Why conserve?

For conservationists, scientists and wildlife enthusiasts alike, extinction is an alarming word. But it can be easy to forget that extinction is a completely natural process – during the estimated 3.8 billion years that life has existed upon planet Earth, the diversity of organisms has been in a constant flux, with natural extinctions being balanced by equally natural speciations.

There have been five documented mass extinctions during the history of life on Earth, the most well known of which was the KT (Cretaceous-Tertiary) Event, which culminated with the disappearance of dinosaurs and made way for the evolution of mammals. It is generally agreed among scientists to have been associated with a serious of dramatic extraterrestrial impacts, which had a devastating impact upon the diversity of life.

What may be well less known, however, is the general consensus among scientists that Earth is currently on the brink of a sixth mass extinction event. This sounds like an incredibly daunting prospect, especially if we consider the previous mass extinctions; the Permian-Triassic extinction event, for example, eliminated an approximated 57% of all families extant at that time. Clearly, this suggests we are on course for an enormous upheaval of life as we know it, should this prediction be true.

What I find pretty scary is that, despite this pending event, life for many of us seems to remain pretty constant. We may be bombarded with an increasing number of messages daily telling us that sea levels are rising, but this is yet to significantly influence the majority of people in the Western world. The truth of the matter is, this mass extinction is beginning to happen right underneath our noses. We can no longer plead ignorance. Indeed, it’s scientifically proven that global warming, pollution, poaching and deforestation are causing extinctions at a rate unparalleled by the previous mass extinction events.
Economic and scientific reasons for conservation aside, I wonder…why don’t we take more action to prevent these extinctions just because we should? We are members of the only species on Earth with the power to actively conserve and protect the species we share our planet with, yet we let this power go to waste. We all have the same right to be here, and I personally think we have a moral obligation to take more of an interest in the world around us, and the magnificent living things we share it with.

So, with 2012 barely under way, my resolution will be to think more carefully about how my day to day actions impact upon the environment, (even though I will probably never see them directly for myself), and make a conscious effort to consider the wonderful creatures who also call planet Earth their home.

For People & Planet’s environmental campaigns, see our Climate Change pages.

What is SCOOP?

SCOOP provides organic, exploitation free or local produce at cost price to all members of the community. The co-op is not-for-profit, is run entirely by volunteers and we have a shop in one of our campus colleges, open once a week from 10-6pm. Students can benefit from the direct experience of running and managing a social enterprise. However, SCOOP is not just a simple management exercise, but an attempt to engage in co-operative living (which is great!) We are mostly a group of people who love to talk about, eat and share good food. We have monthly “Meet and Eat’s” where we cook and share homemade dishes together, make recipe books and a blog as a group and participate in a monthly campus Farmer’s Market along with local producers to get to know the community.

How did it start?

SCOOP started out in 2009 as a seed of an idea in a York People & Planet meeting. One of our members had been to visit Leeds, whose food co-op has been running since the groovy seventies, and was inspired to start one here! The idea grew a little bit at a time, with a small group of people starting out by researching and organising suppliers, local farms and food deliveries and collections from someone’s house. Our student union were pretty unhelpful, seeing it as a complex feat with lots of health and safety issues, and so we developed our own strategies working with the wonderful charity, Sustain, for a bit of extra advice.

In order for the co-op to develop to the stage of a fully functioning shop the founding members worked hard to establish the basis for volunteers to work together to share their interest in good food. We had to determine whether there was a demand for such a service, research suppliers for our stock, run meetings to manage the day-to-day tasks, raise funds to start our orders, advertise for shop and volunteers to help run it as well as working out our legal and spatial position.

Once we had established ourselves as in demand and a workable project we approached the Senior Management Committee of our University with a portfolio of everything we had achieved and our aims for the future. After a bit of convincing they gave us the space we needed to open a shop and when we applied to the York Alumni Fund for a grant we were awarded £1260 as a start-up fund for jars, scales and shelving etc.! We are now open every Wednesday from 10-6pm and have weekly meetings to discuss the running of the shop as well as our overall goals for the future.

