Themankind

manifesTO

Dolenibh eugiamet autet, quamcon sequam veliqui et ut wisit, quisit vercilla feum

2010, New YorkAolenibh eugiamet autet, quamcon sequam veliqui et ut wisit, quisit vercilla feum velissequis ex ero con velissequat, consequi blam, velit adit ing eu facing exer sim nullandre faccum ex erci et niam quat. Duisi.

Change is needed. Each of us can promote sustainability and justice at multiple levels: as an individual, as a teacher or parent, a community member, a national citizen, and as a global citizen. The good thing about such problem is that there are so many points of intervention. That means that there are lots and lots of places to plug in, to get involved, and to make a difference. There is no single simple thing to do, because the set of problems were addressing just isnt simple. But everyone can make a difference, but the bigger your action the bigger the difference youll make. Here are some ideas. Sign the Mankind Manifesto

501. SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE02. THINK GLOBALACT LOCAL03. USE NATURAL PRODUCTS04. LOOK AFTERTHE WATER05. BUY GREEN, BUY FAIR,BUY LOCAL, BUY USED, AND

MOST IMPORTANTLY BUY LESS06. CONTROL YOUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT07. LEARN FROM YESTERDAY, LIVE FOR TODAY, HOPE

FOR TOMORROW08. WASTE LESS09. BUY NOTHING DAY10. RECYCLE YOUR TRASH & YOUR ELECTED OFFITIALS11. EAT MORE FRESH, LOCAL & SEASONAL FOOD12. CLEAN UP YOUR TRANSPORT13. CHANGE YOUR LIGHTBULBS & THEN CHANGE YOUR

PARADIGM14. WE NEVER STOP LEARNING15. TALK TO EVERYONE ABOUT THESE ISSUES16. DEMAND PEACE & DISARMAMENT17. THE END OF NUCLEAR AGE18. ENCOURAGE SUSTAINABLE TRADE19. POWER DOWN!20. SAY NO TO GENETIC ENGINEERING

01SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE

7Whether you share a ride with your neighbour to work, share your things amongst family and friends, or share your knowledge about growing vegetables or cleaning with baking soda you are helping create a sustainable world. We dont all need to own everything. Give what you hardly ever use to someone who will use it (and tell them you will borrow it back if you need it), instead of buying a water-blaster borrow your neighbours, or share your discoveries and tell everyone about Econation! Sharing feels good because it is good for people and for the environment.

Good for your pocket and the environmentCar pooling, also known as ride-sharing or lift-sharing, can save you big bucks on gas, wear and tear on your vehicle, oil resources and reduce all the associated nasty environ-mental impact associated with driving. But wait, theres more!..

When you drive to work, are you alone or do you have room for other passengers? Have you ever noticed how many others around you are driving on their own too? In Australia, 83% people who drove to work or study in 2003 did not have a passenger. (ABS Social Trends, 2003). In the USA, single occupant commuting is around 75% according to census data.

There are millions of us who engage in so-litary travel to and from work; driving billions of miles each year, spending a stack of cash on gas and pumping tons of emissions into the atmosphere.

According to the SightLi-ne Insitute (single passenger statistics):- A small car emits around .59 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile- A medium car emits around 1.1 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile- An SUV/4 wheel emits around 1.57 pounds of carbon dioxide per mileIf public transport isnt for you and youve rejected the idea of car pooling in the past for wha-tever reasons, technology has provided more far more choice, flexibility and efficiency to the concept - perhaps its time to consider it again?

As mentioned, you dont necessarily have to have a car to participate in a lift sharing

arrangement. In these cases you should plan to contribute cash to the driver to help cover his or her costs.

Formal carpooling is thought to have emer-ged in mid-1970s, likely due to the oil crisis at that time. It was a different sort of crisis back then and what we face now is far more serious. Our crisis isnt so much about politics or oil cartels; its about a resource thats running out and one that plays a major role in global warming - oil.

While the days of plentiful, easy to extract crude oil are just about over; there will be still enough around for some years to come to push us well over the brink into runaway glo-bal warming. Unavoidable change is already occurring to our climate, but its within the power of each of us to do our little bit to re-duce emissions - and our collective efforts can make a difference as to how bad things get.

social

U.S. driverS waSted

4.2 billion hoUrS Sitting in traffic in 2005

9Car pooling advantagesSAvE MoNEyJust putting aside the gloom and doom aspect of the environmental impact of fossil fuels; consider even the cost saving aspect. Ive been reading a fair bit on car pooling today and it hasnt been uncommon to read stories of people who save a couple of hundred dollars a month in transport costs by sharing a ride with someone else. In some cities, you can also save on tolls and parking if your vehicle has multiple occupants.

Its not just the cost of gas, tolls and parking, but city driving is notorious for causing wear on vehicles - all the stopping and starting wears out engines, brakes and gearboxes, not to mention tire wear. According to the American Automobile Asso-ciation, it costs an average of 26.2 cents per mile to drive a car; and thats just gas and wear and tear combined.

DEcoNgEStS RoADSAccording to a recent US stu-dy, Commuting in America:- U.S. drivers wasted 4.2 billion hours sitting in traffic in 2005- Traffic delays chewed

through 2.9 billion gallons of fuel- In Los Angeles, the average driver wastes 72 hours per year going nowhere.

If everyone car pooled, imagine the many hundreds of thousands of vehicles that would be off the road each day. This would lessen traffic congestion, making trips fas-ter, cutting fuel and car main-tenance costs even further. Some places even have roads with designated lanes for multiple occupant vehicles and I expect well see more of this in the years ahead.

SocIAL & EMotIoNALThrough sharing a ride, youll meet other people. Our online world is steadily dis-connecting people and that can be unhealthy for many folks. For some people, theres nothing like a pep session before the daily grind and a counselling session immedia-tely afterwards.

Also, if you find driving to work stressful, car pooling can alleviate the frustration in travelling to and from the workplace. You may even find time to carry out other tasks during the drive instead, such as preparing for meetings etc.

FLExIbILIty tHRougH tEcHNoLogyIn the early days of car pooling, it was fairly restric-tive and it could be difficult to find people you get along with to team up to share a ride. The advent of the World Wide Web has changed all that. Many online services have sprung up that provide a good choice of people to ride share with and there-fore greater flexibility with your own timetable. Better online resources will offer the following matching:

Geographic matching departure and destination routes

Chronological matching times of departure and arrival

Personal Preferences. - Po-ints such as whether you wish to be a driver and/or pas-senger, gender preferences, smoker/non-smoker - some even provide matching for music choices. Thats quite a good idea; I know I would go absolutely nuts sitting through an hour of rap (no offense to rappers intended).

02tHINK gLobAL Act LocAL

11

We need a global movement that believes not just politicians, institutions and big businesses that can change the world - ordinary people can do it too.There are loads of small things we can all do everyday. Little things like turning off the tap when youre brushing your teeth, taking your own bag to the supermarket or teaching your granny to text. They might seem small and insignificant on their own, but their effect can be massive. If we all do them regularly, we can have a huge impact on many of the environmental and social problems we are facing.

small actionsx lots of people= big change

13

small actionsx lots of people= big change

03uSE NAtuRAL PRoDuctS

Products such as personal care and cleaning products, fire retardants (on fabrics for example), pesticides and paints often contain hazardous, synthetic ingredients which end up in the environment and do not break down building up to toxic levels. It is more sustainable to use products that are natural and not made from petrochemicals and synthetic chemicals.

In goods production we use energy to mix toxic chemicals in with the natural resources to make toxic contaminated products. There are over 100,000 synthetic chemicals in commerce today. Only a handful of these have even been tested for human health impacts and none of them have been

tested for synergistic health impacts, that means when they interact with all the other

chemicals were exposed to every day. So, we dont know the full impact of these toxics on our health and environment of all these toxic chemicals. But we do know one thing: Toxics in, Toxics Out. As long as we keep putting toxics into our production system, we are going to keep getting toxics in the stuff that we bring into our homes, our workplaces, and schools. And, duh, our bodies.23 ts the governments job is to watch out for us, to take care of us. Thats their job.5 Then along came the corporation. Now, the reason the corporation looks bigger than the government is that the corporation is bigger than the government. Of the 100 largest economies on earth now, 51 are corporations.6 As the corporations have grown in size and power, weve seen a little change in the government where theyre a little more concerned in making sure everything is working out for those guys than for us.7

u.s. generates2.000.000.000 kg

of chemical toxics each year

17

Of the more than 80,000 chemicals in commerce, only a small percentage of them have ever been screened for even one potential health effect, such as cancer, reproductive toxicity, developmen-tal toxicity, or impacts on the immune system.

u.s. generates2.000.000.000 kg

of chemical toxics each year

04LooK AFtER tHE WAtER

19

Clean water is a precious resource. Water quality is a big issue to solve, with runoff from farms, industry and urban environments impacting the quality of our waterways. Whilst New Zealand has plentiful rainfall the water thats available may be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Summer droughts are common in places like North Canterbury, Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay. Being water conscious helps reduce strain on municipal treatment systems and ensures theres enough to go around. You can collect rainwater to water your gardens in summer and recycle your greywater to the garden as well.

clean water iS a precioUS reSoUrce.

