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INFORM-ACTION
Issue
Number 38 - June
2001
Eco-justice
Update
 The Climate Change
Campaign continues apace:
- We were fortunate
to have Noel Ryan who is associated with the NSW Wilderness
Society at the SAO for two days. On 2 May Noel presented
a very informative workshop on climate change issues, particularly
canvassing the national and international politics surrounding
this issue. (See the summary of
this workshop.)
- Through Marlette
Black pvbm, in her role as member of the ACLRI Justice Committee,
we disseminated the Climate
Change Briefing Note to Congregational Leaders throughout
Australia and asked them to support the issues being raised.
The SAO is very appreciative of those who responded to this
invitation to collaboration.
- An international
action that people can participate in is a voluntary rolling
blackout on 21 June 2001. It's a simple protest (against
the over-use of fossil fuel energies) and a symbolic act
(making a statement about reducing greenhouse gases). So,
turn off your lights from 7.00pm to 10.00pm that evening.
If it catches on, the blackout will roll out across the planet
as the sun sets in each time zone! Unplug anything you can,
light a candle, remember the power of the sun, take a stroll
in the dark, sit and talk, have a candle-lit simple meal.
- ExxonMobil is
a giant US oil company that contributed over $US1 million
to the Republican Party in 2000 - the year of the presidential
election. ExxonMobil has actively undermined the
Kyoto Protocol in the US, funding a propaganda campaign
against
it. You can draw your own conclusions about the link
between the ExxonMobil position on Kyoto, their
donations to the Republican Party and the withdrawal
of the US from
global climate change negotiations! Here in Australia,
the public faces of ExxonMobil are Mobil and Esso
(of put
a tiger in your tank fame!). In the UK a Stop
Esso Campaign has been initiated.
As many Australian
consumers, including Religious Congregations, support Mobil
and Esso it may be worth contacting their offices in Australia
to express dismay at their parent company's attitude to climate
change negotiations. Mobil's fax numbers are:
Melbourne
Brisbane
Adelaide
Sydney
Perth
Darwin
Hobart
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03 9866
9079
07 3213 7899
08 8205 6099
02
9962 2417
08
9321 3054
08
8981 3236
03
6228 6987
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It would not go
astray to say something at the petrol pump too. While it
is not intended to harm small franchise businesses that deal
with Mobil, punishing them for the parent company's actions,
a boycott of Mobil, may prove to be a final and necessary
course of action - stay posted for further developments.
It is worth remembering that it was economic and sporting
boycotts that finally caused the apartheid regime in South
Africa to soften its hard-line position.
- There are also
other simpler things each person can do to limit the amount
of greenhouse gas emissions being released into the atmosphere
- use less hot water, use public transport, install solar
power, use cold water for washing clothes, insulate the home.
Contact
Pauline Coll sgs, Eco-justice Coordinator, for further information
on (07) 3891 5866 or by email.
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