Summer 2005 Newsletter
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The following articles are reproduced from the Summer 2005 newsletter, and so any information within this page is correct only as of May 2005. For the latest up-to-date information, please visit the relevant campaign pages using the menu on the left, or by clicking on the image alongside the title of each article. |
Green Trade Justice
During the recent Global Week of Action against Poverty, Manchester Friends of the Earth held a joint action in central Manchester with the local World Development Movement group. Karen and Rachael explain why they splatted Mandelson.
Making Poverty History
Global poverty is a scandal. Our world is technologically advanced and rich enough to prevent it. It is a complex issue but there are major steps that rich and powerful governments can take, namely: more and better aid, debt cancellation and trade justice. The 'Make Poverty History' campaign is an alliance of charities, trade unions, faith groups and campaigning groups which aims to do just what it says on the tin - to make poverty a thing of the past.
Part of the campaign is to change the current global trading system. Developing countries are desperately poor and can only hope to become richer by taking part in global trade. To do this they have to join the World Trade Organisation, which promotes and regulates international trade. However, the WTO is effectively controlled by rich countries in the North.
Developing countries often do not have the financial clout to campaign for their own interests. Usually the only things they have to trade are commodities such as coffee, cotton, cocoa and timber. The more developing countries produce commodities, the greater the availability, and the lower the price. Many countries end up producing more and earning less each year.
The WTO also requires that these countries open their markets to large multinationals in the name of free trade. But all this means is that foreign companies are then free to make huge profits at the expense of local people and the environment.
Keeping Poverty History
Even if we succeed in making poverty history, the social and environmental consequences of the current trade system, together with the burgeoning threat of climate change, does not bode well for the long-term future of the developing world. The only we can keep poverty history is to put the green into trade justice and produce a fair and sustainable trade system that puts the interests of people and the environment ahead of those of big business.
What can you do about it?
Splat Mandy!
Peter Mandelson is the EU's new Trade Commissioner, responsible for
negotiating on our behalf at the WTO, and has famously said the that
he will put trade economic above environmental and social considerations.
If you disagree, tell him why at www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/trade/action.htm.
Debt March 2005
As part of the Make Poverty History campaign, there will be a march
organised by Rev. Simon Topping from Birmingham to Gleneagles, passing
through Cheadle, Manchester and Bolton on the 21st and 22nd June. If
anyone would like to take part even for a short while they would be
most welcome. Contact Rev. Topping 01452 616118 or email topstan@fish.co.uk.
G8 Summit
In July, world leaders meet at Gleneagles for the G8 Summit and a massive
rally is planned in Edinburgh on Saturday 2nd July. For more on the
campaign and advice on transport to and accommodation in Edinburgh,
visit www.makepovertyhistory.org
Word from Westminster
Tony Lloyd, Labour MP for Central Manchester, sits in Westminster. But where does he stand on key environmental issues? Lynda Searby finds out.Which environmental issue most concerns you and why?
Climate change and the viability of marine life come high on my list. Climate change is of extraordinary importance because we don't know what the long term consequences are of things that may already be so far gone they're difficult to change. We're already seeing migration of different marine systems and don't know the consequences. I think that's an issue that needs to move into the mainframe of environmental consideration. Kyoto is important, but we already know it's bedevilled because of the lack of American action, and secondly, it's not the definitive solution. Obviously, a climate change bill would become dramatically important and I would clearly support such a bill.
If the government intends to pursue a nuclear new build strategy, will you be supporting it?
It isn't clear to me that the government is necessarily going in that direction. There is the 'advantage' that nuclear does not produce greenhouse gases, but the real issue is that the cost - if you take into account decommissioning and storage of waste - has never been properly factored into the energy/cost equation. More importantly, the question of nuclear waste disposal is an extremely long term one and the concerns raised have certainly not been answered properly, so I would put myself in the 'extremely suspicious' camp.
Do you agree with spending heavily on road building as a strategy for alleviating congestion?
I'm not against road building programmes. The truth is, even with the
best possible investment in public transport, it would take a long time
before we could guarantee significant removal of private cars from the
roads. And congestion itself is a major driver of pollution; a car that
runs freely is not just a little bit less polluting - it's massively
less polluting - than a car sitting in a traffic jam. But if you look
at the build-up of car usage in Manchester, it's not sustainable in
the long run, which is why I have campaigned for the Metrolink.
Do you think GM crops should be grown in the UK?
If you look at the evidence of the various tests, there are lots of extremely difficult questions for GM growers. The real issue for me is that GM crops shouldn't creep in. People should be given the option by food labelling to know as far as possible they're not consuming GM crops. I'm not sure I want to go as far as saying there will never be a role for GM, but I think it is up to those who advocate GM crops to demonstrate there is no long term consequence beyond what is easy to see.
Do you buy organic, locally grown or fairly traded produce in preference to other products?
In terms of organics, if you look at the area I represent, it includes some deprived areas, which makes it hard to encourage people to spend money on what is still generally a more expensive way of feeding their families. We can't let those who've got the luxury of choice turn the debate on those who can't afford organic. Where possible I choose fair trade products because there are different ethical dimensions we all ought to take on board and such products are often no more expensive than their conventional counterparts.
26 million reasons to consider alternative fuels
Colin Colclough on two of the alternatives to petrol.
There are 26 million vehicles on Britain's roads. Bumper to bumper that's three times around the world! They are discharging 30 million tonnes of greenhouse gases and pollutants into our atmosphere every year. We urgently need to seek engine fuels that are less damaging to our environment. LPG and Biodiesel are on the agenda as real alternatives to petrol and diesel. What are they about?