As climate changes water is becoming a scar-ce resource in many places around the world: lack of water and poor quality water causes millions of human deaths a year. There are a number of ways that we can manage water better to minimise water stress and help the environment.

Home water useAll the signs indicate that water shortages will become more and more common in many parts of New Zealand in future.How can homeowners adapt to such a future?

The first step is to treat water like the valuable resource it is and use it as efficiently as possible.This will help keep water in our reservoirs, rivers and underground sources and reduce the need to build more infrastruc-ture, such as new dams and water treatment facilities, to supply us with water.

A family of four in New Zealand uses about 500L per day not including water used in the garden - a garden sprinkler can use 900 litres an hour.In a typical home, about 25 per cent of water is used for baths and showers, 25 per cent for flushing toilets, 10 per cent is used in the kitchen, 20 per cent is used in the laundry and 20 per cent for gardening.

Many district councils have published excellent guides on how to save water around the house. They involve simple things that any of us can do.

The Waitakere City Council has produced a number of excellent guides about sustainable homes here are some of their guides relating to water.Saving Water We waste an enormous amount of quality drinking water. The average three-person household in Waitakere City uses about 485 litres of water per day.

Heating waterWater heating probably accounts for 45% of your annual household energy use. Most of us have electric storage hot water systems, which are often inefficient and wasteful.Using Rainwater We collect rainwater from a relatively small area and distribute it over the entire urban area of the city.WastewaterWastewater is the water we dispose of from our homes, offices and industry. It comes from toilets, sinks, showers, washing machi-nes and industrial processes and was histori-cally called sewage.Gardening with Water This document offers some simple tips on how to manage your garden and lawns for dry periods, which plants can cope best, and how to manage an irrigation system (if you must).

About 65 per cent of water used in the house is for non-potable purposes (flushing toilets, laundry and gardening).Rainwater collected from the roof can be used safely to meet these needs instead of treated water.Rainwater collection systems also reduce the amount of water flowing into storm runoff systems which means these can be smaller and less costly.

en viromental + economic

21

water Conservation tips

01. CheCk taps and pipes for leaksA small drip from a worn tap washer can waste 50 litres of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of litres.02. dont use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasketEvery time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or

other small bit of trash, water is wasted.03. install water-saving shower heads and take shorter showersInexpensive water-saving low-flow shower heads or restrictors are easy for the homeowner to install. Also, all taps should be fit with aerators04. Manage your your Cistern- Make sure all appliances and fittings have an AAA rating.- Install a dual flush toilet system.- Place a lead weight, or bott-les filled with water, into the toilet cistern or- Bend the ball-cock to reduce the volume of water in the cistern.Replacing an 18 litre per flush toilet with an ultra-low volu-me 6 litre flush model repre-sents a 70% savings in water flushed and will cut indoor water use by about 30%.

05. CheCk your toilets for leaksPut a little food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired immedia-tely. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.06. turn off the water after you wet your toothbrushThere is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.07. rinse your razor in the sinkFill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste of water.

forty percent of waterways have become undrinkable

By conserving water you keep water in reservoirs, rivers and aquifers and you help reduce the need for infrastructure such as water treatment plants, pump stations, pipes and drains.

INSIDE

08. use your dishwasher and Clothes washer for only full loadsAutomatic dishwashers and clothes washers should be fu-lly loaded for optimum water conservation. Most makers of dishwashing detergent reco-mend not pre-rinsing dishes which is a big water saving.For partial loads, adjust water levels to match the size of the load. Replace old clothes was-hers. New Energy Star rated washers use 35 - 50% less water and 50% less energy per load. If youre in the mar-ket for a new clothes washer, consider buying a water-saving frontload washer.09. when washing dishes by hand, dont leave the water running for rinsingIf your have a double-basin, fill one with soapy water and one with rinse water. If you have a single-basin sink, gather washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a spray device or a pot of hot water. When using a dishwas-her, there is usually no need to pre-rinse the dishes.

10. dont leave the tap running while you Clean vegetablesJust rinse them in a plugged sink or a pot of clean water. Use a dual-setting aerator.

01. plant drought-resistant lawns, shrubs and plantsIf you are planting a new lawn, or overseeding an existing lawn, use drought-resistant grasses. Plant slopes with plants that will retain water and help reduce runoff. Group plants according to their watering needs.02. put a layer of MulCh around trees and plants. Mulch will slow evaporation of moisture while discoura-ging weed growth. Adding 2 - 4 inches of organic material such as compost or bark mulch will increase the ability of the soil to retain moisture. Press the mulch down around the dripline of each plant to form a slight depression which will prevent or minimi-ze water runoff.03. dont water paved areas!Position your sprinklers so water lands on the lawn or garden, not on paved areas. Also, avoid watering on win-dy days.

en viromental + economic

outSIDE

23

04. water your lawn only when it needs itA good way to see if your lawn needs watering is to step on the grass. If it springs back up when you move, it doesnt need water. If it stays flat, the lawn is ready for watering. Letting the grass grow taller (say 5cm) will also promote water retention in the soil.05. deep-soak your lawnWhen watering the lawn, do it long enough for the moistu-re to soak down to the roots where it will do the most good. A light sprinkling can evaporate quickly and tends to encourage shallow root systems. Put an empty tuna can on your lawn - when its full, youve watered about the right amount.06. water during the early parts of the day; avoid watering when its windyEarly morning is generally better than dusk since it helps prevent the growth of fungus. Early watering, and late wate-ring, also reduce water loss to evaporation. Watering early

in the day is also the best defence against slugs and other garden pests. Try not to water when its windy - wind can blow sprinklers off target and speed evaporation.07. add organiC Matter and use effiCient watering systeMs for shrubs, flower beds and lawnsAdding organic material to your soil will help increase its absorption and water reten-tion. Areas which are already planted can be top dressed with compost or organic matter.You can greatly reduce the amount of water used for shrubs, beds and lawns by - the strategic placement of soaker hoses - installing a simple drip-irrigation systemWhen hand watering, use a variable spray nozzle for targeted watering.08. dont run the hose while washing your CarClean the car using a pail of soapy water. Use the hose only for rinsing - this simple

practice can save as much as 150 gallons when washing a car. Use a spray nozzle when rinsing for more efficient use of water. Better yet, use a waterless car washing system; there are several brands, such as EcoTouch, which are now on the market.09. use a brooM, not a hose, to Clean driveways and sidewalks10. CheCk for leaks in pipes, hoses, fauCets and CouplingsLeaks outside the house may not seem as bad since theyre not as visible. But they can be just as wasteful as leaks indoors. Check frequently to keep them drip-free.

outSIDE

05buy gREEN, buy FAIR, buy LocAL, buy uSED, AND MoSt IMPoRtANtLy buy LESS

25Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we currently face because the real changes we need just arent for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights. Look beyond vague claims on packages like all natural to find hard facts. Is it organic? Is it free of super-toxic PVC plastic? When you can, buy local products from local stores, which keeps more of our hard earned money in the community. Buying used items keeps them out of the trash and avoids the upstream waste created during extraction and production. But, buying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Sometimes, less really is more.

Food and other goods often make up over 50% of an individual's and home's ecological footprint. There are also environmental issues associated with food and goods production relating to resource use (including land use, water use and mineral extraction), hazardous and/or toxic ingredients, production waste and post-consumer waste.

There are a multitude of sustainable prac-tices relating to food and goods consumption outlined on these pages.

Goods are defined here as consumer end-products, and services, such as food, clothes, cleaning products and cosmetics. (Raw materials and components that go into the production of these goods are dealt with elsewhere on this website.)

It is possible to consider that some goods are more sustainable than others but unfortu-nately it is often a complex and often confu-sing task to work out which is which.

An illustration of the type of dilemma that exists is the issue of food miles. The distance that food travels from its primary source to your plate uses energy from fossil fuels and this creates greenhouse gas emissions. The further the food travels the more emissions are produced. This fact suggests that British people are better off buying apples grown in Britain and not from New Zealand, say. A complication arises when you consider a British person who is eating a British apple at the end of winter. This would happen if the apples have been stored in a cool-store for that long or perhaps even grown in artificial conditions which also uses energy. It may be that apples flown to Britain in winter from New Zealand have a smaller carbon footprint.