Where next for SCOOP?

The co-op is now a student society, which our members thought gave it some long-term security, and is so popular and supported that we aim to open twice a week in the near future and would like to move to a more central position on campus with a much bigger shop space. We would love the shop to be open every day during term time like it is in Leeds so that students always have a choice about where to exercise their buying power, in an ethical co-operative where their opinions are taken into account - or in an impersonal chain supermarket?

Why do people love SCOOP so much?

The co-operative is run entirely by its members and so each person’s opinion is highly valued and listened to. Any decision is made using consensus-decision making which is a powerful way of coming to a conclusion that is supported by everybody in the group. If one person disagrees about something then they can block the decision from going ahead and a discussion is had about how the idea could be improved. This idea of sharing skills, working together for a similar aim, coming together as a community and helping each other to develop valuable skills is something which takes into account how important every single person in a group is. And SCOOP provides the most yummy, ethically-sourced food around, and that is the best thing since sliced bread!

The idea of ‘Boris Island’, an airport in the Thames Estuary, has had a bit of a resurgence recently. On last week’s Question Time (19/1/12), the Conservative Party co-Chair, Baroness Warsi, said the issue requires a “serious and grown up” debate over the issues of aviation, climate change, and economic growth. She then suggested that any notion of the debate being ‘grown up’ was dependent on an acknowledgment that the aviation industry has to expand. (watch on iPlayer, from 48min).

To me, this seemed to imply that: (a) a ‘grown up debate’ is one in which you agree with Baroness Warsi; or (b) that while environmental issues are OK for the student-types, at the grown-up’s table the only things that matter are economics and the growth of business. It’s a view seemingly shared by her Chancellor:

“we shouldn’t price British business out of the world economy. If we burden them with endless social and environmental goals – however worthy in their own right – then not only will we not achieve those goals, but the businesses will fail, jobs will be lost, and our country will be poorer.” (The Chancellor’s Autumn Forecast Statement)

Now, I’d quite like to join in this debate, but I’m also terrified of a receiving a sharp, patronising rebuttal from the Baroness or one of her minions, so I’ve decided I should only engage on her terms, in the most ‘grown up’ way I can.

So first, what are the direct costs of aviation to the economy? It’s estimated that tax breaks to aviation come to about £10 billion a year. Aviation fuel is exempt from tax and air tickets and aircraft equipment are exempt from VAT.  In a 2005 report, Friends of the Earth calculated that this amounted to “an annual subsidy of £45,000 for each of the 200,000 jobs in the aviation industry”.

And what about the indirect costs? Attempts have been made by the UK National Ecosystem Assessment to place economic value on the natural environment in terms of the benefits provided to society and to continuing economic prosperity. It’s estimated that wetlands are worth £1.5bn a year, just in relation to the role they play in improving water quality. Probably something that should be taken into account when considering them as a location for a new airport. Similarly, it should be noted that there are huge economic costs associated with adapting to the effects of climate change - globally, the UNFCCC has said this will be in the region of £44bn-£63bn by 2030, although scientists argue it could easily reach £300bn.

Surely any ‘grown up’ debate has got to be influenced by such considerations. It’s patently obvious that our continued prosperity is intrinsically linked to the condition of our environment.  And it’s not just the bearded, lentil-eating tree-huggers saying this now; the hard-headed, suit-wearing economists have joined in as well. Environmental issues should be at the heart of any ‘sensible’ debate about the economy, not just an after-thought or postscript to appease a few pressure groups.

So should the aviation industry be encouraged to grow, despite the damage it causes to the environment (and the implications that has for the economy) and despite the fact that its growth is in part dependent upon support from the tax payer? Or should it be encouraged to pay its fair share and accept that its role in causing climate change puts a natural limit on its potential for growth?

