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April / May 2001
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Friends Of The Earth Election Targets "The Green X Code"

The date of the next election is now most likely to be Thursday 7th June.

Public Meeting

The pre election public meeting "Vote Locally - Act Globally" held at Friends Meeting House, York Street, on 23 March was very well attended. In addition to the Lib Dem, Labour and Conservative PPCs, Mike Boulton, the Green Party PPC, was on the panel.

Don Foster fielded all the questions with his usual aplomb. On the question on climate change he revealed that in February he had presented a Parliamentary Bill requiring climate change policies to be drawn up and implemented and specific targets set. On the General Agreement on Trade in Services he confirmed that he has signed EDM 260 which calls for "an independent and thorough assessment of the likely impact on the extension of the GATS on the provision of key services both in the UK and internationally, particularly in the developing countries." He does, however, still need convincing of the WDM and FOE message on WTO & GATS. You may wish to write/email him to press home the message. (See item on GATS below).

Ashley Fox was all in favour of Free Trade rather than Fair Trade and also did not at all well on the questions on asylum seekers and refugees. Marylin Hawkins was effective but understandably constrained somewhat by Government policy. She did, however, come out strongly against the use of nuclear weapons. Mike Boulton was particularly good at relating some of the issues to personal experience. Neither Marylin Hawkings nor Ashley Fox had heard of the Ilisu Dam!

Green X Code Cards

Over 150 Green X Code cards have been passed on to the Bath PPcs via our Day of Action stall on 3rd March and our postbox in envolve. Mike Boulton has ticked all the Green X Code boxes on the card I sent to him. If you wish to send him a Green X Code card , his address is Waterside House, Haydon, Radstock. However, like the Labour and Conservative PPCs, he does not appear keen on responding to prospective voters by returning their cards.

On Saturday 5th May we are hoping to have another joint election action with Oxfam, Amnesty et al. Our stalls will be either in Green Park Station or Abbey Churchyard. We may even manage a photo opportunity with PPCs. Check with me on the venue and time and come along.

Blair & The Environment

I have lifted the following election comment from The Guardian April 14th:-

"Tony Blair is losing the battle to reassure voters about British produce, according to a new poll which reveals that three-quarters of the nation no longer trusts the government on the crucial issue of food safety.

Last year's exposure of the mass Whitehall BSE cover-up, together with vast public opposition to GM foods and anxiety about the foot and mouth crisis, has led 72% of the public - and 57% of Labour voters - to disregard ministers' blandishments, the ICM research suggests.

The findings, which appear in the Ecologist magazine, are likely to make uncomfortable reading for the prime minister, already aware of the cynicism surrounding "spin" and the levels of distrust surrounding farming methods, in the immediate run-up to the election campaign.

The research, conducted three and a half weeks ago as the foot and mouth epidemic escalated dramatically, also reveals the public are sceptical of the prime minister's claims to be "green" - despite him promising five weeks ago to make Britain a leading player in "the coming green industrial revolution". Mr. Blair announced 100m of new money to support wind and solar power and pledged to ratify the Kyoto protocol before the end of next year. Sixty-five per cent of the public believe Labour has done nothing to improve the environment since it came to power, mirroring the cries of opposition parties, which point to the fact Mr. Blair made no speech on the environment for his first three and a half years in office.

The figures also reflect the words of his own chief environmental adviser, Jonathan Porritt, who last September accused the prime minister of "downgrading" green issues, despite promising in Labour's manifesto to put them "at the heart of government".

Two-thirds think there should be more emphasis on organic research - rather than GM foods, which gain 13 times as much government funding - and almost half (45%) believe there should be a ban on importing and testing GM crops in Britain.

In a further embarrassment for the government, three-quarters of those surveyed believe Britain's beleaguered railway should be re-nationalised. Support is cross-party, with two-thirds of Tory voters calling for privatisation to be reversed, despite the Thatcher government having introduced it.

But, with Railtrack due to bring havoc today with its most extensive Easter engineering programme "for decades", ministers are adamant re-nationalisation is not an option.

"The government has always said it would be too expensive and the money is better spent on priorities such as health and education," said a Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions spokeswoman last night.

Commenting on the survey of 1,000 adults, Charles Secrett, director of Friends of the Earth, said: "Labour ignores this poll result at its peril." The magazine's editor, Zac Goldsmith, added: "This is a picture of a public which cares a lot about issues that don't even appear on the radar screens of most politicians."

Last night opposition parties were quick to capitalise on the government's perceived lack of delivery on environmental issues. "The environment's always been seen as an add-on by the government, a luxury," claimed Damian Green, the shadow environment minister.