This scenario is made more complicated when you add all the other factors that add to the ecological footprint of the product. Perhaps one day we will have labelling that states accurately what the footprint of each product is but until that time it is a matter for

consumers to understand the basic concepts of the sustainable production of goods.

CostProducers should look for ways to make more sustainable products and consumers must choose to buy those products, if necessary, even if they are more expensive.

There is often a false economy buying cheap goods anyway. Cheap options are often less durable, less effective for their purpose and are made by cutting corners.

economic + socialthe mankind manifesto

27

ninet

Ynine

perC

ent o

F goo

ds Co

nsum

ed

in a H

ouse

are t

Hrow

n awa

Y in 6

mon

tHs

DurabilityQuality

The longer a product lasts the better. This obviously applies to manufactured goods. Studies have shown that in the US only 1% of materials that are used to manufacture products is still in a useful product after six months. The other 99% is essentially waste (which may be, but probably isnt, recycled). The study shows that the bulk of the material used (94%) is was-ted in the production process. However that still means that of the remaining 6% that is in the finished products over 83% of it is trashed within the first 6 months.

Effectiveness

for Purpose High service intensity

This is talking about the effectiveness of a product how well it does its job.

RecyclabilityIt uses much less energy to recycle, creates less

waste and mitigates the need for extraction of raw materials.

Low material intensity (including packaging)

A more sustainable product will have less material input that a less sustainable pro-duct. This may be achieved through factors like better de-sign, substitution of materials with better qualities, or better production processes.

Maximum renewable content

The less material we extract from the earths crust the better. Materials that come from renewable sources are sustainable.

Non-toxicityA toxic substance

means any chemical or mixture that may be harmful to the environment and to human health if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. The toxic substances contained in most everyday household products are synthetic and are therefo-re less likely to be biodegra-dable. Some toxic substances occur naturally like heavy metals but human activities have created dangerous levels of them in the environment.Many of the products you find in your home may have toxic substances. These products include: drain clea-ners; oven cleaners; laundry detergents; floor or furniture polish; paints; pesticides and the fire-retardants applied to many fabrics and carpets.Products should be made from substances that are ei-ther natural or are otherwise biodegradable and do not bio-accumulate.

Low energy intensity (low carbon footprint)

The energy intensity of any

tHE FoLLoWINg cHEcKLISt WILL HELP REMIND you oF tHE quEStIoNS to ANSWER WHEN buyINg PRoDuctS. oF couRSE tHE FIRSt quEStIoN IS Do you REALLy NEED It AND IF So Do you HAvE to PuRcHASE It?

1 1

1

1

1

1

1

economic + socialthe mankind manifesto

29

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

type of product includes the energy used in the sourcing of raw mate-rials, in the production process and in distribu-tion.

06coNtRoL youR EcoLogIcAL FootPRINt

31

This means it now takes the Earth one year and four months to regenerate what we use in a year.Moderate US scenarios suggest that if current population and consumption trends continue, by the mid 2030s we will need the equivalent of two Earths to support us. And of course, we only have one.

today hUmanity USeS the eqUivalent of 1.3 planetS to provide the reSoUrceS we USe and abSorb oUr waSte.

we Ha

ve le

ss tH

an tH

e Fou

r per

Cent

oF

our o

rigina

l For

ests

en viromentalthe mankind manifesto

Turning resources into waste faster than waste can be turned back into resources puts us in global ecological overshoot, depleting the very resources on which human life and biodiversity depend.

The result is collapsing fisheries, diminis-hing forest cover, depletion of fresh water systems, and the build up of pollution and waste, which creates problems like global cli-mate change. These are just a few of the most noticeable effects of overshoot.

Overshoot also contributes to resource conflicts and wars, mass migrations, famine, disease and other human tragediesand tends to have a disproportionate impact on the poor, who cannot buy their way out of the problem by getting resources from somewhe-re else.

33

07LEARN FRoM yEStERDAy, LIvE FoR toDAy, HoPE FoR toMoRRoW

social

35

You can only learn from a mistake after you admit youve made it. As soon as you start blaming other people (or the universe itself ) you distance yourself from any possible lesson. But if you courageously stand up and honestly say This is my mistake and I am responsible the possibilities for learning will move towards you. Admission of a mistake, even if only privately to yourself, makes learning possible by moving the focus away from blame assignment and towards understanding. Wise people admit their mistakes easily. They know progress accelerates when they do.

If people can't

accept your

imperfections,

that's their fault

.

Mahatma G

andhi

This advice runs counter to the cultural assumptions we have about mistakes and failure, namely that they are shameful things. Were taught in school, in our families, or at work to feel guilty about failure and to do whatever we can to avoid mistakes. This sense of shame combined with the inevitability of setbacks when attempting difficult things explains why many people give up on their goals: theyre not prepared for the mistakes and failures theyll face on their way to what they want. Whats missing in many peoples beliefs about success is the fact that the more challenging the goal, the more frequent and difficult setbacks will be. The larger your ambitions, the more dependent you will be on your ability to overcome and learn from your mistakes.

But for many reasons admitting mistakes is difficult. An implied value in many cultures is that our work represents us: if you fail a test, then you are a failure. If you make a mistake then you are a mistake (You may never have felt this way, but many people do. It explains the behavior of some of your high school or college friends). Like eggs, steak and other tasty things we are given letter grades (A, B, C, D and F) organizing us for someone elses consumption: universities and employers evaluate young candidates on their grades, numbers based on scores from tests unforgi-ving to mistakes.

For anyone than never discovers a deeper self-identity, based not on lack of mistakes but on courage, compassionate intelligence, commitment and creativity, life is a scary place made safe only by never getting into trouble, never breaking rules and never taking the risks that their hearts tell them they need to take.

Learning from mistakes requires three things:

Putting yourself in situa-tions where you can make interesting mistakes

Having the self-confiden-ce to admit to them

Being courageous about making changes

socialthe mankind manifesto

123

37

08WAStE LESSREDUCE/REUSE/RECYCLE

Use both sides of the paper, carry your own mugs and shopping bags, get printer cartridges refilled instead of replaced, compost food scraps, avoid bottled water and other over packaged products, upgrade computers rather than buying new ones, repair and mend rather than replace. the list is endless! The more we visibly engage in re-use over wasting, the more we cultivate a new cultural norm, or actually, reclaim an old one!

39

By consuming less and by recycling and reusing, we reduce the amount of waste that sits in landfills (where even biodegradable products often cant break down due to lack or oxygen and sunlight).As well as saving raw materials themselves recycling also saves energy when they are used to create new products. Some materials, like aluminum and glass, can even be recycled without being downcycled, or turned into a product of lesser quality.

nothing iS ever really thrown away it all goeS Somewhere.

WAStE MANAgEMENtThere are two fundamental strategies for dealing with household and office waste1 Dont make so much waste in the first place2 Dispose of waste in a safe and responsible manner

reduCeOne of the best ways to mini-mise waste is to generate less in the first place. There are many ways of doing this and some of them are listed here. They are simple solutions that just require a little bit of awareness and thought.

FooD AND FooD PAcKAgINgA staggering 20% of the food we buy we throw away either as leftovers or because it has gone off. so:

* plan more carefully when shopping and cooking* use the freezer to prolong the life of things* make use of leftovers; and* compost food you cant

useMuch of our bins are filled

with food packaging (much of which can be recycled). You could choose products with the least packaging or products that use recycled material in their packaging.

PAPERPaper is made out of trees using thousands of litres in the process not to mention often using bleaches, chlorine and other pollutants. Minimi-se paper use by:

* going digital online news, magazines and brochures

* using both sides of the paper!* buy recycled* put a no junkmail sign on your letterbox better yet put a junkmailers will be sued sign on your letterbox

NAPPIESA typical baby will get through about 5,000 dispo-sable nappies, most of which end up in landfill soaking up groundwater and taking thousands of years to decom-pose. Eco-friendly options include:

* using cloth nappies* using biodegradable dis-

one of the most effective ways to manage waste is not to create so much in the first place. reducing waste is an attitude. it is the attitude that you will not buy things you dont really need and are likely to chuck out. this may be difficult as almost all purchases

41

posable nappies

PLAStIc bAgSTake reusable bags when you go shopping.bAttERIESRechargeable batteries could save you $100s of dollars in their lifetime.

reuseReusing is really about get-ting the most out of some-thing.