We clearly can’t expect to prevent climate change with a continually growing aviation industry. If we want to seriously reduce carbon emissions, we also need to make sure airlines operate more efficiently at their current size. We could start by getting rid of the tax breaks currently afforded to them - this would increase their costs, and would surely make flying half-empty planes up and down the country on a daily basis economically unviable. Such a market-driven push for efficiency would seem to be straight out of George Osborne’s economic handbook – or at least it would if you replaced ‘carbon emissions’ with ‘public spending’, and ‘airlines’ with ‘public services’.

Fairer taxes on the aviation industry would mean an end to the cheap flights which have previously driven its growth, but this wouldn’t necessarily harm the economy as a whole. The Green Fiscal Commission has argued that the revenue from increased environmental taxes could create an extra 450,000 jobs over ten years. Also, people flying less doesn’t mean the reasons for travel no longer exist - businesses will still need to operate internationally, people will still want holidays, etc. Therefore, any reduction in demand for flights is likely to stimulate a growth in demand for video-conferencing, train travel, and domestic tourism - the very industries vital to the growth of a sustainable economy.

In her speech to the Conservative Party Conference last year, Baroness Warsi claimed one of the government’s main goals was “making sure this generation does not bankrupt the next”. I’d like to hope that one day she realises they’re passing on more than just an economy, and that its condition will be almost irrelevant if it’s not supported by a healthy environment.

A Fairer Education in Africa

Education is not a finite resource like drugs or energy, it’s self-perpetuating. It’s also empowering; enabling people to take control of their lives and have more say in how things are run. Education programmes are popular with charities and governments, but as with a lot of development, there’s devil in the detail.

Particular devils that are widely overlooked are the obstacles that girls face in getting to and staying in school. Money is increasingly there for building schools and improving teaching, but not enough attention is being paid to how gender remains a major factor in determining who actually gets access to it.

One organisation dedicated to rebalancing these injustices is Pathways Togo (www.pathwaystogo.org). Since its founding in 2010, Pathways Togo has been building more and more support for girls and young women to get a high school and university education through scholarships, mentoring and workshops.

The young women who have earned scholarships with Pathways Togo have overcome many of the obstacles typical of girls struggling to get an education in rural Africa. High on the list is pressure to marry young through arranged and often polygamous marriages. Furthermore early pregnancies, lack of access to sanitary products, and personal safety and health issues make attending school and studying at home impossible for many girls. Domestic duties also limit girls’ time to attend schools; many are expected to do childcare and work in family farms and businesses.

Paying for school is also a serious challenge for many students. Where boys remain priorities in families, girls will often have to depend on brewing and selling alcohol, moving away from home, and selling street food in order to support themselves and continue their education.

Others have had more support from within their communities, with many families investing a great deal in their children’s education. One young woman had narrowly escaped an arranged marriage at age 11, and with support from her sister had been able to earn enough money to continue through school, earn a scholarship from Pathways Togo and eventually progress to university.

Many of the young women Pathways Togo has worked with have felt that the presence of strong female role models has made a great difference to their lives and those around them. While these are undoubtedly signs of progress, the work still to be done is vast.

The support of volunteers who can raise funds for scholarships, and help provide training and workshops for girls and young women is what keep organisations like Pathways Togo doing what they do. Governments and international organistions are investing heavily in education, but without this crucial work to address the gender gap in education, more education investment risks exacerbating the gender gap in wider society.

I have recently read The No-Nonsense Guide to Overpopulation. Like all of the No-Nonsense Guides, it is a concise overview of issues facing our world today.

This book discusses a number of reasons for overpopulation, and suggests some practical solutions. The book’s author suggests that overpopulation is partly caused by the role of women, particularly in Third World, or “Majority World” countries.

In some developing countries women are encouraged to have lots of children, to become “baby machines”, to keep the family name strong. As a result, contraception is frowned upon, and in some cases illegal, meaning that as well as the increasing risk of developing AIDS, women are more likely to have lots of children.

