Within the past year, global food prices have risen by 75%. Prices of wheat, soya, oilseeds, maize and rice are now at record levels. The World Bank has warned that 100 million more people are facing hunger and malnutrition because of rising food prices.
The greenhouse gas emissions caused by livestock and industrial fishing account for 18 per cent of global warming; more than the emissions from the world’s entire transport system, at 13.5 per cent. Techno fixes such as GM crops and Biofuels are not the answer to climate chaos, we need to change our patterns of consumption and switch to a low impact, cruelty free lifestyle!
With one week to go before the food and climate change day of action; get creative and get involved!
“Livestock’s contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale. The impact is so significant that it needs to be addressed with urgency.”
— United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation 2006
“The grain required to fill a 25-gallon SUV gas tank with ethanol will feed one person for a year.” (Lester Brown, Director of the Earth Policy Institute).
The UN Conference on World Food Security and Climate Change runs from 3rd to 5th June 2008. The Network for Climate Action is inviting you to take action on and around the 3rd of June 2008. There’s stuff happening all over the country, and internationally, on the day itself, and before and after it.
Climate action starts on your dinner plate, at the supermarket, on your allotment and in your back yard, at the food processing and distribution centres, down on the farm, in your high street, at the airport and at the lorry park. Use this day as a way to highlight the complexity of food related issues, and also to promote specific campaigns..
It’s time to detox the planet and take action on food and climate change! Groups all over the country are planning actions, demonstrations, film nights, workshops and free food events. For more ideas, and resources, visit the website: http://daysofclimateaction.org.uk; and let us know if you need anything else, or if you have resources that could be shared!
Remember, the list below is only a list of public events, actions to follow when announced! If you want information about whats going on in your area, please get in touch!
MANCHESTER 01/06 Vegan picnic, demo and surprise activity!
Free vegan food
12–4, Piccadilly Gardens email: manchester@climatecamp.org.uk
BRISTOL 31/05–01/06 Bristol Vegan Fayre
http://www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/
SHEFFIELD 31/05 Free vegan food stall
email:sheffieldanimalfriends@googlemail.com
LIVERPOOL 31/05 Free vegan food event 12–4 Next to Nowhere, (this event kick starts the vegan drop in which will happen 1–5 every Saturday, Next to Nowhere). http://www.liverpoolsocialcentre.org/
LONDON
31/05 Protest against the proposed Combined Cycle Biofuel Electricity Generation Plant. Stall on Myrtle Road, East Ham from 10:30 to 6:30.
Banner drop from 3:00 to 5:00pm outside Newham Town Hall, East Ham. 04/06
Protest outside the final consultation meeting at Newham Town Hall 6:30 to 7:10pm , Barking Road, East Ham.
http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/files/thames_gateway_biodiesel_project.pdf
As part of the national day of action on food and climate change called by the Network for Climate Action, Food Not Bombs and Reclaim Your Food will be serving *free vegan food* at a *secret location* in South London!
* All the food will be skipped, reclaimed from the waste of an affluent capitalist society.
* All the food will be vegan, minimizing the climate-impact of the food. Meet on Tuesday the 3rd of June at Camberwell Green (in the Green itself), 2PM sharp to move on to a *secret location*
Camberwell Green — http://tinyurl.com/5h25yq
London Food Not Bombs — http://www.londonfnb.org
NOTTINGHAM 24/05–15/06 ‘Greenweeks’: allotment open days, organic growing courses and more!
http://www.greenweeks.org/
AMSTERDAM: Veganism and Climate Change film night
http://www.aseed.net/
The food we eat contributes up to a third of the emissions that are poisoning the planet. It’s time for a detox … Changing our diet is one of the most effective steps we can take!
Whether you’re working on local organic food, growing your own, veganism, permaculture, food security, humanitarian issues, transport campaigning, agrofuels, anti — GM food … make the links on climate change … take action on the 3rd of June toward a low-carbon diet!
Whatever your tastes, there’s something for everyone on this action menu! There are many proposed solutions — we think it’s time to start the debate. Get creative and get involved!
Please let us know what you are planning (if its appropriate!) or if not, tell us as soon as you’ve done it! Don’t forget to send us your photos too!
The media phone no for the day will be 07961917535; or you can email food@daysofclimateaction.org.uk.
This Day of Action on Climate Change is called by the Network for Climate Action in co-operation with the Rising Tide Network and the Camp for Climate Action.