Much of what we throw away is perfectly good its just that we dont need it any more. If you have something you dont need any more dont trash it, instead you can:

* Give it to a friend or relative* Give it to charity* Lend it out* sell it on trade-me or have a garage saleSometimes you throw

something out because it is broken or not working. You could get it fixed.

Reusing is not just about what you already have though. Before you buy some-thing, think about it. There is no point in buying something if you are just going to use it once. If you need to use something once then hire or borrow it.

And you can always buy second hand

reCYCleRecycling reduces the demand for raw materials, lessening the impact of ex-traction and transportation. This page describes what can be recycled:

* Glass* Paper* aluminium and steel cans* textiles* Plastic* organic waste* electrical and electronic equipment* Batteries* furniture* hazardous waste* mixed packaging

WHy REcycLE?Recycling reduces the demand for raw materials, lessening the impact of ex-traction and transportation. It is estimated that for every tonne of waste thrown away, an extra 20 tonnes of waste is created at the point where the raw material is extracted. Substantial energy savings can be made by using waste materials rather than raw materials, ranging from a potential 22% energy saving for recycled glass to a poten-tial 97% saving for recycled polythene.coStS oF REcycLINgThere will be no demand for waste materials for recycling unless there is a demand for them to be turned into ano-ther product, and if people

do you really need to buy something to use only once or twice? no, you can you borrow it from a friend or neighbour. if you already have it, and you dont use it, then lend it out, give it away or, if you are not that generous, you could flog it off to someone who needs it.

09buy NotHINg DAy

43

Suddenly, we ran out of money and, to avoid collapse, we quickly pumped liquidity back into the system. But behind our financial crisis a much more ominous crisis looms: we are running out of nature fish, forests, fresh water, minerals, soil. What are we going to do when supplies of these vital resources run low?Theres only one way to avoid the collapse of this human experiment of ours on Planet Earth: we have to consume less.It will take a massive mindshift. You can start the ball rolling by buying nothing on November 28th. Then celebrate Christmas differently this year, and make a New Years resolution to change your lifestyle in 2011.Its now or never!

Consumption and goodsThis section outlines ways to minimise and manage the consumption and waste of goods in the home and in businesses.

Products are discussed under the headings of food and drink, cleaning and laundry, gar-dening, clothes and shoes, and cosmetics and toiletries. (5)

1. food & drinkFood shopping can be a minefield for those who want to be eco-friendly. In the recent past there was a lot of focus on the need for organic food because of the harm that pestici-des and chemical fertilisers were doing to soil and water quality. Now the focus has moved to food miles which is the distance that food travels from the producer to your plate. The transport of food causes greenhouse gas emissions.

Even if you want to do the right thing there are issues about affordability, the availability of responsible options and also the simple fact that labelling is often inadequate. You may not know if your fresh carrots have come from Pukekohe, Ohakune or Invercargill.

There are no hard and fast rules but here is a four point guide that will help you make choices (assuming that you have a choice):

01. Fresh as opposed to processedFresh food is much healthier for you and for the environment. Any type of pro-cessing is likely to have some environmental impact. For example processing will probably add to food miles, use energy and add packa-ging plastic, cardboard, polystyrene.

From a diet and health point of view it of-ten adds things like salt, sugar, fat, colourings and preservatives which are not nutritious they just help the food look better or last longer.

02. Local as opposed to importedPut simply, food miles are the mea-sure of the distance a food travels from field to plate. Agriculture and food now account for nearly 30 per cent of goods transported on our roads.

This travel adds substantially to the carbon dioxide emissions that are contributing to cli-mate change - which is why food miles matter.

Food travels further these days partly because the centralised systems of supermar-kets have taken over from local and regional markets. It defies common sense, but a pint of milk or a crop of potatoes can be transported many miles to be packaged at a central depot and then sent many miles back to be sold near where they were produced in the first place.

Also, because of the way the food proces-sing industry works, ingredients travel around the country from factory to factory, before they make their way to the shops.

Then theres imported produce. To take one example, strawberries are flown in from warmer climates to satisfy our desire for per-manent dietary summertime, and air-freight has a far bigger impact on the environment than sea or road travel has. Having said this much, much more food is transported by road than by air.

Another reason for mounting food miles is comparative labour costs. For example, some British fish is now sent to China (where labour costs are much lower) for processing, then sent back to the UK to be sold.

Consumers are also directly responsible for increased food miles. We now travel further to do our shopping and use the car more often to do it. One solution is to do all your shopping for the week at once rather than in several trips.

03. Organic as opposed to non-organicOrganic produce is food produced with the following aims:

* to avoid the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides (unless approved for use in organic

45systems) and routine use of antibiotics and other medicines;

* to pay careful attention to animal welfare; and

* to preserve the environment and wildlifeOrganic produce is available from super-

markets, local specialist shops, organic farm shops or via the Internet. There is conjecture about whether organic food is actually more nutritious than standard produce. Skeptics also argue that there is no real scientific evidence that pesticides and fertilisers are the cause of diseases e.g. cancer.

A food labelled organic means it complies with laws and comes from registered produ-cers, which have been approved by organic certification bodies. Since it is not always possible to make foods entirely from organic ingredients, organic manufacturers can use specific non-organic ingredients provided that organic ingredients make up at least 95 per cent of the food.

04. Seasonal as opposed to unsea-sonalOut-of-season food is likely to be imported

or otherwise it might have been grown locally in artificially-created growing environments. Either way energy is being expended just so we can have a diet that is a perpetually sum-mertime one.

If you buy local food you are likely to be buying seasonal food. You can always preserve fruit and vegetables in jars.

05. Eat less meatPerhaps the most sustainable choice you can make is to limit the amount of meat in your diet. Meat has a much larger ecological footprint than vegetables. A vege-tarian diet requires less than 1,200 litres of water a day while a meat eaters diet uses up a whopping 15,000 litres a day. Individuals save more water by not eating a pound of beef than by not showering for an entire year.6.Or you could grow your own food!Obviously there will be many exceptions whe-re you cant apply these rules. For example

many dry goods such as spices, tea, coffee, even flour are not grown locally, they are processed, they may not be organic and they are independent of season.

2. cleaning products: nothing is completely safe.Almost anything we dump down our dra-ins, even if derived from plants and other natural substances, can cause problems. Even with the increasing number of greener products on the market, none are perfectly safe for the earth.Dont accept vague claims.Words like biodegradable or non -toxic have no legal definitions. Ask companies to substantiate their environmental claims in plain English.Avoid cleaners containing phosphates.

They biodegrade totally and quickly but when they get into rivers and lakes, they cause algal blooms which rob the water of oxygen, block sunlight and ultimately kill the aquatic life.Minimise use of bleaches.

The most common bleach is chlorine, which in wastewater can create toxic com-pounds. Non-chlorine bleaches are more gentle to clothes and the environment, though they are less effective in colder-water tempe-ratures, requiring more energy-intensive hot water.Buy concentrates whenever possible.

Use refillable versions that allow you to refill a spray bottle by adding water to a pac-kaged concentrate. The cleaning industry is moving further towards environmental frien-dliness with the introduction of concentrates and dilution systems.

These systems use less chemical content, therefore reducing environmental damage from overuse. Also, concentrates reduce the need for excessive packaging (as do refill packs) and transporting, providing an overall

improvement on current cleaning trends.

Try some eco-friendly homemade alterna-tives

Before the advent of handy synthetic cleaners people made use of everyday, natural products like baking soda, lemon juice, vine-gar and borax for their cleaning.

Alternative cleanersThe following natural alternatives are

not only better for the environment they are better for your pocket!

Budget all-purpose household cleanerPour half a cup of vinegar into a spray

bottle, fill the bottle up with cold water and then add about one teaspoon of baking soda. Shake the bottle and use this to clean kitchen benchtops, stoves, windows and bathrooms. You can add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to provide a fragrant clean.

Heavy-duty cleaningGet rid of heavy dirt and grease around

your home by using a damp cloth sprinkled with baking soda. Baking soda will cut through the grease leaving your home clean and fresh smelling. Or make a thick paste of baking soda and vinegar to clean out your bath tub from grease, body oils and soap scum.

Sparkling windscreenTry this for a sparkling windscreen, hea-

dlights and grill: 3 tbsp bicarbonate soda, mixed with one cup of warm water. Wipe on glass then leave for a few minutes and wash it off. Removes grime and splattered bugs!

Removing blood stainsTo get blood out of clothes or sheets,

soak in a cold bucket of water, with a cup of vinegar and a cup of baking soda. Soaking overnight the bloodstain will come right out. Never soak in hot water as it will make the bloodstain set.

Easy clean microwaveAn easy way to clean and deodorise your

microwave is to put half a cup of water in a dish with one tablespoon of baking soda in the microwave. Cook on high for one minute.