This in part is caused by lack of education: in many countries women are not educated beyond primary level, if at all. This means that they are not well-informed about the dangers of having lots of children. Worth bearing in mind: in some countries 1 in every 30 women dies in childbirth, and the number who die having unsafe abortions is even higher.

This book also discusses how some countries have attempted to deal with the perceived problem of overpopulation. In many countries, forced sterilisations are commonplace. Just in places like China, one would think. No. During the 1950s, the USA encouraged sterilisation, and sanctioned people who refused to comply. Interestingly, another restrictive country, Iran, had a policy to address overpopulation, much like the one-child policy in China. The difference being that in Iran the policy was implemented by education and empowering people to make their own choices.

So what are the causes of overpopulation? I would argue that they are varied. Lack of education, particularly for women, is a key factor, along with lack of information about contraception, but also some advances in education: medical advances mean that people live longer, and are less likely to die in childhood.

This book is definitely worth a read, like the other No Nonsense Gudies it offers bite-sized chunks of information, which can be used to argue your point to sceptics.

Technocracy; n. derived from the Greek words kratia (meaning ‘rule of’) and techno (meaning ‘bad European dance music’)

Europeans have always had an inexplicable affinity with techno. In the 1980s and 90s they had the UFO Club, the Love Parade, Paul van Dyk. Nowadays they’ve got Mario Monti and Lucas Papademos - their love of minimalist electronic beats matched only by their love of minimalist fiscal policy.

The first wave of European techno was a product of its time – advances in electronic instrumentation in the 1980s made musical experimentation possible, and this new direction (I presume) sounded modern and fresh. However I think there’s now broad agreement, amongst all but the heaviest of drug users, that it was rubbish.

The neo-con economic policies of austerity and liberalization were the product of a similar time, coming to prominence in the 1980s as a response to the economic crises of the 1970s. As with European dance music of that era, history has shown that these policies were, for the most part, a very bad idea. (see Argentina).

Yet these are the very same ‘economic solutions’ being offered up by the new-wave European techno-crats. If Einstein’s definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting different results, then the only conclusion to be drawn is that Mario Monti et al are insane. Or that they are the heaviest of heavy drug users.

As Paul Krugman said, possibly more coherently:

…the trouble with the alleged technocrats we’re supposed to rely on isn’t just that they’re uninspiring — it is that they have been wrong about everything, again and again…in Europe, the “technocrats” have consistently ignored their own economic models …calling for fiscal austerity and higher interest rates when their own analyses say that unemployment will be high and inflation subdued.

What I think Krugman is trying to say is that European leaders are in a ‘trance’ like state, refusing to accept that their policies just aren’t working. (Krugman would probably also add, with some justification, that attempting to crowbar trance music into the ‘techno’ analogy is probably stretching it a bit too far.)

Possibly more worrying than the economic repercussions of this new wave techno is the repercussions for democracy. Whatever your views on Papandreou and Berlusconi, they were at least democratically elected. In Papandreou’s case, his ultimate downfall was triggered by having the temerity to suggest that, in the birth place of democracy of all places, the people should have the final say over a decision which would dramatically affect their lives.

To borrow from Krugman again, “we need the right ideas, not the right sort of people”. At the same time as Monti and Papademos were being installed as Prime Ministers of their respective countries, Mario Draghi became the new President of the European Central Bank. All three have previously worked within the European machinery as well as leading financial institutions, namely Goldman Sachs. Given their backgrounds, it’s perhaps not surprising that there’s no new ideas or changes in policy direction coming from these “technocrats”. It’s pretty hard to view their ascent to power as anything other than a financial coup d’état.

If only Europe could heed the words of noted social commentator Marshall Mathers III – “Let go, it’s over. Nobody listens to techno”.