"What we've seen is a pattern of three and a half years of doing nothing about the environment followed by six months of intense action and these days people are a bit too cynical to accept that. It's seen as too little, too late."

"They've achieved some things but fallen very far of their original claim to put the environment at the heart of their government," said Don Foster, the environment spokesman for the Liberal Democrats.

A Labour party spokesman said: "We don't comment on polls but, as the prime minister's recent speech to the WWF shows, he is fully committed to environmental protection and environmental policies."

Terry

Globalisation

I have since referred Don Foster to George Monbiot's "Captive State - The Corporate takeover of Britain" - his tale of woe progressing from the Skye Bridge PFI through PFI in the NHS and more and on to the MAI, GATS and beyond. (envolve has a copy)

Chapter10 - Government in Exile - The Corporate Bid for World Domination, gives his view of the malign nature of free trade and in particular the influence of the Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TBD) whose role, outstripping that of the WTO, is "to formulate proposals, then submit them to governments for implementation" (!) The TBD includes companies like Phillips, ICI, Unilever, Siemens, Boeing, Ford, Procter & Gamble & Time Warner.

Also, the February 2001 issue of the Ecologist has a useful piece on GATS.

Don Foster has since sent me a copy of a letter dated 26 March he has received from Richard Caborn, Minister for Trade. It says there has been "a growing volume of interest from individuals and organisations in the current early stages of negotiations on GATS in the WTO" and it seeks to reassure MPs that "the purpose of trade negotiations in services is to remove unnecessary (his underlining) regulation, thereby freeing up trade and enhancing wealth creation for the benefit of all countries..."

Details of their "GATS - Fact and Fiction" are on the WTO website www.wto.org. Details of GATS negotiations are on www.dti.gov.uk/worldtrade/service.htm

Details of WDM's views are on :- www.wdm.org.uk/campaign/GATS.htm

Terry

Foot & Mouth

FoE have produced a very informative 9 page Briefing Sheet dated April 2001 on Foot and Mouth Disease. It details the history and causes of the disease and its spread, the control methods available, the disposal of carcasses, the costs of the outbreak and FOE's current position. With time, some details could of course change and FOE's press releases are available on www.foe.co.uk for up to date information. FOE concludes that there should be a full public enquiry into the cause, consequences and management of the foot and mouth crisis, as called for by the Environment Minister Michael Meacher. There should be a full public review of the reforms required to make agriculture and food production a sustainable industry resulting in a White Paper in 2002 at the latest. MAFF has already shown itself incapable of managing policy in a way that encourages sustainable farming practices and FOE believes that major restructuring is required to ensure that such practices are properly encouraged in future.

FOE believes that to protect genetic diversity the Government should seriously consider the use of vaccination for rare breeds and important pedigree breeds . FOE urges the government to publish all advice it has received on vaccination and explain why it has not proceeded to protect animals in Cumbria and Devon when it has EU permission to do so .

Terry. 

Peat & Bath In Bloom

We need to avoid buying peat compost, as the bogs where it comes from are unique wildlife havens and are disappearing fast.

Peat alternatives have improved dramatically in recent years and it is easy to go peat free.

The following products are peat-free:

The National Trust. which looks after 200 of the country's most precious and historic gardens is now completely peat free as is the prestigious Eden Project in Cornwall. Also, Monty Don, the Observer gardening correspondent, and Gardening Which magazine have both stated that some peat alternatives perform better than peat.

So why are B&NES Council and Bath University both still using peat? I have spotted large amounts of Irish moss peat being delivered to the gardens departments of both of these establishments. The picture shows just part of the load waiting to be taken in by B&NES parks department in Victoria Park. Bath wins Britain in Bloom most years. It would be good to see them win it without using peat.

Addresses to write to are

David Littlewood
Parks Operations Manager,
Royal Victoria Park Nursery,
Marlborough Lane,
Bath BA1 2NG
email: david_littlewood@bathnes.gov.uk

Property Manager,
University of Bath,
Claverton Down,
Bath BA2 7AY
email:-p.d.j.brown@bath.ac.uk

Terry

Henry Doubleday Research Association - GM Threat

HDRA world-renowned organic centre is threatened by trials of genetically modified maize which are planned to start in the next few weeks by Aventis, on behalf of DETR. These trials are less than 2 miles from Ryton Organic Gardens, Wolston, Warwickshire. The trial threatens the organic status of the fresh produce sold from the gardens, where HDRA also conducts horticultural research on organic food production for the government. The land has been cultivated organically since 1985. HDRA has not been consulted about the trial, and first heard about it through the local radio station.

Write to The Hon Mr Michael Meacher, MP, Minister for the Environment, Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). Address: Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW14 5DU.