The steam from the water loosens the dirt and makes it easy to wipe away.

Removing stubborn laundry stainsTo save money on expensive stain remo-

vers, a cup of baking soda added to the wash removes oily stains from clothes and other washing. Even old stains that have been was-hed several times already come out!

Dont Use Chlorine Bleach!Chlorine is a respiratory irritant that

attacks mucous membranes and burns the skin. Chlorine can create toxic compounds in wastewater.

Bleach alternativesThe essential oil of the thyme plant actually

disinfects better than bleach, and is comple-tely natural. Thyme disinfectant is proven 99.99% effective against the toughest germs, including Salmonella choleraesuis, Staphylo-coccus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), and HIV-1 (the AIDS virus).

For household disinfecting, the next best alternative is borax. Borax, baking soda and lemon juice combine to form an excellent cleaner and disinfectant. For bleaching clothes, dry oxygen bleach works well, as does borax. Other alternatives are to add a cup of baking soda or 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your laundry load.

For the mould and mildew in the ba-throom, an effective solution is hydrogen peroxide. It kills mold and mildew, bleaches out the stain and leaves a fresh, clean smell behind. There are many other beneficial uses of hydrogen peroxide, as well.

3. gardeningGrowing your own fruit and vegetables, done in an eco-friendly way, will help the environ-ment (and your own health) in many ways. It is the ultimate in local food and will help in the reduction of greenhouse gases. With so much agriculture and horticulture given over to industrial-scale monoculture gardeners

47may be the saviours of biodiversity.Chemical free gardeningAs the abundant warnings on garden

herbicides and insecticides attest these products contain nasty substances. Some of these not ony hit the target species but also poison birds and other wildlife and pollute water systems. It is also possible that, like many household cleaning chemicals, they are the result of a polluting manufacturing process.

Just with farming (see Organic farming) weed and pest killers may be avoided with a little effort.

WeedsDig or pull them out by hand. Difficult

weeds may need to be dug over with a cover of plastic or carpet to deny them light.

Slugs, snails and insectsThe natural solution is the best. Birds

will eat snails. Hedgehogs will eat slugs. Ladybirds and lacewings will eat aphids. Birds can be encouraged by certain planting (eg hedges) and bird boxes. (And by keeping you cats under check put a bell around their neck!).

Companion plantingThe growing of certain plant species in

proximity may repel pests.

4. clothes and shoesLike much shopping, eco-friendly clothes and shoes shopping is difficult because of the complex number of factors. For instance natural, sustainable fibres are generally better than synthetic ones made from hydrocarbons. However conventional cotton is made in intensive, chemical-heavy practices (which is bad for the environment) whereas some synthetic fabrics are made from recycled plastics (which is good for the environment).CottonIn addition to the fact that cotton is chemi-cal intensive, and may even be genetically

engineered, cotton garments may also be highly processed. Conventional cotton cloth uses hundreds of synthetic products inclu-ding chlorine bleaches, heavy-metal dyes and formaldehyde. Many of these are highly toxic and will effect the environment if not disposed of correctly.

Buy organic cotton garments or alternati-ves such as hemp garments.LeatherLeather may be a natural raw material but it then goes through very intensive chemi-cal processing including toxic carcinogenic substances such as salts of chromium. This processing not only makes it incredibly energy-inefficient to produce but it also creates enormous quantities of waste. Trea-ting one ton of raw hide will generate up to 75 tons of waste water and 100kg of waste solid sludge.

Synthetic alternatives are arguably more eco-friendly but if you love leather then look after it. Leather may last a lifetime if looked after properly.FurIf you really like fur then please (please!) do everyone a favour and only choose feral possum or feral rabbit fur.

Eco-friendly guide to clothes shopping1. Buy local2. Buy garments made from natural, sustai-nable products3. Buy organic fibres cotton, hemp, wool4. Buy fair trade5. Buy second handDont forget to donate or recycle unwanted shoes and garments.

5. cosmetics and toiletriesCosmetics, toiletries and personal care pro-ducts generally have a number of impacts on human health, animal welfare and the environment generally. Issues include:

* The testing of products on animals* The use of synthetic chemicals made

from unsustainable, non-renewable sources* The use of toxic ingredients in some

cases causing birth defects, cancer and other serious health problems

* The use of unsustainable natural products. According to the WWF, as many as 10,00 plant species threatened because of the demand from herbal remedies. The ingredients used in natural cosmetics and toiletries very likely have similar impacts.

* The need for large quantities of ingre-dients such a palm oil is causing changes in land use, deforestation and resultant biodi-versity loss. Another example is the mining of a non-renewable resource, soapstone (used for making talc), in India is causing major social and environmental problems.

The plethora of issues makes it very diffi-cult for the consumer to make good choices about what products to buy. Some general guidelines are to use products that:

* reject animal testing and are made from ingredients whose safety is well established

* are made from quality raw materials ideally from plant oils and extracts inclu-ding natural plant colourings are included. Avoid mineral oils or petrochemical based ingredients

* dont have ingredients that commonly cause allergies or other problems for sensi-tive skins

* are biodegradable and contain nothing that is harmful to the environment

* do not exploit or adversely affect the environment or its people

* has minimal and/or recyclable packa-ging

10REcycLE youR tRASH & youR ELEctED oFFItIALS

51

Recycling saves energy and reduces both waste and the pressure to harvest and mine new stuff. Unfortunately, many cities still dont have adequate recycling systems in place. In that case you can usually find some recycling options in the phone book to start recycling while youre pressuring your local government to support recycling city-wide. Also, many products for example, most electronics - are designed not to be recycled or contain toxics so recycling is hazardous. In these cases, we need to lobby government to prohibit toxics in consumer products and to enact Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, as is happening in Europe. EPR is a policy which holds producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, so that electronics company who use toxics in their products, have to take them back. That is a great incentive for them to get the toxics out!

GlassBottle banks are found in

many local council areas and are divided into those accep-ting clear, green and brown glass. Blue glass can be put into the green bank, and clear glass with coloured coatings can be put into the clear bank as the coating will burn off. The labels on bottles and jars will be removed during the recycling process, however remove as many plastic or metal rings and tops as possi-ble. Only recycle bottles and jars - never light-bulbs, sheet glass or Pyrex type dishes as these are made from a diffe-rent type of glass.

PaPerMost local authorities have

recycling banks for newspa-pers and magazines, as this is the most abundant type of paper in household waste. Make sure that you dont put other types of paper in, such as cardboard or junk mail, as this will contaminate the load and the reprocessors will not accept it. Some local authori-ties may have separate banks for these. Packaging such as milk and juice cartons

cannot be recycled as paper as they have a plastic lining which would contaminate the process.

aluminium and sTeel cans

Many local authorities have mixed can banks accep-ting both aluminium and ste-el cans, although some have aluminium only banks as uncontaminated aluminium has a higher value. Alumi-nium can be recognised by the fact that it does not stick to a magnet, has a very shiny silver base and is very light in weight. Steel cans are also called tins as they contain a very thin layer of tin. Try to crush drinks cans before recycling, either with a can crusher or by squashing them underfoot. Aerosol cans made from steel or aluminium can be recycled in Save-a-can banks (check the front of the banks for guidance), but they must be empty and should not be crushed.

TexTilesCharities run textiles

banks for unwanted clothing, which are then sold in charity shops, given to the home-

less or sent abroad. Even damaged or unwearable clo-thing can be converted into items such as wiping cloths, shredded for use as filling for items such as furniture or car insulation, or rewoven into new yarn or fabric. To deposit shoes, tie them together as they tend to go astray!

PlasTicPlastic is a difficult

material to recycle as there are many different types of plastic (often indicated by a number, or letters such as PP, PET or PVC). The variation in plastic means that different reprocessing techniques are required. The different types of plastic therefore need to be collected separately, or sorted after collection, as reproces-sors will specify which type of plastic they will accept. Plastic in household waste is often food packaging and therefore too contaminated to be recycled effectively.

Plastic is a light, bulky part of household waste, and the-refore it is difficult for coun-cils to store and transport sufficient quantities of plastic to make recycling economica-lly viable. Many councils have found it to be too expensive

WhaT can We recycle?

53

and do not have facilities for plastic at all, while others recycle only plastic bottles which are worth more money. If your council does recycle plastic, make sure that you are recycling the right type of plastic, and always remove the tops of plastic containers so that they can be crushed.

