Campaigns
We campaign on a broad range of environmental justice issues. Our current campaigns are:
Fix The Food Chain
The meat and dairy industry produces more climate-changing emissions than all the planes, cars and lorries on the planet.
Sign up to Fix the Food Chain... next action is outside Surbiton Station........contact CharlotteKFOE@hotmail.com
updated 2 Sept 09
Waste and Consumerism updated 16 November 2009
- Responses to the South London Waste Plan were submitted on Friday 16th (deadline) on behalf of Kingston FOE and Kingston Anti Incineration Network - A strong theme of the response was application of the precautionary approach with regard to air polluntion, toxicity and human health and the failure to progress on plastics recycling and other alternatives to incineration.
New Independent Community Network now launched to fight Incineration threat in Kingston. Leaflets are going out in August 2009 from the newly launched Kingston Against Incineration Network (KAIN). This initiative is linked to UK WIN the national anti incineration network and GAIA (Global Anti Incineration network), Please see this useful link received from the network a short film just launched (November 2009) - on anti incinerator campaigns...
This new network is independent and driven by the interests of local residents - it can therefore not be closed down by others and will evolve with solutions based alternatives that are right not wrong for the local community. An attempt to view public accounts on waste is now the subject of a formal complaint as there was no access during the previously unknown but now disclosed, statutory period allowed for public inspection. The attempt to access public records and formal complaint resulting coincides with a High Court action in Nottinghamshire involving Veolia's attempts to prevent public disclosure by Nottinghamshire County Council of waste management finances. For more info/help contact Penny PennyKFOE@aol.com
Q.A. How much waste should the South London Waste Plan plan to manage?
We are being guided to go for 100% on climate change grounds
QB Are any of the broad locations identified in the Map particularly suitable, or particularly unsuitable in your opinion, for waste management facilities? Each location should be considered on a case by case basis depending on the level of hazard.
QBi Are there any other locations not identified in the map that you think would be suitable for waste management facilities.
QBii ... additional criteria needed..... Health and safety, protection of biodiversity and water, protection of green public open spaces, rivers and floodplains.
QBiii Three most important criteria in assessing site suitability for waste management ...(1st,2nd,3rd) H&S including toxicity, CO2, other environmental impacts
QBiv Decentralisation Support local employment through recycling, reuse, repair and refurbishment. Decentralisation will also avoid overloads to existing infrastructure and lessen road pressures. The current situation is centralised causing excessive use of certain roads into VilliersRoad Transfer station, decentrlisation will improve local conditions and inappropriate lobbying for a new road through Berrylands.
QC Allocate Specific technologies for each site? Technologies should be decided on a case by case basis.
Supporting Zero Waste. Kingston FOE have spent many years lobbying for better recycling and composting support in line with FOE policy. We remain completely opposed to mass burn incineration and technologies which feed it.. For more information about FOE campaigns see the FOE website. Practical hands on project work on sustainable food growing, composting in partnership with our West African colleagues (at their direct request) is progressing with some work now being undertaken to investigate waste issues. Please refer to our Schools and Organics pages for info.
Information provided by Kingston Against Incineration Network...Meanwhile Veolia causes a stink in Portsmouth with its odorous composting operations ...acquiring penalties...KAIN is currently compiling a list of hazardous events occuring at Veolia waste treatment sites.. but we can mention that the fall in energy output at the Energy from Waste operation run by Veolia at Portsmouth has now been identified as being due to the broken Wind Turbine!..... we can also reveal that Veolia is apparently increasing waste tonnage into that plant and doesnt appear to have to place increases from the origninal permits out for public consultation..........
Biofuels
Well done Action Aid for a video clip that voices the distress of those who are having their agriculture stolen by biofuels leasing companies.
Biofuelwatch have an email alert to MPs asking them to support calls for the
UK Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and EU legislation promoting
biofuels to be suspended due to the emerging global food crisis. Following the publication of the EU Environment Report, FOE have published (August 2008) a response to the estimated 8% target for biofuels - and we are to continue distribution of postcards. Contact Penny if you want a copy of the August response by email.
Tolworth April 2008
last updated September 2008
Corporates /Trade/ Biodiversity
Corporates
The UK Government passed the Companies Act in November 2006. It is the biggest shake up of UK company law for a decade and was a huge opportunity to make UK companies more accountable for their impact on communitites around the world and the environment. A coalition of organisations including FOE backed amendments to the Bill as it passed through parliment so that companies would be legally required to report on their social and environmental impacts.In response to massive public pressure, the Companies Act requires listed companies to report on their environmental and social impacts and on employee and supplier issues. In addition, company directors will have a clear duty, not only to maximise profit, but also to consider the impacts of their business on people and the environment.
The government however failed to introduce a statutory standard for reporting and it will continue to fall to groups like FOE and the Trade Justice Movement to scrutinise businesses. The government did, however, agree to a review in two years' time and to introduce stricter legal standards if the reporting of social and environmental matters is not working.
The effect of consumption and corporate behaviour on global biodiversity is an area we maintain a key interest in.
Taking a stand against corporates trying to control the world's food production through seeds.
And from West Africa ...see how our partners have worked to halt GM:
In September/October 2006 Friends of the Earth Ghana and Friends of the Earth Sierra Leone collected samples of US long grain rice in their countries and sent them to a US laboratory for independent testing. The results show that there is LL601 contamination in Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Trade
Kingston Friends of the Earth is now working with an FOE group in West Africa on organics and wider issues. Most of us feel guilty about the burden Africa faces from Climate Change, and lack of development resources available. We also need to find solutions that help Africa's trading position whilst protecting its people's welfare and environment. As part of that work commitment we are advising on areas including value added fair trade. A statement of Shared Values includes Food Sovereignty issues. We are preparing a suggested course of action to our colleagues which could produce a value added organic product with only the smallest of carbon emissions from export - with a half way house interim solution to the delay in obtaining fairtrade status - an FOE group partnership endorsement.
links:Global Trade
Support Fair Trade. Oppose attempts by multinationals to monopolise basic resources such as food and water. FOE argues that 'free' trade is currently flawed because it assumes that:
- (Assumption) All economic growth is good - but in reality the wrong kind of economic growth can cause severe environmental damage.
- Trade barriers should be removed - but in reality some trade barriers include environmental laws like those against logging (which anyone who cares about the rainforests would agree need strengthening not weakening)
For an example of why free trade is bad for developing countries and alternative 'People's Trade Agreement' (put forward by Bolivian President Evo Morales) see the Quest for Peace website.
last updated March 2008
FOE is asking people to ask their MP to support a strong Climate Change Law - see the FOE website. See also UK 'needs tougher climate target' on the BBC website.Transport and Planning
Work continues on planning issues, including the Local Development Framework.