The main concern is about cross pollination from trial plots to HDRA's organic crops. HDRA stands to lose its SA organic certification if this happens, as they grow sweetcorn on site, which readily cross-pollinates with forage maize. At the time of writing, MAFF researchers are not making farm visits because of the foot and mouth risks - the trials organisers are ignoring this advice.

Find out more and sign an on-line petition objecting to the trial, at hdra.org.uk/news/pr010411.htm

Terry

Bus Gates & Climate Change

The effect on fixated car drivers of the introduction on 30th March of the Northgate Street Priority Access Point may have been underestimated.

Coming only 7 years after the setting up of the Pulteney Bridge `bus gate' and so soon after the implementation of the new residents parking zones which have created lascivious visions of vacant but unavailable without a permit parking spaces, the sight of more access routes previously available but now also snatched away may be too much for some. The humiliation of having to wait behind cyclists at the increasing number of advance stop lines springing up across the city imposes an added strain..

Many unreconstructed drivers lack a language through which to articulate loss. They find it easier to express rage than grief: the anger directed at the bus gate can be understood, at least partly, in this plight. It would not be surprising to see an epidemic of post-traumatic stress disorder among overcommitted car drivers

Please get in touch if you are able to assist with a Day of Action to set up a local car drivers climate change counselling course.

Terry 

Turn your old mobile phone into water!

Social business Cellular Reclamation will take old mobile phones and for each phone received will make a donation to Wateraid, the charity which funds water and sanitation projects in the Third World.

Mobile phones contain potentially dangerous substances, such as cadmium, and most end up in landfill sites. Cellular Reclamation collects old phones and batteries, regenerating them for second-hand users, mainly in the developing world, and recycling the materials in those that cannot be used. Depending on their condition, the phones can be worth between £5 and £30 each and this money will be donated to Wateraid. All you need to do is put your old phone in a jiffy bag and post it to:

Rob James,
Wateraid Account
Cellular Reclamation Ltd
Unit One, Hardwood Court
Whitestone, Hereford HR1 3NE

For further information contact:- Emily Boyd-Carpenter at Cellular Reclamation on 020 7793 4535.

Dave Searby

Ashes to Ashes

On 21st March, the House of Commons Select Committee on the Environment, Transport and the Regions produced a report on sustainable waste management. It condemns the Government's policy on waste incineration and raises real doubts about the safety and regulation of the technology. The report warns against letting unfair subsidies and help from the government's PFI initiative fund huge new incinerators by the "back door". It says that a new incineration tax should be introduced - starting at £12 a tonne and rising to £25 a tonne. It says that: "incineration will never play a major role in truly sustainable waste management" and that "the health effects, which result from an incinerator's emissions, are not yet fully known". The Environment Committee also attacked the Environment Agency for poor regulation of incinerators. The Committee concluded that: "Where recurrent breaches of limit values are found to occur, the operator should be fined. If breaches continue to occur, the plant should be closed down." The Environment Agency has a lamentable record in regulating incinerators. There have been 899 breaches of emission limits since 1996 and no prosecutions.

The report reserves some of its severest criticism for the existing £12 a tonne landfill tax and the "convoluted and ineffective landfill tax credit scheme", for which it seeks a radical review. It calls for landfill tax to be increased to £25 a tonne by 2006.

Terry

Change Of FoE Image

Over the last few months Friends of the Earth has been creating a new visual identity for the organisation.

We have been sent a video which explains the design process and potential applications for the new image. It can be viewed at our meetings on 24th April and 29th May. Or between times you can pop into envolve and view it there or borrow it. FOE aim to go public with the new identity in June.

Terry

Sellafield Mixed Oxide Plant

BNFL is having another go at seeking approval to operate the now four-year old MOX (mixed oxide) plant at Sellafield to start processing new fuel rods from plutonium mixed with uranium.

The government consultation paper dated March 2001 is at www.detr.gov.uk/consult.htm or copies can be got from Claire Herdman DETR on 020 7944 6366.

It is almost 2 years since BNFL last pressed for government go-ahead to licence the plant. Since then there has been the famous data falsification incident at Sellafield and the abortive trip of the first shipment to Japan. (BNFL's main (and possibly only!) prospective market for the fuel) of 450kg of plutonium fuel which had been produced from a small pilot MOX plant at Sellafield. [For more details see Bath FoE Newsletter Jul/Aug 99 and contact the FOE energy contact Mark Johnston - 020 7566 1672 markj@foe.co.uk)

The reasons why the MOX plant should not be given a licence remain:-

· The plant is uneconomic and BNFL has failed to get the vast majority of its customers to sign contracts for MOX. This means that operating the plant would not be "justified" and would therefore be illegal.

