Trees cut down in Australia by angry farmers

In a conflict growing in bitterness, farmers across Australia each cut down one tree on their land. The farmers are threatening to raise the number of trees they fell each day, so that by the end of the week more than 128,00 trees could be cut down in one day. The cause of their anger is the government’s refusal to review the land-clearing laws that prevent farmers from felling trees on their land. The problem according to the farmers is that by banning them from clearing trees from their land, they are losing acres of usable farmland, making many farms unviable. The government response is that the trees are needed to soak up CO2 and without the law, huge areas would be cleared to make arable land.

This is a sensitive and difficult issue, with no obvious possible resolution. On the one hand, the trees are vital to help combat rising levels of CO2 and on the other the farmers’ livelihoods are on the line. The farmers claim that the destruction of their farming capacity will cause food shortages in Australia.

Even with the law protecting the environment, illegal land clearing is a big problem in some Australian states. A WWF study in New South Wales estimated that in 2006 alone, 80 million reptiles and 13 million birds were wiped out because their habitat was destroyed. Again this highlights the problem that is being faced by politicians everywhere, how to balance the needs of the planet with the needs of ever growing populations. This is an issue that will not go away and will need to be resolved at some point.

[Via The Times]

Many people are still sceptical of climate change

Strange as it sounds, many people still do not believe global warming is a serious issue that they need to deal with. A poll by Ipsos Mori on the BBC News website shows that many Britons still believe the problem of climate change is being overstated by politicians and scientists. Even more worrying is that 56% believe that scientists are still questioning the human impact on climate change. The situation is being exacerbated by people’s belief that politicians are using the issue of climate change as a means of increasing revenue through new and extended taxes.

Such cynicism is to be expected after so many years of political spin on any number of issues. We live in a period where politicians are viewed with mistrust and pretty much everything they say has to be taken with a ‘pinch of salt’, nothing coming from government is ever as clear-cut or simple or as wholly truthful as they would have us believe. I do not think that this is the real problem though.

The real problem I think is that many people want to carry on living their lives in the same way as they have always done. Making lifestyle changes is difficult for most people. People are used to having electronic gadgets to make their lives easier and more pleasant, having cars to allow them the freedom to get around, taking holidays anywhere in the world, along with everything else that is contributing to global warming. So for many people, any excuse they can find to doubt global warming will help them to justify their lifestyle. I think it is more a way of avoiding having to do anything rather than a genuine belief that global warming is not real and is not a threat.

Somehow though, the general population needs to be made aware of the reality of global warming. Time is fast running out for us to be able to reverse the changes to the climate.

Junky Styling wardrobe re-style

Junky Styling are an amazing and innovative fashion company based in London’s Brick Lane. Started by Annika Sanders and Kerry Seager, it is an outlet for their unique style of clothing. Taking second-hand clothes and remaking them into trendy and cutting-edge fashion items is their fortė. I have been trying to source ethical clothing for my self via the internet without a great deal of success recently. I mean, if I want ethnic or hippy style clothes, there are plenty of suppliers, but trying to find something a little more fashionable is proving virtually impossible.

The answer could be Junky Styling’s Wardrobe Surgery, a service that takes your existing, or bought second hand clothes and remakes them into something fashionable. You can give your design input and the clothes are cut to suit your body type and size. You get to work with the designers and unleash your own creative genius too, which sounds like great fun.

Stuff for men

Gone are the days when all a man had to do was shave in the morning using a sharp razor and some soap and splash some cold water on his face to finish. Now there are virtually as many men’s grooming products as there are women’s. Do women have grooming products? I’m not sure, but you get the picture. The choice can be baffling, to me at least. So, to make it a little easier, here are some natural products for us men.

Green People have a range for men, funnily enough called Organic Homme, a vegan organic range of stuff. Being Green people you can be sure there are no harmful chemicals and the ingredients are natural and where possible organic. They are not tested on animals and are vegan. They come in nice dark grey colour bottles, so you don’t look like you’ve picked up your girlfriends wash bag by mistake if you use them at the gym. The range has lots of different items, like pre-shave, shave now, shower wash, deodorant, shampoo…etc.

Check them out at Greenpeople.co.uk

Farmaesthetics® beauty products

What is Farmaesthetics®? I hear you ask…Well let me explain…Farmaesthetics® is a natural beauty and wellness approach founded by Brenda Brock. Brenda is the daughter of a seventh generation Texas farming family. Brenda blends the age old tradition of using home grown herbs and flowers to make skin care products with modern cosmetic manufacturing. Brenda’s recipes use a blend of organic herbs and flowers from American farms. Her range is organic and based on sustainable agriculture, so the products are not only good for you, they’re good for the planet too.

Now available through Origins, the range includes a variety of skin softeners and other bits, which I have to admit, as a man, I am not sure what they are. Best if you look at them yourselves!

Travel kit from Juice Beauty

Summer is upon us once again, and with it comes the all-important summer holiday. Whether you’re planning a few days in the country, or perhaps a week or two in the sun, you’re going to need travel size beauty products. As a healthier option, why not try something organic and natural? Juice Beauty are an American company set up in California (where else?) to produce natural and organic beauty products. Their range is made with 95% certified organic ingredients, including an antioxidant rich fruit juice base to nourish your skin.

The Organics To Go kit is the perfect introduction to the Juice Beauty range. The kit costs $29.00 contains everything you need for a healthy, radiant glow on-the-go and includes a creamy milk cleanser, refreshing hydrating mist, exfoliating green apple peel, vitamin rich-antioxidant serum and lightweight oil-free moisturizer. As a bonus gift you also get a soft, organic bamboo face cloth.

You can buy the kit along with other great products from the Juice Beauty website.

Tesco accused of exploiting workers in South Africa

Famous actress Emma Thompson has accused Tesco of subjecting some of their workers in South Africa to appalling pay and conditions. Ms Thompson, who is an ambassador for the charity ActionAid said “I have visited these farms and I was shocked by what I saw” after her tour of farms in the Western Cape area of South Africa. Thompson claimed that 80 women worked from 7am to 6pm for the equivalent of just 38p.

Tesco’s media director, Jonathan Church denied her claims, and said “We have looked at the farm conditions and pay, gone over the allegations made and not found any evidence to suggest there is a problem”. I’m sure the media director sat in his plush offices in the UK really knows more about the situation on South African farms than Emma Thompson who has actually been there and seen the situation for herself.

It is about time corporations took responsibility for their suppliers’ actions and set up a validation process that involves independent assessment of working conditions around the world. Being ethical needs to be more than a marketing strategy, it needs to be a moral code that corporations follow.

[Via The Telegraph]