OrGanic WasTeOrganic household waste

is food and garden waste. Organic waste is a problem if sent to landfill, because it is impossible to separate out from other waste once min-gled, and will rot, producing methane, a greenhouse gas responsible for global war-ming. The best use of organic waste is to either compost it through a centralised com-posting scheme run by your council, or to compost it at home. Find out if your coun-cil has facilities for taking garden waste for composting. Alternatively, build or invest in a home composter for the garden, or try a worm bin for indoor use!

elecTrical and elecTrO-nic equiPmenT

There are very few facili-ties for recycling household

electrical or electronic waste. There is a scheme for recy-cling certain types of mobile phone. There are a number of schemes for repairing and recycling goods such as refrigerators and washing machines which can then be passed on to low income households. Check with your council to see if they have facilities for household appliances, electronic equip-ment, or CFC extraction for old refrigerators.

BaTTeriesBatteries are varied and

complex, come in different shapes and types, and are consequently very difficult to sort and recycle. The toxic materials have now been removed from ordinary batteries and they are safe to dispose of with your normal household waste. Rechar-geable batteries, or nickel cadmium batteries, do still contain hazardous metals and should be returned to the manufacturer where pos-sible. A few local authorities provide facilities for recycling these, as well as lead acid car batteries, which may also be returned to garages. If you use rechargeable batteries, look out for the new versions

containing no mercury or cadmium.

furniTureContact charity organi-

sations who take unwanted household furniture and items, and pass it onto com-munity groups, low income families and other groups in need.

hazardOus WasTeHousehold hazardous

waste such as paint, solvents and garden chemicals comes under the jurisdiction of your local council. Take them to a civic amenity site if facilities exist, or contact your council. Some councils also provi-de facilities for de-gassing fridges and for recycling fluorescent tubes.

mixed PackaGinGPackaging is often made

up of a mixture of materials, such as tetra paks which can be made up of paper, plastic and metal, making recycling difficult. There is a lack of facilities and technology for recycling mixed packaging, meaning that the materials are difficult to separate out without contamination.

Packaging is a very visible form of waste, making up

WhaT can We recycle?

11EAt MoRE FRESH, LocAL & SEASoNAL FooD

55

Eat fresh, seasonal, local, organic foods. Buying local means supporting the local economy and reducing the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from long-distance freight. Buying fresh food means reducing packaging and energy used for processing. Choosing organic foods means helping promote organic agriculture which is a sustainable way to manage soil and use land responsibly.

How many miles does your food have to travel before it hits your dinner plate?

Not so long ago, for most of humanity, the majority of our food came from areas we could walk to or at least from within our own countries. These days, our food is increasingly from many thousands of miles away.

It's amazing that we can enjoy many foods out of season and at relatively low cost; but the price paid in terms of environmental damage can be very high.

The environmental impact is mainly related to freight and shipping - more trucks, more planes, more ships, more consumption of oil and more greenhouse gas emissions. Also, food imported from some countries may have been grown in very unsustainable ways. For example, rainforests may have been clea-red, toxic effluent released into the environ-ment from processing and inappropriate use of pesticides and herbicides applied to crops.

The food mile problem is an increasing one in the western world. In a report from the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, it was stated that food miles in-creased by 15% cent between 1992 and 2002. 95% of fruit and 50% of the vegetables in the UK are imported.

According to a report on the Australian Conservation Foundation web site, the energy used to import food often outweighs the ener-gy value of the food itself. The ACF states that it takes around 1,000 kilojoules of energy to ship 170 kilojoules worth of strawberries from Chile to the United States. The food for an average meal for a North American has trave-lled well over a thousand miles and possibly many times higher if the meal contains out of season fruits or vegetables. It's simply not a sustainable approach to our diets.

Take a look in your cupboard and freezer and you may be surprised as to how many food items you think are locally grown aren't sourced from within your own country. For

example, while preparing a pizza, I noticed the anchovies were from Morocco and the prawns from Thailand. We have sustaina-ble anchovy and prawn industries here in Australia.

Cost is a major factor for many people when buying food and I'm very much a cost conscious shopper, but I've been increasingly examining my purchasing habits and trying to make some changes to a more sustainable diet.

The tinned fruit brand I was buying used ingredients from South Africa; so I now pay a little more to get the Aussie product; saving thousand of food mile related emissions in the process.

A brand of coffee I drink is grown in Brazil. That's a distance of nearly 9,000 miles (over 14,000 kilometres) as the crow flies. I then switched to buying a fair trade brand from East Timor for a while - under 2,000 miles - around 3,200 kilometres. Just to illustrate the difference:

Distance comparison between the origins

of my usual brand of coffee (Brazil) andfew brand of fair trade coffee (East Timor) For years now, trade associations have been encouraging to buy local. The reasons they usually give relate to quality or suppor-ting local industry - a very strong patriotic approach. Important points they tend to leave out in their marketing campaigns are the environmental, sustainability and food mile aspects mentioned above. The introduction of these issues could be enough to get many more people buying more local products. If you're a local producer, introduce these ele-ments into the marketing of your own goods.

I contacted the "Australian Made" cam-paign folks two years ago about the food mile issue and suggested they highlight the envi-ronmental positives about buying local; but at the time of updating this article, there's still

57

very little on their site about this aspect.However, we don't need to wait for these

trade associations to convince us. You can take action on your next shopping trip Try to buy local where you can - even if it's just one or two more products that you regularly use. Read labels on cans and learn more about what foods are in season within your country and try to utilize those more as there will be less chance of you accidentally purchasing imported foods. Bear in mind also that out of season foods grown locally may require huge amounts of resources for production e.g. the heating of greenhouses.

Better still, consider starting a vegetable garden for your back yard using heirloom and heritage seeds. It will greatly reduce your food mile impact from thousands of miles to a few feet - plus saving you money!

Every little bit helps!

12cLEAN uP youR tRANSPoRt

Park your car and walkand when necessary MARCH!

59

Any time you choose to walk, ride a bike, or take public transport, you reduce (or totally eliminate) the greenhouse gas and particulate emissions created by combustion engines.

by getting a lift to work with a neighboUr yoU will both halve yoUr emiSSionS. yoUll help Slow climate change and help Stave off oUr date with peak oil.

Car-centric land use policies and life styles lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel extraction, conversion of agricultural and wildlands to roads and parking lots. Driving less and walking more is good for the climate, the planet, your health, and your wallet. But sometimes we dont have an option to leave the car home because of inadequate bike lanes or public transportation options. Then, we may need to march, to join with others to demand sustainable transportation options. Throughout U.S. history, peaceful non-violent marches have played a powerful role in raising

Transport is a major contributor to global warming. Transporting people and freight by road, sea and air contributes to about one quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. From a climate perspective, the transport sec-tor is out of control it is the fastest growing source of greenhouse emissions, increasing at well over 2% a year. If this continues it will result in a doubling of transport emissions in less than 30 years with huge consequences for climate change and oil supplies. This growth results from more and more people driving cars and flying, along with the increasing use of trucks to carry freight instead of more fuel efficient rail transport.1 Drive efficientlyWe need to reduce the climate changing impacts of car use drastically.To do this will require changes in our behaviour as well as changes in car technology.To put it simply, we need to drive less, use public transport more, drive in a more fuel efficient manner when we do drive.

Fuel efficient driving tipsFuel efficient cars page

2 Travel with othersPublic transportation is a far more efficient mode of personal transport than a private ve-hicle.Benefits to the environment include less emissions and pollution, less energy use and less need to occupy and pave land for roading and parking spaces. If public transport isn't available or convenient then think about car-pooling.

Public transport pageCar pooling page

3 Get on your bikeIf you can walk or cycle. Cycling in New Zea-land is popular, safe, healthy and enjoyable. When it replaces other forms of transport (commuting to work for instance) it also reduces the emission of greenhouse gases. With the price of fossil fuels on a continuous trend upwards cycling makes financial sense as well.

Cycling page

4 The biofuel optionBiofuels are made from renewable sources or as the byproduct of waste streams. Since biofuels are not 'clean', they utilise land that could be used for food crops and for other impacts such as deforestation, soil erosion, water resources there is plenty of debate about the efficacy of biofuels.

Biofuels page

5 Choose the right freight Not all freight is equal because different transport methods create relatively more greenhouse gases than others. Air freight is much worse than sea freight. Road freight is much worse that rail freight. Choosing and asking for more eco-friendly freight methods will reduce emissions.

Freight and food miles pageAir travel pageSea travel page

1

Fuel Efficient DrivingTipsHere are some driving tips that will help

you save money and fight climate change:* Avoid idling - If you're going to be idling

for more than 10 seconds you will save more fuel and reduce emissions and air pollutants by switching off and restarting.It takes very little petrol to restart a car engine, especially a warm engine.