· Simply mixing the plutonium with uranium to make `MOX' will not deter terrorists from stealing the plutonium. Shipping plutonium in this form - as BNFL plan to do - will present a serious risk of nuclear terrorism.

Terry

The address to respond to is:-
Claire Herdman
Radioactive Substances Division
DETR, 4/F6 Ashdown House
123 Victoria Street
London SW1E 6DE
fax: 020 7944 6340
email: mox-consultation@detr.gsi.gov.uk
Comments are required by 23 May.

GM Served Sunny Side Up

We live in the age of the genome, love it or hate it. But why are our scientists so reluctant to convince us, or even each other, that they are looking at the downside as well as the thrill of engineering a potato to produce a less fatty crisp, cloning animals for human medical purposes, or developing plant viruses to combat animal disease?

These were three of the four research areas presented and discussed at a seminar "Current Issues in Genetic Modification" at Long Ashton Research Station on 7 April. The seminar was organised by the local branch of the Institute of Biology in association with the University of Bristol, University of the West of England and the Open University. Organiser Prof David Hill of the University of Bristol stated that the reason for holding the meeting was that public debates on GM had not been useful and that controversy had been stirred by "other people". He said that the speakers would present the benefits of the research, and indeed they did, too much even for some of the scientists in the audience.

Bath FoE members Terry Coulson and Susan Traill attended and found the fourth speaker, Prof Sir David Weatherall of Oxford University much more convincing. He set his research into human gene therapy fully in its context of unsuccessful trials, promising breakthroughs, focused use and problems still to be overcome. GM scientists, universities, companies and governments should learn that this is the type of information that is needed for a proper public debate on ethics, cost and risks, issues that attach to all branches of GM research. Without such an approach, the abiding impression is that we, the non-scientific public are being taken for a ride by scientists who do not know what they are letting us in for because they have not researched it and the money is not available for that research. The scientists may care, but their commercial backers do not, and the scientists are dependent on that research money. The less fatty crisp man, Dr Steven Hill of Oxford University, stated his concern about the research that is not being done. In the debate he said that funding is always directed to applications and there is no research into non-crop plant species. But he also said that we need more and more food, implying that GM was the answer. Animal cloning specialist Dr Andreas Dinnyes of the Roslin Institute (of Dolly the sheep fame) stated flatly: "The Third World wants GM." Who says so? Maybe certain governments with their own GM research capability, such as China and India, who are thus not dependent on global companies and their high costs. But Indian farmers are not in favour, and what of all the other countries? Who will pay the financial cost, quite apart from the environmental cost?

A member of the audience challenged that monocultures had already damaged the environment and governments are still intent on looking for a quick fix without weighing the long-term consequences. Dr Hill replied that managing water resources and soil erosion was as important as producing wonder crops. He also debunked Switzerland's Golden Rice, which contains vitamin A, saying that there were "all sorts of problems with it", not least that it does not contain the fat necessary for humans to absorb vitamin A. In other words, it is useless unless the poor of the Third World have access to a better diet anyway. The same for the obese crisp consumers of the rich world, who will be tempted by his less fatty crisp: a better diet of natural food is the answer, not a cosmetic quick fix.

Plant virus specialist Dr George Lomonossoff of the John Innes Centre said that when one of his research funders, Axis Genetics went bankrupt its creditor Dow Chemicals obtained the research patents. I asked if he was concerned about the subsequent use of these and the use of other patents on plant tissue to block further research. He said that he had no control over the use of his former research, and his only contact with Dow had been through a lawyer. Dr Dinnyes said that patents were an incentive to invest in research and that the aim of a patent is to license it for others to use. I have never heard such a glowing account of patents even from a global company. They regularly use patents to cut competitors out of the market, and the extensive patenting of basic plant material along with the genetic modification should be of huge concern. But Dr Dinnyes admitted that patenting is "new for many of us". Scientists had better wise up fast to the way that big corporations use patents.

Terry Coulson asked the final question, why was this seminar only on the benefits of GM? Organiser David Hill replied tight-lipped that the other side had been overexposed and that this meeting was intended to redress the balance. He clearly felt under siege by negative opinions, but brushing them aside does not redress the balance. It leaves them unanswered and still there. The only way to help dispel doubts is to present a balanced account of research as the fourth speaker did.

Susan Trail.

ACTION: Join the Real Food and Sustainable Farming Action Day on Saturday 23 June at 9.30 am at the Farmers Market, Green Park Station.

Illustrations by Luna Samuels

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This page last updated: 30-June-2001