LPG
For several years the Government, supported by environmental organisations, has promoted Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a greener alternative to petrol. Like petrol, LPG is a non-renewable fossil fuel and a by-product of oil production. It is the gas that one sees being flared off on the North Sea oil platforms. For many years it was wasted but is now the third most readily available road fuel in the UK.
It offers reduced emissions of key air pollutants such as particulates and oxides of nitrogen compared to conventional petrol and diesel vehicles. For this reason the UK government has offered tax and grant incentives to encourage motorists to switch from petrol fuel to LPG. The pump price is half that of petrol which offsets the cost of between £1,500 and £2,500 to convert a petrol engine to also use LPG or makes buying a new LPG fuelled car more attractive.
So far the initiative has been only a modest success - major car manufactures do offer dual fuel vehicles, and many local authority fleets are now fuelled by LPG. There are over 1,000 LPG service stations across the UK with LPG pumps.
This may seem an encouraging. However, a visit to any LPG service stations shows that the majority of public vehicles using these pumps are urban 4x4s whose guzzling appetites are made more viable through subsidised half price fuel (LPG). Ironically, the cost incentives aimed to encourage adoption of greener fuels may also encourage more consumption and undermine the objectives of a low carbon economy.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel for diesel vehicles made from natural renewable organic oils and fats. It is noncarcinogenic and bio-degradable, offers reduced emissions of carbon monoxide, smoke and many other noxious substances. It can be readily processed from the oil of crops including oilseed rape, sunflowers, and soybeans, as well as from waste cooking oils.
A diesel vehicle, even without any engine modification, will run more efficiently on Biodiesel without chugging out the black fumes often associated with conventional diesel. At present there are only a little over 100 refuelling stations and many of these only serve blended fuel where just 5% is vegetable oil. The remaining 95% is usually Ultra Low Sulphur Dioxide diesel which is certainly more eco-friendly than the standard. Unlike LPG, it offers a significant reduction in greenhouse gases since it is in effect carbon neutral.
We are years away from 'cleaner' technologies such as battery or Hydrogen powered vehicles so a serious consideration of changing fuel sources combined with a major reduction in vehicle usage are immediate issues for all of us.
Beans on Toast It Ain't
The Bean Counter organic and vegetarian café has become a favourite haunt of ethically minded real food lovers. Lynda Searby grills owner Stephen Pomfret on his business philosophy, aspirations and inspirations.
How did you come to own The Bean Counter?
I bought the café from its original founder three months ago after nine years in New Zealand and Australia. Having spent 20 years behind a desk, I wanted to get into food.
What’s on the menu?
Home-made soups, pies, quiches and cakes; fairly traded juices, organic sparkling drinks and herbal teas. We have also started working with a new coffee supplier - Union Coffee Roasters - which produces a superior quality fair trade organic coffee, and I'm applying for a licence to sell alcohol.
What is your most popular dish?
Customers rave about our vegetarian and vegan breakfasts and a few weeks ago we were included in The Independent's '50 best places to get a breakfast in Britain'. £5.95 buys sausage, haggis, egg, beans and more. People are also genuinely appalled when we sell out of parsnip and pecan cake (£2.25 a slice).
What are your guiding principles?
Our aim is to produce good value vegetarian food from basic ingredients, which are fairly traded and organic where possible. Our main supplier is Suma - an ethical vegetarian wholesaler. We don't buy in any processed foods other than sausage and haggis; everything is made on the premises. We try to create taste without adding fat and don't adulterate food with too much salt, sugar or other additives. There are some areas where we have to compromise, for instance, our vegan sausages contain HVP (Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein) as there is no alternative. We also source in-season and locally grown fruit and vegetables. Ethical considerations are balanced against maintaining value - our most expensive dish is £6.95.
How 'green' are you as an organisation?
My main bugbear is power consumption. I'm trying to 'green the place up' by encouraging everyone to minimise energy use, as chefs are notorious for only having an 'on-switch'. Pathetic levels of recycling also infuriate me. In New Zealand and Australia recycling is easy as it's collected free of charge from businesses and homes. Here I have to go to the recycling centre after work, and some of our waste - such as catering tins - doesn't even fit through the opening of the recycling container.
Which business personality do you most admire?
Stephen Covey's book 'Seven habits of highly effective people' changed my life. It was about living a principled life and running a principled business. I read it at the height of Thatcherism when 'me first' and 'get as much money as possible' were popular mantras. I've always tried to maintain certain principles. It has cost me money but I'm happier for it.
Get Moving on Climate
The UK Government's chief scientific adviser has warned, 'Climate Change is the most severe problem we are facing today'. So why isn't the Government doing more to reduce carbon dioxide emissions?
Because Friends of the Earth has known for decades how serious a threat climate change is, it will comes as no surprise that we are backing the new Climate Change Bill. This would require the Government to make year on year reductions to emissions, instead of allowing them to choose to do nothing and leave the responsibility for meeting 2050 targets with future parliaments.
Only by doing this can the national target of a 20 per cent cut of CO2 emissions by 2010 and a 60 per cent cut by 2050, which has received cross-party support, be achieved.
See page eight for how to influence your MP on this important campaign.
Take Action!
If you have...
...5 minutes
Fill out our campaign postcard (inside your newsletter), sign it and post it to us at 6 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5NS.
...15 minutes
Write to your MP, urging him or her to support the Climate Change Bill and expressing your personal reasons for being concerned about climate change.
...1 hour
Go and visit your MP to find out their views on the Climate Change Bill and other environmental issues and ask them to sign our climate pledge. You can phone or write to arrange a meeting.
We'd be interested to hear how your MP responds... You can download the climate pledge and sample questions from www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/mps