ancestral homelands returned

One of the biggest land handovers in Queensland Australia’s history took place yesterday when more than 630,000 hectares was given back to the Olkola people of Cape York.

This was brought about by 30 years of campaigning and negotiation from Olkola Aboriginal Corporation chairman Michael Ross.

Mr Ross was “out bush” when media attempted to contact him but in a written statement he said the Olkola had already explored the economic benefits that could come from opportunities such as tourism and sustainable pastoralism.

For more information and some beautiful photos use this link to visit the Australian Conservation Foundation website.

The Power of You

Fairtrade Australia & New Zealand

The Fairtrade Awards are here! Voting is now open at www.thepowerofyou.org.au/awards

The Fairtrade Awards celebrate businesses that have helped grow ‪#‎Fairtrade‬ in Australia. Help recognise their efforts by voting for your favourite Fairtrade Certified product, cafe & specialty retailer.

good news for us (& whales)

International Court of Justice orders Japan to stop Antarctic whaling

“Australians can all feel proud,” says former Greens leader Bob Brown of the International Court of Justice’s ruling to ban Japanese whaling. “It’s a whale of a win… Paul Watson is a hero.” (Sea Shepherd captain)

The Australian government, which in May 2010 launched the international legal challenge to Japan’s contention that they killed thousands of minke whales in the Antarctic for “scientific research”.

The former environment minister Peter Garrett, who launched the action, said this morning he was “overjoyed”. “This is a comprehensive and resounding decision in Australia’s favour,” he told the ABC.

“It means we won’t see harpoons in the Southern Ocean – we certainly shouldn’t see them down there any longer. “I’m absolutely over the moon for all those people who wanted to see the charade of scientific whaling cease once and for all. To have this ruling from the international court, which is absolutely clear and totally comprehensive, vindicates the decision that we took in taking Japan to the court.”

Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who was a key player in launching the legal action, said the win for Australia in The Hague was a “pioneering piece of litigation” as it was the first time an environmental treaty had been tested in the ICJ. “It’s going to pave the way for more environmental litigation I could expect between nations,” he told the ABC.

The ICJ’s ruling states that Japan must cease whaling immediately, revoking all existing permits. Japan says it will respect and comply with the court’s decision, which concluded that the whales used in alleged scientific research was not proportionate to the number of whales killed. Japan has cited the 1946 International Convention of Whaling which permits killing for research, to justify the hunting of up to 850 minke whales a year.

In 2010 when the Rudd government launched the action, the then opposition leader Tony Abbott said a Coalition government would not take Japan to the ICJ to stop whaling because it did not want to “needlessly antagonise our most important trading partner”. There are limits to what you can reasonably do, and taking war-like action against Japan is not something that a sensible Australian politician ought to recommend.” Up yours Tony.

Bob Brown previously said “down there each summer the Japanese whaling fleet arrives with grenade-tipped harpoons to slaughter, with obscene cruelty, the whales that make their winter migration  up Australia’s coastlines to calve in warmer waters. Mothers are harpooned in front of their calves. Calves in front of their mothers. Death may take half an hour and the carcasses are hauled into the killers’ factory ship to be flensed and sent to Tokyo for sale in the fish markets.”

Today he said: “The International Court of Justice findings that Japan’s whaling is illegal vindicates a decade of courageous actions by Captain Paul Watson and his crews. All across Australia people will be celebrating this win due to Sea Shepherd and their huge public support for protecting whales in this country that led to the Australian Government to take this legal action. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott should tell Japan, ‘Never cross the equator again with a whale harpoon gun’.” Tony Abbott travels to Japan for trade talks later this month.

what we wear

 Ok so most of us know since Bangladesh’s worst industrial accident that killed more than 1000 garment workers there has been fallout for the clothing industry globally. Discussion is grand, signing petitions and emailing corporate giants is grand but do we walk our talk? Have our shopping habits changed? If you find a great pair of jeans and they are super cheap chances are a grossly underpaid and overworked person made them for you. Your jeans might be sand blasted. In this case our worker has probably irreparably damaged their health and longevity. Do you consider this before you purchase or do you say ‘wow these jeans are a bargain!’. There are no bargains. Someone pays. Oh I could go on. Anyway, please continue discussing and educating people and signing and emailing and donating. These are wonderful ways to help people…….but please also think about what you buy. I often ask the salesperson, store manager, whomever…………..where are these made, who made these, do you know anything about the factory? Sometimes the store knows, often not. Sometimes I get a funny look. I don’t care. I am planting a seed. Help me plant more seeds. Gardens are good for everybody.