Fair Trade, Empowerment and Human Rights

“Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible” - UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Examine the Principles of Fair Trade and it quickly becomes apparent the intention of Fair Trade is to EMPOWER disadvantaged producers and their communities. The principles reflect business practices free from exploitation; are based on respect for universal human rights, women’s rights, child rights, minority and migrant rights, rights of the disabled, and labour rights; embrace gender equality; and incorporate environmentally sound practices. However, the fact remains that for many of our producers their rights are not well known; the Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains an abstract idea, an international convention far from their immediate reality.

When our producers are unaware of their rights, there is opportunity for exploitation. In the field of International Development, programs and projects are often designed to target root causes. One increasingly popular approach is a Rights-Based Approach (RBA) which recognizes poverty as injustice and includes marginalization, discrimination, and exploitation as central causes.

As Fair Trade supporters and advocates, it is nice to believe that we are leading the way in making ethical consumer choices a reality in the global marketplace. Admittedly, many of our producers reside in countries which are not well known for upholding those rights. However, unless we support our producers with knowledge of their rights, we fail to follow the principles of Fair Trade. Look at this from the perspective of our producers:

Fair Trade is a partnership, not a charity. As set out in our shared Principles, Fair Trade importers, wholesalers, buyers, and retailers are required to provide for the development of producer groups in order that they are empowered, self-sufficient trade partners capable of conducting international trade in ways which are beneficial to them and their community free from any form of exploitation. To integrate a Rights-Based Approach is to strengthen our trade partners not only in trade relations, but in their quality of life; to enjoy the freedoms internationally recognized as inherent to all human beings. Taking a closer look at our Shared Principles we see that our principles are based on UN Human Rights Declarations and Conventions, and the ILO Conventions. For a comprehensive analysis read Journey for Fair Trade: Human Rights Framework.

Saturday, December 10, 2011 is Human Rights Day

(http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx).

This year, let’s make it a point as a global Fair Trade movement, to not only join the celebration, but integrate a Rights-Based Approach into Fair Trade; Join together in an effort to raise awareness of Universal Human Rights with our trade partners and their communities!

Here is an idea for Fair Traders regardless of where you reside – empower your trade partners directly: the United Nations has translated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into 131 languages. Download and print a copy in the language of your trade partner, take an extra step to creatively decorate it, and mail it to them. What a great way to personalize your trade relationship:

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/SearchByLang.aspx.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has been translated into 58 languages and is available from UNICEF on their child-friendly page. UNICEF has made the CRC available in an easy to read English poster which is quite colorful and attractive. If you have trade partners whose first language is not English, download a copy and take the extra step to print it out in their language on a poster size paper, decorate and laminate it, and mail it to them! What a terrific way to let them know you support and care for their children:

http://www.unicef.org/magic/briefing/uncorc.html

To advocate for a Rights-Based Approach to Fair Trade it is vitally important that Fair Traders know what the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is and how it works, particularly when it impacts 51% of the global population, yet women are often considered to be in the minority. To see how this convention works to empower women, read Journey for Fair Trade: Understanding CEDAW. The national UNIFEM offices have translations of CEDAW in printed locally available - they have a budget for printed materials, so don’t hesitate to make a request!

For those who have trade partners in developing nations, I encourage you to do some online research of Women’s Rights Organizations, to include Rights-Based Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in their country and put them in touch with your trade partner. Contact the UNIFEM national office if you need a referral to a local NGO which conducts workshops in women’s rights. It is important that as Fair Traders we unite with the Rights-Based Organizations in their efforts to make change happen and put an end to gender inequality and social  http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm

To integrate a Rights-Based Approach to Fair Trade begins by raising awareness of the rights we are all entitled to enjoy; the rights which form the very foundation of our Shared Principles. Take a stand for human rights and begin raising awareness with a celebration on Human Rights Day, December 10^th, 2011. For ideas and information read Journey for Fair Trade: Fair Trade Celebrates Human Rights Day.

