Flower-unempowering
“We have jobs but no dignity,” say the 80,000 women working
in the greenhouses of the Colombian Savannah, earning just under $2
a day for tending beds of carnations and roses that will sell in American
and European shops for $600-$800. Whilst Colombia has some of the strongest
employment rights in Latin America, these are widely violated –
compulsory pregnancy testing is common before women are granted employment
contracts. Workers also face health risks from the use of agro-chemicals
which are also polluting groundwater supplies. However, says Oxfam,
none of these costs are inevitable and some companies have made efforts
to improve conditions.
For more information on Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign, visit
www.maketradefair.com./p>
Ban the Bag
The latest Global Action Plan campaign is for the introduction of a
consumer tax on plastic bags. Ten billion plastic bags are given away
every year and only 1% get recycled. The campaign aims to replace disposable
plastic bags with a reusable bag – a bag for life. To achieve this
goal a charge is needed for plastic bags to discourage their use. In
Ireland, a 9p levy on each plastic bag was introduced last March, a
move which has removed over one billion plastic bags from circulation
and raised money for environmental improvement schemes. Send a postcard
or email to Gordon Brown calling on the government to implement a retail
bag levy in the 2003 Budget. Email him from the Global Action Plan website
at www.ergo-living.com
or contact GAP at 8 Fulwood Place, London WC1V 6HG Tel: 020 7405 5655.
No Sweat Clothing
A new business selling union-made clothing from around the world has
recently been launched. The clothing is produced by independent trade
union members in the US, Canada, EU and the developing world.
The 'No Sweat Apparel' website isn’t just a place to buy the clothing
online. It’s also a resource for information about the growing
anti-sweatshop movement and the garment industry. Go to the online store
at www.nosweatapparel.com
and check out the first line of union-made T-shirts and sportswear.
EC 80 Dec 2002/Jan 2003
BAT - in business with Burma’s Generals
The Burma Campaign UK today launched a global campaign against British
American Tobacco (BAT). BAT has a factory in Burma which is a joint
venture with the military regime.
BAT’s Burmese subsidiary is Rothmans of Pall Mall Myanmar –
a 60/40 joint venture with the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings (UMEH).
UMEH is owned and controlled by Burma’s military regime. In 1996
the industrial zone where the BAT factory is sited was upgraded by the
military authorities using child labour. BAT pays factory workers just
23p a day. The Burma Campaign UK estimates that the joint venture earns
the regime $400,000 a year.
Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Burma’s democracy movement, has called
on companies to stay out of the country, saying foreign investment funds
the regime and helps to keep it in power.
Campaigners are being asked to deluge BAT with emails and postcards
calling on it to close its factory in Burma. BAT’s brands include
Dunhill, Rothmans, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Benson & Hedges (in
Asia) and Kent.
For more information on the campaign and a report about BAT in Burma,
contact Burma Campaign UK, 25/27 Bickerton Rd, London N19 5JT; 020 7281
7377
To send an email to BAT log on to www.burmacampaign.org.uk
Terrible Ten – Labour’s Corporate Backers
At the Labour Party Conference in Blackpool in September, Friends of
the Earth (FOE) presented special awards to three “environmentally
destructive” companies seeking special favours - BAA, Aventis Crop
Science (now owned by Bayer) and BNFL.
FOE also published a report on a shortlist of ten companies which funded
the 2002 Conference through sponsorship of fringe events, receptions
and exhibition stalls. Labour depends on commercial money for about
a sixth of its total income (£6.2 million in 2001 out of a total
of £36.5 million, not including large individual donations from
business people and others). Sponsors attended the Conference and gained
easy access to decision-makers and power structures. By sponsoring fringe
events discussing issues relating to improving the environment, social
issues and human health, corporate sponsors presented themselves as
responsible and caring.
The Terrible Ten companies short-listed for the FOE awards were:
Alstom - the construction giant involved in the planned Yusufeli dam
in Turkey, the Three Gorges dam in China and other destructive projects
Aventi Crop Science - now Bayer Crop Science, is the only company seeking
to license GM oilseed rape and fodder maize seeds in the UK. Now primarily
a pharmaceutical company, it sponsored the Cancer Groups’ Reception,
the Driving Up Standards in Cancer Care fringe meeting and the Fabian
fringe meeting on reforming the NHS at the Labour Party Conference.