If you click the image below you can view a recent documentary “Fashion Victims”. It’s available online until 21 July 2013. Also if you have not already please read my article on fair trade on the home page.

being a vegetarian doesn’t make you weird….on the contrary

Please take 2 1/2 minutes to view & pass on

See the following links for listings of well known vegetarians ;

http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment-old/gallery-e6frer9x-1225735219766?page=1

http://www.peta.org/features/famous-vegetarian-postage-stamp-series.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vegetarians

http://www.happycow.net/famous_vegetarians.html

http://vegetarian.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004527

 

 

 

big brand ethics

Behind the Brands is part of Oxfam’s GROW campaign to help create a world where everyone has enough to eat. Right now, nearly one in eight people on earth go to bed hungry. Sadly, the majority of these people are farmers or farm workers supplying the very food system that is failing them.  Yet there is enough food for everyone. That’s an outrage – but we can be the generation that ends this crazy situation. Check out Oxfam’s report with the following link http://www.behindthebrands.org/en

The Behind the Brands Scorecard assesses the agricultural sourcing policies of the world’s 10 largest food and beverage companies. It exclusively focuses on publicly available information that relates to the policies of these companies on their sourcing of agricultural commodities from developing countries. Click on the image below for more information.

Sustainability Leadership Program – Leadership Training & Courses | Leadership Rewired | Home

Sustainability Leadership Program – Leadership Training & Courses | Leadership Rewired | Home.

fair & ethical trade; why bother?

Welcome to The Green Pavilion with green buzz.

The Green Pavilion is an online store specialising in premium, earth friendly wares. See www.thegreenpavilion.com.au  Don’t you just adore blatant plugs?

The green buzz is (hopefully) an up to date resource for anyone interested in eco tidbits, news and information. It also let’s me vent when I cannot find like minded people and indulge in my passions for research, ethical trade, the environment and animal welfare. There is much to read here with links to sources and resources. Feedback and topic suggestions are welcome. Feel free to share anything you find worthwhile. Even if you don’t read anything else please read below. Thank you, Carol.

Fair and ethical trade:  what is it and why bother?

I believe most people value the same things. Women all over our planet want food, shelter, employment and education for their children. Everybody wants and needs to be validated. Paid employment with good working conditions, a fair wage and perhaps even some health care is being valued. Having a job and a wage solves myriad problems.

Currently millions of people around the world endure inadequate, sometimes shocking, conditions at work. Children as well. Yes. Think about this and envision a world where all workers are free from exploitation. It’s the beginning of a wonderful peace plan………….

I truly believe that ethical commerce can help people and the planet. By caring about the people who make our food, clothe our bodies and decorate our homes we can build meaningful connections around the world. Shifting our consumer spending to support ethical and fair trade will make a difference to producers all over the world and influence the marketplace. Every business and government is listening to what consumers say and we (yes, you and me!) are shoppers………… and whether you know it or not, you are voting with your dollars. Every purchasing decision you make has repercussions…….large or small, good or bad. Sorry. No free rides on this planet.

“Ethical trade” is an umbrella term for all types of business practices that promote more socially and/or environmentally responsible trade. Ethical trade means that retailers, brands and their suppliers take responsibility for improving the working conditions of the people who make the products they sell. Many workers in varying fields are employed by global companies and many of them are based in developing countries where laws designed to protect workers’ rights are inadequate or not enforced. Companies with a commitment to ethical trade adopt a code of labour practice that they expect all their suppliers to work towards. Such codes address issues like wages, hours of work, health and safety and the right to join free trade unions. ‘Doing’ ethical trade is much harder than it sounds. Modern supply chains are vast, complex and span the globe.

“Fair trade” is an organized social movement and market based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, tea, sugar and chocolate.  The variety of fair trade products is increasing along with increased awareness of fair trade principles.

The Fair Trade movement provides market access to otherwise marginalized producers, connecting them to customers and allowing access with fewer middlemen. (That sounds good to me!). It aims to provide higher wages than typically paid to producers as well as helping producers develop knowledge, skills and resources to improve their lives. Fair trade advocates also seek to raise awareness of the movement’s philosophies among consumers in developed nations. That’s exactly what I am endeavouring to do here! Fair trade products are traded and marketed by “product certification” whereby products complying with specifications are produced, traded, processed and packaged in accordance with the standards.

What I want you to do: I don’t want you to buy more products or spent more money BUT at the very least you should be sourcing and puchasing ethical or fair trade tea, coffee and sugar. It’s easy. Even your local supermarkets have these products on their shelves now. Ok so they’re not in prime positions but they are there! Many supermarkets also have fairtrade chocolate. God, even cadbury’s is on the bandwagon now. Just try a little brand substitution when you are doing your regular trolley push. If you are not into reading labels ( I am ) look out for the Fairtrade certification marks below.

What else? Inform yourself. Spread the word. Seek out fair and ethically traded goods when you want/need something. Spread the word. It’s a good idea.It’s the beginning of a wonderful peace plan…………. 

	International Fairtrade certification mark
	WFTO Fair Trade organization mark