* Avoid warming up your car - Modern car engines do not need to be warmed up before driving away and the engine will reach its optimal operating temperature more rapidly when driving.

* Avoid short trips - Car engines run most efficiently and with the lowest emissions when warmed up, but it takes a few minutes of driving to reach the correct operating tem-perature.You use 20% more fuel driving when your engine is cold.

61* Drive at the right speed Cars use fuel most efficiently in the 45 80 km/hr range.If you travel at 110 km/hr instead of 100 km/hr you will use about 15% more petrol.

* Drive smoothly - Accelerate smoothly.Jack-rabbit starts burn a lot of fuel.

* Check tire inflation - Tires with low air pressure make your engine work harder. In-flate your tires to the recommended inflation pressure, often found on a plate inside the drivers side door jamb or in your owners manual. Maintain proper air pressure by checking each tire with a tire gauge at least once a month.

* Remove unnecessary weight - Every additional kilogram requires the engine to work harder. Empty your vehicle of any un-necessary items, like the golf clubs, and your engine will reward you with more kilometres per litre.

* Use cruise control - The cruise control feature optimises fuel efficiency when driving on open stretches of road. To take advan-tage of the savings, use it only when traffic and road conditions permit. Remember, the lower you set your speed, the better your fuel economy.

* Use air conditioning selectively Run-ning your air conditioner uses more fuel (about 10% more) because the engine has to work harder to run the air conditioning compressor.However, the drag from open windows reduces fuel economy even more at highway speeds. A good compromise is to open your vehicles windows when driving around town, and use the air conditioner when driving on the open road. If you can, keep the windows closed and the air condi-tioner off and open the vents and turn up the fan speed.

* Lower your drag - Avoid strapping lugga-ge or other items to the roof, as this disrupts the airflow and increases drag, significantly reducing fuel economy.Remove the roof rack, and the bike rake, when youre not using them.

* Use the original tires and wheels Repla-cing the original wheels and tires with wider ones hurts fuel economy.Your vehicle was engineered for specific wheel and tire sizes to offer the best blend of ride quality, vehicle handling, and fuel economy. Stick with the recommended sizes and enjoy better fuel economy.

Fuel efficient carsDiesel carsHybrid carsElectric carsFuel cell carsMaking hydrogenStorage problems mean short range2Public transportPublic transportation is a far more efficient

mode of personal transport than a private vehicle.Benefits to the environment include less pollution and energy use and less need to occupy and pave land for roading and parking spaces.

Unfortunately, public transport use in New Zealand is low. Only 2.2 percent of all trips are made by bus, and 0.25% by rail, mostly in Wellington. Ferries also operate in the Auckland and Wellington areas.

Public transport is more likely to be used if the services are frequent and reliable; it is convenient, comfortable and safe; and the time it takes to arrive at the destination is comparable to using a private vehicle.

3Cycling is popular in New Zealand and it's

a sustainable form of transport. The benefits of cycling are:

* it's healthy* it's fun* it's cheap* it's clean* it's safer* it's faster (sometimes)

CyclingCycling in New Zealand is popular, safe,

healthy and enjoyable. When it replaces other forms of transport (commuting to work for instance) it also reduces the emission of greenhouse gases.

With the price of fossil fuels on a conti-nuous trend upwards cycling makes financial sense as well.

Cycling is even a faster way to commute sometimes especially over shorter distan-ces in city centres. In an informal study by the University of Canterbury it proved to be faster than cars, motorbikes and other forms of transport using four out of five different routes to the University.

Communities that foster cycling are busy, prosperous and enjoyable to live in. Cycle-friendly initiatives and cities worldwide show that combining walking with cycling im-proves quality of life in local businesses and communities. Why? Because the increase in foot traffic supports both business and social networks.

About 30% of New Zealanders cycle every

year, but cyclist accidents are only 5% and cyclist road offences about 1% of their respec-tive totals.

Yet less that 1% of New Zealand's annual

spend on road transport goes to cycling, and even with proposed increases in the cycling budget, this will remain the case. While there is some support for cycling in transport policy, there is much resistance to cycling and walking initiatives at the regional and local level. In addition, many motorists are against cycling initiatives. Why? Because New Zea-landers love the motorcar and motorists often think cyclists are a nuisance, even a hazard.

4

Biofuels are made from renewable sources or as the byproduct of waste streams. There is

an ongoing argument about the sustainability of biofuels. Opponents say biofuels are not 'clean' and they use land that could be used for food. In some places growing biofuels has caused deforestation, soil erosion and water degradation. Proponents say it is renewable and can be grown sustainably on marginal land or made from waste 'streams'. Studies have reported that New Zealand has enough marginal land to become self-sufficient in transport fuels.

BiofuelsFuels derived from biomassPlants use photosynthesis to grow and pro-

duce biomass. Biomass can be used directly as fuel or to produce liquid and gas biofuels.

All biofuels, being carbon-based, create CO2 emissions when used. However if the biomass is regrown the CO2 emitted gets reabsorbed from the atmosphere and there is little/no net effect.

Liquid biofuelsLiquid biofuel is usually either a bio-

alcohol such as ethanol or a bio-oil such as biodiesel. Biodiesel can be used in modern diesel vehicles with little or no modification to the engine and can be made from vegeta-ble as well as from animal oils and fats (both recycled and new). Biodiesel creates 20-40% less emissions than petrol.

In New Zealand ethanol and biodiesel are are being phased in as blends with petrol and diesel.

Solid biofuelsSolid biofuels are used directly usually in

the form of combustible solids wood, solid municipal biogenic waste, combustible field crops and agricultural waste. Most sorts of biomass can be burnt to heat water and to drive turbines. Solid biomass can also be gasified and used as below.

BiogasBiogas can easily be produced from current

waste streams, such as: paper production, landfills, sewage and cattle effluent (good

63news for the dairy industry!). These wastes are slurried and allowed to naturally ferment, producing methane gas which can be burnt or converted into higher grades of gas.

The remaining waste after biogas extrac-tion is often more suitable as fertilizer than the original biomass.

5Freight and food milesDistrubution of goods is directly related to

our patterns of consumption. As consumption increases so there is a proportional increase in freight the transport of goods and the-refore an increase in greenhouse gas emis-sions. There is information about reducing consumption here.

Freighting methodsNot all freight is equal because different

transport methods create relatively more greenhouse gases than others. Air freight is much worse than sea freight. Road freight is much worse that rail freight. Choosing and asking for more eco-friendly freight methods will reduce emissions.

Buying locally produced goods is also a critical strategy to reducing the total number of freight miles.

Food milesPut simply, food miles are the measure

of the distance a food travels from field to plate. Agriculture and food now account for nearly 30 per cent of goods transported on our roads.

This travel adds substantially to the carbon dioxide emissions that are contributing to climate change - which is why food miles matter.

Food travels further these days partly because the centralised systems of supermar-kets have taken over from local and regional markets. It defies common sense, but a pint of milk or a crop of potatoes can be transported many miles to be packaged at a central depot and then sent many miles back to be sold near where they were produced in the first

place.Also, because of the way the food pro-

cessing industry works, ingredients travel around the country from factory to factory, before they make their way to the shops.

Then theres imported produce. To take one example, strawberries are flown in from warmer climates to satisfy our desire for per-manent dietary summertime, and air-freight has a far bigger impact on the environment than sea or road travel has. Having said this much, much more food is transported by road than by air.

Another reason for mounting food miles is comparative labour costs. For example, some British fish is now sent to China (where labour costs are much lower) for processing, then sent back to the UK to be sold.

Consumers are also directly responsible for increased food miles. We now travel further for our shopping and use the car more often to do it. One solution is to do all your shopping for the week at once rather than in several trips.

Air travelThe CO2 emitted from the fuel burned in

the engines of aircraft contributes to climate change. The Stern Review reported that air travel accounts for about 1.6% of total global CO2 emissions.However, aviation is the fastest growing form of transportation and its growth is threatening progress to reduce emissions in other areas.A tripling of air travel is expected over the next four decades contributing to 2.5% of total emissions.

Although this seems a comparatively small figure, the actual impact of these emissions is much greater than expected.This is becau-se greenhouse gases are more potent when released at altitude it is thought they may have twice the warming effect of emissions at lower altitude because greenhouse gases at high levels absorb and retain heat more effec-tively than at lower altitudes.Furthermore, the water vapour and particles that are also

spewed from aircraft engines create contrails at high altitudes.Contrails will often spread out and freeze to form large cirrus clouds that also help prevent the earths heat from esca-ping into space.The warming effect of contrail clouds appears to be further enhanced at night.Thus, by 2050 aviation could account for 5% of human induced climate change.

