Reading local group
We meet every second Wednesday of the month at RISC in London Street.
Next event: Meeting Wed 13th August 2008 - RISC 8pm. All welcome!
Reading Friends of the Earth at Forbury Fever 2008!
Kids volunteering to help Orang in his (or her?!) battle against the Evil Biofuel Pumps
Reading Friends of the Earth were at Reading Borough Council's excellent Forbury Fever event, celebrating World Environment Day in the Forbury Gardens with lots of activities for children and information for adults on an environmental theme. Despite uncertain forecasts, the weather on the day was perfect, and there was a constant stream of visitors. The focus of our stall this year was biofuels and palm oil, with information about biofuels and postcards to sign to our MEPs, and a game for kids. Currently, 2.5% of petrol and diesel is biofuel (fuel made out of plants such as maize, soya, rapeseed and palm oil); this proportion is set to increase as we move towards the EU's target of 5% in 2010. The EU wants to set an even greater target of 10% by 2020, but this will increase deforestation, put more pressure on world food prices, and threaten local communities as large agribusiness grabs land for biofuel development. Our biofuels campaign aims at getting MEPs to vote against the 10% biofuels target when the Renewable Energy Directive, which we otherwise support, comes up for vote in September. More information on biofuels and the campaign itself can be found here.
Durbin and John fronted the stall, and got our biofuels campaign off to a great start with 55 postcards signed
As well as having useful information for adults, our stall was very child-friendly, with rainforest animals to colour in, a skittles-style ball game called "Orang's Last Stand", and Orang himself making an occasional appearance to the delight (and sometimes trepidation!) of the kids. The aim of the game was to knock down the "Evil Biofuel Pumps" with 5 tennis ball throws, leaving Orang, his rainforest trees, and our bread standing; the bread representing the pressure placed on staple food prices by demand for biofuels. The orangutan is endangered as the peat swamp rainforest in Indonesia where it lives is rapidly destroyed for logging and palm plantations; there are less than 80,000 orangutans left, with roughly 5000 killed a year. Orang was kept very busy, with over 150 kids playing the game, each receiving a personalised certificate and choice of animal sticker.
Orang's Last Stand; help save Orang by knocking down the Evil Biofuel Pumps!
Many other campaign groups were present at Forbury Fever, including Reading Rising Tide, who were also campaigning on palm oil, and Thames Valley Campaign for Better Transport. Mike starred in some thought provoking climate change theatre which included a strong element of audience participation and direction, and there were lots of other activities going on for children and families, including circus skills, face painting, story-telling and a teddy-bears' picnic.
Many thanks to everyone who came along and helped, particularly John and Anne for getting everything down to the gardens and set up in time, and Amy, John and Thalia Carr (of RBC) for doing much of the organising beforehand. Doug, Helen and I took some photos of the day, which can currently be found on the web here:
Orang is unmasked! Thanks to Ulrik, Caroline and Helen for playing Orang, and to Mike for kindly providing the costume and other props for the stall.
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Forbury Fever
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Plastic bags are Rubbish
Clean-up 2007
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Public meeting
Public meeting with local MP's on Climate Change.
Corporate accountability
Highlighting the link between UK corporations, palm oil production and rainforest destruction.
Nottingham declaration
Reading council has promised to sign the Nottingham declaration.