NOT CURRENTLY A MEMBER?
If you`re not currently a member of your local FOE group, it`s easy to sign up! Joining doesn`t mean that you`re obliged to attend meetings & other events(although that`s a great way of networking!), it simply means you`ll be able to contribute your thoughts about FOE`s future campaigns. There are over 200 local FOE groups across the UK, so there`s bound to be a group near you, and you can become a member for as little as £2-3 a year. You can find your local group here
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HOW YOU CAN INPUT YOUR THOUGHTS
JANUARY 2007 - Regional Five Year Plan Consultation Meetings
During January 2007, every region across the country will host a Five Year Plan Consultation Meeting. Local group members are being encouraged to attend their regional meeting. The West Midlands meeting takes place on Sat 13 Jan in Birmingham City Centre. You can find details of your regional meeting here
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APRIL - MAY 2007 - More Online/Written Consultation
More communication and small scale consultation on the key strategic decisions so far.
AUTUMN 2007 - Developing and Deciding on Specific Campaigns
This will be about specific campaigns, resulting in the `campaigns package` that Friends of the Earth will take forward over the first period of the next plan. There will be more online/written consultation, possibly further regional face-to-face discussions and finally, there`ll be more consultation at the FOE Conference 2007, to be held at Reading University from 7th - 9th September.
For further details and for updates throughout 2007, bookmark this page
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WHY SHOULD FOE PROMOTE PLANT BASED DIETS?
Ditching animal products in favour of vegetarian/vegan diets is the single most effective action that any individual can take to reduce their personal impact on the planet. The evidence for this is indisputable, so much so that organisations whom you may not expect to speak out, are beginning to do so. For instance, take a look at this quote:
"The livestock sector accounts for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions - more than transport, which emits 13.5%."
This quote is taken from a report titled - Livestock’s Long Shadow, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The report goes on to say that livestock production is at the heart of almost every other environmental catastrophe confronting the planet - rainforest destruction, spreading deserts, loss of fresh water, air and water pollution, acid rain and soil erosion. You can read the report in full here
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We would urge you to read this report and familiarise yourself with the facts before attending one of the consultation meetings or filling in the online forms. Much more information can be found in Viva!`s excellent and fully referenced report Planet on a Plate
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With enough pressure from compassionate, environmentally minded people, we have no doubt that FOE can be persuaded to include the promotion of plant based diets in their five year plan. And other organisations will then surely follow suit!
# Please Note # - The above article can also be found on Redditch Vegetarians & Vegans website here
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