BAA - BAA is backing the “Freedom to Fly” coalition, which
is seeking a massive expansion of airport capacity all over the UK.
BAA sponsored a 70s/80s disco and is exhibiting at the conference.
BAE - BAE, one of the largest arms companies in the world, exhibited
at the 2002 Conference and has sponsored events at previous conferences.
It has close links with Government, with former senior executives running
the Working Age Agency and Office of Government Procurement.
Barclays - Barclays sponsored two fringe meetings at the 2002 Labour
Party Conference; “A celebration of equality, celebrating diversity”
and the New Statesman fringe “Whose Space is it anyway? Resolving
conflict, regenerating communities”. Barclays has been heavily
criticised by FOE for financial backing of Asia Pulp and Paper, one
of the world’s most destructive paper and logging companies
British Nuclear Fuels Ltd - BNFL is exhibiting at the Labour Party conference
and has taken a page of advert space in the conference brochure to advertise
the company’s contribution to reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Nestlé - Nestlé sponsored a variety of events including
five Foreign Policy Centre fringe events. The company also has a half
page advert in the event brochure and is exhibiting at the conference.
Nestlé is subject to ongoing boycotts because of its irresponsible
marketing of breast milk substitutes
Shell - sponsored a fringe meeting on Corporate Social Responsibility
at the Labour Party Conference. Recent controversies include pollution
around the company’s South Durban refinery in South Africa, and
attempts (now dropped after campaigns by FOE and others) to explore
gas in Kirthar National Park, Pakistan.
Tesco – The company sponsored the National Reception at the Labour
Party Conference. Sir Terry Leahy, CEO of Tesco, sits on no less than
four Government task forces. It has been heavily criticised for commercial
exploitation of UK farmers and food producers. According to a recent
NFU survey UK farmers will get only £11 for a basket of food (beef,
eggs, bread, tomatoes and apples) that will then cost the consumer £37
in a Tesco branch.
Wessex Water - Wessex Water sponsored the Fabian Society Reception at
the Labour Party Conference 2002. The company was formerly owned by
Enron, before its
spectacular collapse last year. It has subsequently been sold to Malaysian
energy group YTL Power for about £1.2bn. In 1998 Wessex Water
was ranked by the UK Environment Agency as the fourth worst polluter
with five prosecutions resulting in total fines of £36,000.
More info from FOE on 020 7490 1555 or www.foe.co.uk
EU bans animal tested cosmetics - almost
A deal to ban the use of animals to test cosmetics in Europe was apparently
agreed in November after fraught negotiations between MEPs and governments.
The EU also agreed to outlaw the sale of new cosmetics tested on animals.
The ban is likely to come into effect in 2009. But leading animal rights
campaigners the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV),
say the agreement contains far too many loopholes.
An exemption to the sales ban until 2013 was introduced for products
that have been tested using any of three methods for which, the cosmetics
industry argues, the alternative tests are insubstantial. According
to BUAV, this loophole means that the sale ban on those three test methods
would only come into force in this year if it can be argued that sufficient
non-animal test methods have been developed and validated. That gives
industry the opportunity to wait until 2013 is looming, and argue that
insufficient non-animal methods have been developed and therefore push
for the full sale ban to be delayed even further.
The deal was shaped following aggressive industry lobbying and opposition
from the Council of Ministers. A leaked memo from Procter & Gamble
revealed the company’s plans to side-step the animal-testing ban
by conducting the experiments outside Europe, and continuing to be “able
to market them in EU countries”.
More information from BUAV on 020 7700 4888 or www.buav.org
UK ethical sales grow by 19%
Sales of alternative, ethical products in the UK grew by around 19%
last year when the wider economy only managed 2.1%. The latest Ethical
Purchasing Index (EPI) report, produced by the Co-operative Bank and
the New Economics Foundation, showed that the total value of the UK
ethical economy has risen to £13.9 billion.
The fastest growing sector was fuel and light, where sales of green
energy increased market share by 125%. Organic food sales have doubled
since 1999 and sales of fair trade tea and coffee products have risen
by 24%.