Mitch Teberg, MA

WFTO Associate Member

Sustainable Development / Fair Trade / Women’s Rights and Gender

Researcher / Trainer / Consultant

www.journeyforfairtrade.blogspot.com

Solar panels on University of Bath rooftops

This blog is written by Mechtild von Knobbelsdorff - a former P&Per who’s organising Community Solar Day

As the protesters leading the Occupy Wall Street and Occupy London movement decry the big banks that crashed the economy, foreclose people’s homes and continue to finance mega fossil fuel projects like the Tar Sands, community solar represents one path forward: clean energy created for and by the people.

Community solar projects are taking the first steps toward a future where people can move their money out of low-yield savings accounts and into safe and high-yield solar investments that lower carbon emissions and create green jobs and local prosperity.

Sign-up today to get together with your family and friends and take a picture occupying the rooftop of a community building that you want to take solar!

Many of us aren’t able to go solar on our own homes due to high up-front costs or because we don’t own our home, but we all know university buildings, churches and schools with big roofs that are perfect for a community solar project.
Sign-up today on and you’ll get all the resources you need to start a beautiful, job-producing solar project in your community. Go greener!

Sign-up to help your community thrive through clean energy at www.solarmosaic.com/solarday

Unless you are a certain flame-haired supermodel who can afford a flat in London and a first-class commute to lectures, shared accommodation is a necessity during university. I have to say my experience of shared living was mixed: communal baking, charades and having friends around were excellent; dying rats under the floor boards and shelling out for monthly bills; not so excellent.

If you have ever had to suffer the stench of a decomposing rat, you have my sympathies. Equally, if you have tried to explain to a housemate why having four light bulbs on in one bedroom is a waste; I also feel your pain. There is an element of reason involved, of course. Walking around the house with three jumpers, two t-shirts, gloves, tights, trousers and several pairs of socks on at once is definitely no fun (believe me, I would know), but it is surely important to save money– and the planet too. If SJP of Sex and the City had practiced energy-saving initiatives, she could have bought more shoes instead of needing a bail out from Big. And who wouldn’t want more shoes, or anything else for that matter?

There are many ways to cut down on unnecessary energy use but measuring your electricity use is a good place to start. There are ways to get free measurement devices that plug in and calculate your costs . Oxford University have also created an imeasure which is more work but still provides results as you can find out which appliances eat up your money and use them less. One ‘out there’ suggestion is to use cling-film for secondary glazing – tape it around your windows and then hair dryer it taut. I did this to keep a ladybird infestation out, but it works just as well to keep heat in. Tin foil behind a radiator may help too; recycle foil take-out boxes to be optimally sustainable. Alternatively, sign up to People & Planet’s Big Green Makeover project and you’ll get all the training and resources you need to help fellow students do this for free!

I also recommend outlining the ‘Landlords Energy Saving Allowance’ to your landlord. Up to £1,500 can be claimed against tax each year to improve a property’s eco-credentials. Who knows, there may be some green landlords out there, so spread the word. Encourage your landlord to install better insulation on the roof or around water pipes, and point them in the direction of claims information.

There is one caveat to implementing energy saving suggestions: the rest of your household. Lead by example, gentle persuasion, reminders, and advice as the first steps to switching off appliances and turning down the heating, which can then be backed by technological solutions. Forgetting to turn something off is not an excuse anymore. There is of course an App that can remotely turn off electronics – can you believe that? If nothing else works, try positive conditioning. Get housemates to turn off lights or computers then surreptitiously give them a sweet. Repetition is key. Soon energy saving behaviour will occur with just the vague memory of a delicious sweet for encouragement. In a nod to Thorndike, like rats pressing a lever, those lights go off.

The latter suggestion may not be such a good idea (though I’d love to try it just to see if it works!) but it is definitely hugely beneficial to try and implement energy saving initiatives around the house you’re letting. If nothing else, try it for a month as evidence for the months to come, and watch your bills go down. Before you feel the pinch of huge bills, try turning to this advice. It just might help!

Katie