What can we do to reduce the effects on climate change of air travel?Aircraft tech-nology is constantly improving and the next generation of long-haul jets such as Boeing 787s will be 40-50% more fuel efficient than current aircraft.However, with air travel growing so quickly, behavioural changes are also required.

One thing we can do is try to fly less for business and tourism reasons and when we do fly for pleasure, stay longer.

The other step we can take is to offset our air travel.This involves paying a little extra money each time you travel to an offsetting organisation that invests your money in a project that absorbs a matching amount of CO2.This can be done in various ways such as planting new forests or investing in renewa-ble energy projects that displace the use of fossil fuels.See section on Carbon Neutrality for more infomation.

Ships and sea travelWhile air travel has received considera-

ble attention lately for its contribution to GHG emissions, shipping has generally been considered a green transport option and has escaped much attention.Although it is true that shipping, on a per kilogram basis, is a much more efficient mode of transporting go-ods than airplanes, new studies are showing that CO2 emissions from shipping are signi-ficantly higher than previously thought.For instance see:

http://www.pa.op.dlr.de/SeaKLIM/Fuel_Emissions_International_Shipping.html

This is due to the sheer size of the global fleet and rapidly expanding international

trade, which has doubled in the last 25 years.There are about 70,000 ships plying the worlds oceans.They consume about 200 million tonnes of fuel per year and emit bet-ween 600 800 million tonnes of CO2, about 5% of the global total.What is even more worrisome is that about 20,000 new ships are on order and they are generally bigger than existing ones so CO2 emissions from shipping will increase greatly over the next 15 years, perhaps by as much as 75%.At this time, GHG emissions from ships do not come under the Kyoto protocol.

So whats the solution?Its unlikely that world trade is going to slow much in the foreseeable future and ships are still the most efficient way of transporting goods.What we need is a fleet of much more efficient vessels and some companies are certainly thinking along those lines.New standards for ships and innovative technologies are required.

65

13cHANgE youR LIgHtbuLbS & tHEN cHANgE youR PARADIgM

67

Changing lightbulbs is quick and easy. Energy efficient lightbulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than conventional ones. Thats a no-brainer. But changing lightbulbs is just tinkering at the margins of a fundamentally flawed system unless we also change our paradigm. A paradigm is a collection of assumptions, concepts, beliefs, and values that together make up a communitys way of viewing reality. Our current paradigm dictates that more stuff is better, that infinite economic growth is desirable and possible, and that pollution is the price of progress. To really turn things around, we need to nurture a different paradigm based on the values of sustainability, justice, health, and community.

69

14WE NEvER StoP LEARNINg

71Ten years on from the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, thousands of international policy makers gathered in Johannesburg between August 26 and September 4 at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development. Politicians, scientists and pressure groups attempted to set out plans to counter the current global trend: that environmental degradation is the price to be paid for prosperity. Issues high on the agenda included depletion of fresh-water reserves, population growth, the use of unsustainable energy sources, food security, habitat loss and global health - all addressed in the context of social justice in balance with environmental sustainability.Science is no longer on the fringes in attempting to solve these problems. Unlike Rio in 1992, consultation with researchers from a host of relevant disciplines was widely sought during the summits preparatory meetings, and organisations such as the Paris-based International Council for Science have been asked to submit formal contributions to the summit.Over the past few years, Nature has presented articles on many aspects of

At school, your neighbors, in line at the supermarket, on the bus

15tALK to EvERyoNE About tHESE ISSuES

73

Anything an individual does to reduce their impact is good but you can insulate your house, recycle your rubbish, grow your own vegies, use public transport and then undo all that good many times over by voting for the wrong political party. It is almost impossible for an individual to be truly sustainable because the problems are systemic. In the words of William McDonough all we can do at the moment is be less bad.So a very important role for individuals is to influence politicians and other decision-makers who can actually change the system. You can do this directly by writing to your local MP or to a Minister. You could also write or call your mayor or local body councilor. You could join a lobby group or another of the numerous organisations who

15tALK to EvERyoNE About tHESE ISSuES

A student once asked Cesar Chavez how he organized. He said, First, I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person. No, said the student, how do you organize? Chavez answered, First I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.

Talking abouT These issues raises awareness, builds communiTy and can inspire oThers To acTion.

75

16DEMAND PEAcE & DISARMAMENt

77

There are approximately 30,000 nuclear weapons in the world, belonging to nine countries: US, Russian Federation, UK, France, China, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea. More than one thousand five hundred of them ready to launch at a moments notice, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.Although some may consider them an unfortunate relic from the Cold War, the truth is that the nuclear weapons states are clinging to them as hard as they can, reinventing new roles and designs for them, and recently even proposals for smaller useable weapons. And all this despite plenty of speeches, promises and legally binding treaties to get rid of them!As well as the devestating impacts of the nuclear bombs on the cities and peoples of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, over 2,000 nuclear weapons tests have left a legacy of global and regional contamination.

make no miStake; nUclear weaponS are a problem today.

Make no mistake; nuclear weapons are a pro-blem today. There are approximately 30,000 nuclear weapons in the world, belonging to nine countries: US, Russian Federation, UK, France, China, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea. More than one thousand five hundred of them ready to launch at a moments notice, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Although some may consider them an unfortunate relic from the Cold War, the truth is that the nuclear weapons states are clinging to them as hard as they can, reinventing new roles and designs for them, and recently even proposals for smaller useable weapons. And all this despite plenty of speeches, promises and legally binding treaties to get rid of them!

As well as the devestating impacts of the nuclear bombs on the cities and peoples of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, over 2,000 nuclear weapons tests have left a legacy of global and regional contamination. People living near the test sites have suffered from cancers, still births, miscarriages and other health effects -- and are still suffering today.

Greenpeace has been shouting about nuclear dangers for over 30 years, beginning on 15 September 1971, when a group of North American peace activists chartered an old trawler named Phyllis Cormack and sailed from Vancouver towards the US nuclear tes-ting zone near Amchitka, Alaska. The Green-peace ship and crew were arrested by the US coastguard, but the press reports about the expedition put pressure on the US govern-ment. Four months later, the US canceled the test series.

Since then we have campaigned against both nuclear weapons and nuclear power. Bearing witness in test zones, supplying scien-tific data and measurements on human and environmental impacts and by conducting direct non-violent actions to call attention to the problem.

Not even the sinking of our flagship the Rainbow Warrior en route to the Moruroa test site by the French Secret Service in 1985 stopped our Greenpeaces anti-nuclear acti-vism. Since then, we have tracked plutonium and nuclear waste shipments around the globe, highlighted the dangers of reproces-sing, protested against nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed warships or submarines and confronted the nuclear weapons states about their weapons programmes.

And people are with us: the majority of people and states want disarmament now!

50% of us Taxes are spenT in The army

79

We can stop the nuclear threat with the voice of the second superpower: public opinion. And that voice is getting louder and louder. Public opinion polls conducted in nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states show large majorities favouring the abolition of nuclear weapons:

US: A survey carried out in 1997 by Lake, Sosin and Snell said in the US found that 87% of those polled felt, the US should negotiate an agreement to eliminate nuclear weapons.

UK: A poll carried out by MORI in 2005, on behalf of Greenpeace, showed a majority (54%) of the British public oppose the develo-pment of a new nuclear weapons system. Only one in three (33%) support their develop-ment.

Russia: In 1998 61% of Russians polled by Vox Populi commissioned by TASS said, All nuclear weapons states should eliminate such weapons.

India: 62% of Indians polled by The Hindu in 1998 said, India should not produce nu-clear bombs.

Japan: In a Japanese poll by Asahi Shim-bun in 1998 78% agreed that, all nuclear we-apons states should eliminate such weapons.

Australia: A resounding 92% of Austra-lians polled by Roy Morgan Research Co. in 1998 agreed, Australia should help negotiate a global treaty to ban and destroy all nuclear weapons.

Norway: Similarly 92% of Norwegians polled in 1998 by 4 fakta A/S agreed Norway should work actively for a ban on nuclear weapons.

Belgium: 72% of Belgian polled in 1998 by Market Response said they were for an initiative on behalf of Belgium with an aim of initiating talks concerning a treaty for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Canada: 93% of Canadians polled in 1998 by the Angus Reid Group agreed that, Ca-nada should take a leadership role in global

negotiations to eliminate nuclear weapons.Turkey: In 2004, an Infakto poll, com-

missioned by Greenpeace, found that 72% of Turkish people supported the idea of making Turkey a nuclear-free zone and 75% would support Turkey leading an international cam-paign for international nuclear disarmament.

And every year at the United Nations when all governments vote, we see the vast majority