Despite this, the overall market shares remained small, with ethical
food products only taking 2.1% of the total food market and green fuel
and light only 0.1%. Some sectors were seeing more significant impacts
however, with the report also highlighting how sales of energy efficient
appliances were now capturing around 60% of the market.
This year’s report also contains a brief discussion of some of
the feedback on the last two EPI reports. ECRA, whilst welcoming the
important work that the EPI does, is concerned that the bulk of ethical
purchasing behaviours may be missed by only measuring alternative product
sales. For example, many people will be choosing to travel by train,
to buy a smaller car, to boycott Esso, or to take a UK holiday for ethical
reasons. Unless we survey people as to their motivation, and then combine
this with market data, the EPI may be destined to remain forever at
the margins.
A downloadable copy of the Ethical Purchasing Index 2002 report is available
from www.co-operativebank.co.uk
WhyWasteIt
WhyWasteIt is an interactive
exchange website where businesses or individuals can find an end user
for their waste products. If you have goods or materials to dispose
of that could be of use to someone else, simply log onto the site and
follow the instructions to enter the details of the goods you have available.
You can then decide how you would like to be contacted by anyone wishing
to collect the goods or materials from you.
Green home guide
Want to make sure your extension or new loft is environmentally friendly?
The London Borough of Enfield has released a new guide; ‘Greening
Your Home – Householders Guide to Sustainable Design and Construction,’
to give you a helping hand. Download your copy from www.enfield.gov.uk/green/sustgde
or call the sustainability team on 020 8379 3704. Copies are also available
in your local library.
Little Book of Slugs
The Centre for Alternative Technology have now published its guide to
risk free alternatives to the chemical slug pellet. The book is full
of amusing anecdotes as well as good advice. It contains 70 non-chemical
suggestions from the public which CAT have been collecting through its
Bug-the-Slug campaign. The Little Book of Slugs costs £4.99 +
£1.95 p&p from www.ecobooks.co.uk
or CAT Mail Order on 01654 705959.
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EC 79 Oct/Nov 2002
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Trade barriers prevent farmers
in southern Africa from selling their produce in Europe
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According to ActionAid’s trade analyst, “Governments in rich countries are paying over $300 billion each year to subsidise their agricultural sectors – six times the total amount of aid to developing countries.” These subsidies are driving millions of the world’s poorest farmers deeper into poverty.
The subsidies make EU and US farm goods artificially competitive on world markets and encourage overproduction, distort trade and depress prices. The UK spends £3 billion on subsidies every year – that is £50 for every man, woman and child. The top 2,000 UK farmers receive annual subsidy cheques of about £100,000 each.
ActionAid is calling for First World countries to substantially reduce levels of agricultural support and phase out all farm subsidies that ultimately lead to the dumping of cheap, subsidised produce in poor countries. In addition the report calls for WTO rules to be changed to enable developing countries to protect small-scale farmers and develop their own agricultural sectors. Visit ActionAid’s campaign website at http://www.shiftyfifty.com
Meanwhile, a new European-wide phase of the ‘Freedom to Grow’ farm trade campaign, run by Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) has been launched on the back of recent trade talks between the EU and Southern Africa.
Currently, EU trade policies prevent African farmers from selling their goods in Europe, condemning millions to poverty. And subsidised European produce is dumped on southern Africa's markets putting local producers out of business. Trade has the capacity to enable southern African countries to develop out of poverty, claim ACTSA.
Visit the ACTSA website, detailed below, to send a letter to the UK Trade Minister Patricia Hewitt urging her to ensure that the EU end the unfair advantages given to European farmers. http://www.actsa.org/Trade/main.htm Tel 020 7833 3133.
Ending the Cosmetics Cover-up
| Your perfume,
shower gel or deodorant could contain chemicals that disrupt hormones,
affect immune or nervous systems, or trigger cancer, allergies or
other health problems. And not only that, but the chemicals we wash
down the drain in our daily ablutions pollute the environment and
harm wildlife. Such is the grim news from the Women’s Environmental Network who have just launched a campaign to end the cosmetics cover up. The campaign aims to empower women to take action and lobby for safer cosmetics and toiletries. The concern is that women are being exposed to tiny doses of chemicals that can build up in the body. The long-term effects of such exposure are unknown. Chemicals to watch out for include: Phthalates – found in hair sprays, perfume, nail polishes and some plastics Parabens – used as preservatives in moisturisers and deodorants Triclosan – an antibacterial used in deodorants, toothpaste and liquid soaps Toluene – used in lacquers and nail varnish |
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Research published a couple of years ago in the USA found that people
were being exposed to much higher levels of phthalates than anticipated.
Cosmetics were thought to be the missing source. Phthalates have oestrogenic
properties and, at high doses, damage male reproductive tissues and
cause deformities in developing embryos. Recent research in the USA
found phthalates in 52 of the 72 beauty products tested, including all
17 of the perfumes.
Meanwhile another US report looks at the cumulative exposure to phthalates
from cosmetics, breast milk, soft PVC toys and even in indoor air because
of leaching from PVC products. One source highlighted was PVC medical
equipment – tubes, IV bags and blood bags. Many of these products
are used in the care of premature babies and so deliver a phthalate
dose at the most vulnerable stage of development. The report calls for
a phase out of the production and use of phthalates. The EU is trying
to get the most toxic phthalate, DEHP, restricted but the chemical industry
is delaying them.
Contact WEN for how to get involved in the Cosmetics Cover Up campaign
by ringing 020 7481 9004 or visit http://www.wen.org.uk
Contact Health Care Without Harm at http://www.noharm.org
or ring 01759 368286 for more details about the US research.
Clearing cluster bombs
|
Landmine Action Week 2002 takes place 4-10 November, and this
year it is aiming to increase awareness on ‘explosive remnants
of war’ (ERW). ERW are the unexploded weapons, other than
landmines, which remain after conflict has ended. They include
unexploded ordnance such as artillery shells, grenades, mortars,
rockets and airdropped bombs, as well as cluster bomblets. |
 Chhay Chhom was blinded by a cluster bomb while grazing cattle in Cambodia |
An obligation on the users of explosive weapons to clear unexploded ordnance, or fund its clearance, and to provide warnings to civilians.
A moratorium on the manufacture and use of cluster bombs until new international humanitarian law is in place.
A variety of local events will be held nation-wide during the week.
Contact Landmine Action for more information and an action pack on 020 7820 0222 or email info@landmineaction.org
The Co-operative Bank’s latest Customers Who Care campaign is devoted to clearing cluster bombs and other unexploded ordnance. Information can be obtained from the Co-operative Bank website: www.co-operativebank.co.uk/ethics
World Summit on Shoddy Deals
That's how Friends of the Earth have labelled the World Summit on Sustainable
Development, which took place in Johannesburg in September. World leaders
failed to take the scale of action needed to tackle poverty and environmental
destruction and allowed US bullying and corporate lobbying to halt progress.
On the home front, although Environment Minister Michael Meacher was
finally allowed to go to Johannesburg, he was not allowed to talk to
the press.
Only two new targets were agreed at the Summit:
l halve by 2015 the number of people who don’t have access to basic
sanitation
l establish marine protected networks – including some by 2012
Many other targets were either watered down or trashed. However, despite
attempts by the US to undermine corporate accountability negotiations,
governments recognised the need for global laws for big business. And,
with ratification from China and Russia, the Kyoto Protocol on climate
change will become law by the end of this year.
Friends of the Earth will continue to push for global rules for big
business at other world talks including the World Trade Organisation
Summit in Mexico in 2003. Meanwhile, in the UK, the CORE Coalition is
pressing the UK government to make companies accountable for their action
as part of British company law which is currently being reviewed.
More info from FOE on 020 7490 1555 or at http://www.foe.co.uk
Website for a greener London
A new web site has been launched to help co-ordinate and promote sustainable
development throughout London. Launched to coincide with the Earth Summit,
the site will act as a first port of call for individuals and small
groups wishing to set up sustainable development initiatives throughout
the capital.
http:www.london21.org offers
a directory of over a thousand local organisations and funding bodies,
and detailed reports on current good practice. Examples include exchanges
of free used domestic goods, recycling, car sharing schemes and food
access projects.
For more information contact: Peter Ellis, London21 Sustainability Network,
12-20 Baron Street, London N1 9LL. 020 7293 1391/1392 or 07761 986171.
email: pe1036@aol.com
