GreenPartyNews

The newsletter for supporters • www. greenparty.org.uk • Jan/Feb 2015

#greensurge SEE THE NEW CAMPAIGNS & Membership overtakes EVENTS PAGE – UKIP and the JOIN IN WITH THE ACTION! LibDems!

MEDIA ATTACKS ON THE GREENS – DON’T BELIEVE ANY OF IT!

GREEN PARTY MEMBERSHIP TRIPLES IN ONE YEAR TO OVER 50,000! CONTENTS Please click on the red titles to connect to that page.

REGULAR 3 Hot News/Editorial Amazing surge in membership continues! 4 Message from Natalie advises on how to combat negative media coverage of the Green Party. Watch the Leaders’ Debate on TV - Broadcasters have published 5 Campaigns & Events new plans for TV election debates which now include the New section! Up and coming demos and events plus social media sites Greens and leaders of six other UK political parties. where you can make an impact. 6 MP Caroline debates in the Houses of Parliament on Trident and the fracking TALKING POINT f industry 10 Green means ecology NATIONAL WEBSITE 8 Green Party MEPs Richard Lawson on the fundamentals www.greenparty.org.uk News from Jean lambert, Keith Taylor of and on their work in MEMBERS WEBSITE the . FEATURES https://my.greenparty.org.uk/ 14 Green pioneers 11 Veganism – the green diet Donella Meadows – best known as lead Green Party News The green case for veganism. author of the Limits to Growth, the Send your comments, contributions, ideas work stimulated the formation of the 13 Citizens Basic Income and enquiries to: internalcommunica- Green Party. Clive Lord adds his perspective to this [email protected] 15 Who’s Who in the Green Party Green Party policy. Editor: Peter Barnett Design: [email protected]

2 HotNews!

50,000 The #greensurge continues with current Green Party membership figures up from under 15,00 in Jan 14 to over 50,000 members at January 2015. This means the Green Party has overtaken UKIP and the LibDems!

15,000 January 2014 to January 2015

EDITORIAL by NATALIE BENNETT, LEADER

WITH less than 100 days to go to the General Election, the Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) are stepping up the case for an end to austerity.

The Green Party is experiencing an unprec- in living memory – an election when the like this – and if the Greek elections have edented membership surge and is polling at British public have a chance to vote for taught us anything it is that when enough its highest levels ahead of a General Election genuine political change. people come together to demand change, for decades. GPEW membership passed “The hold of the traditional political change can be delivered. 50,000 this week and combined UK Green parties on Westminster is breaking up and “We urge everyone to make sure they are parties membership is fast approaching so is the belief that we have to stick with registered to vote and that they are ready 60,000. an economic and political system that has on 7 May to have their say. The politics Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, said: concentrated wealth and power in the hands of the future doesn’t have to look like the “Today is a day of opportunity. It marks of a privileged few whilst the rest of us are politics of the past. Let’s get ready to change the start of a countdown to one of the most left to suffer at the hands of the austerity politics and build a fairer, more sustainable competitive and unpredictable elections agenda. “We don’t believe politics has to be society that works for all.” 3 MESSAGE FROM NATALIE BENNETT

“The Green Surge will inevitably mean more scrutiny of our policies and an increase in negative media coverage. This is to be expected and is something we should all prepare for.”

Combatting bad press Being a member of the Green Party means We will not win every battle with the signing up to a commitment to peace and media but that should not stop us from One of the things that makes us different is non-violence, as reflected by our commit- being bold, courageous and ambitious in the fact that our policies are democratically ment to the abolition of Trident nuclear setting out our vision for a Green society. decided by our members in a process that weapons and our opposition to the Iraq culminates in party conferences that take and Afghan wars. People should be free place twice a year. We are 100% transparent to believe in whatever they want to – but Don’t believe what you about what our policies are and they are supporting organisations that use violence read in the papers! published on our policy website against members of the public to advance This transparency does leave us open their cause is a criminal act and should be It is NOT Green Party policy: To put the to attack from journalists who can trawl treated as such. Queen in a council house - a malicious lie through our website and give their own spin The other major issue that has excited derived from taking an obviously playful to the policy statements published there. A sections of the media is the Citizen’s’ remark to be a factual policy statement. recent Telegraph article is a good example of Income (or Universal Basic Income). This is It is NOT Green Party policy: To remove how the Green Party’s fine sentiments can a long-standing Green Party policy and is all immigration controls and an have be twisted into a sensationalist headline. about recasting the social security system open door policy in 20 years time - a As the Leader of the Green Party it is my so that it is fit for the twenty-first century. wilful distortion of taking the bottom job to promote and defend our member- Universal Basic Income is about providing end of a vague estimate - in fact our made policies as best I can. economic security for everyone, removing policy is to remove immigration controls For the avoidance of any doubt the Green the benefits trap, making work pay, and at an unspecified time in the future Party is wholly opposed to violence. ISIS ensuring a reasonable work/life balance so when the pressures to migrate have (or Islamic State) is a violent and horrific that people get to spend more time on the been mitigated on a more equal and organisation – anyone involved in it should things that matter most. peaceful planet. be dealt with through the criminal justice We will include a fully-costed proposal system. Anyone who is involved in violence in our General Election manifesto but until – be it the violent act itself, the planning that point we will not be releasing costings. MUST READ: http://www.huffington- of violent acts, or the financing of violent The BBC and others are bandying figures post.co.uk/ian-middleton/green-party- acts – is a criminal and should be dealt with around but these are not Green Party figures policy_b_6551676.html?utm_hp_ref=uk- through the criminal justice system. and should not be taken as such. politics&ir=UK+Politics 4 CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS

WRAP UP TRIDENT Join in ... The seven mile peace scarf is to be used again in this demo in GREEN PARTY CAMPAIGNS Birmingham on 14 June 2015. [email protected] See http://actionawe.org/ Twitter @gpewcampaigns wrap-up-trident-24-january-12- Facebook: /gpewcampaigns 00-3-00-pm/ Young voters against the electoral register HELP FUND A CAMPAIGN! after Christmas, and 21% of our if you would like to donate TIME TO ACT CLIMATE need to register! own members were not on the money or resources please visit MARCH Robert Lindsay electoral register – 44% of those www.greenparty.org.uk 7, London. See www. Actually, everyone needs to in the Young Greens category. campaigncc.org/TimetoAct ensure they are registered to It’s vital we not only get vote, but it’s particularly an our own members to register THE FRACK STOPS HERE! issue with students who are not to vote, but encourage other f County Hall, Preston, Lancashire at their parents’ address. residents to do so, especially PR1 8RL. 28 Jan at 9.00am and You can register online in just the younger folk, so that those HELP SPREAD THE GREEN 29 Jan at 5.00pm. See https:// five minutes (you need your very healthy Green polls like MESSAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA! www.facebook.com/events/15 National Insurance number) here http://www.theguardian. Please help us reach as many 24388561165172/?ref=3&ref_ here https://www.gov.uk/ com/politics/2014/dec/27/ people as possible on Twitter newsfeed_story_type=regular register-to-vote young-voters-shun-ukip-farage- by following this account and Students can register both at clegg-lib-dems-general-election retweeting. Please ‘Like’ our their home and their university translate into votes in May. Facebook and add photos and address and can vote in local The unregistered members details of your campaigning RAILWAYS FOR elections at both places, though have, of course, all had an PEOPLE, NOT activities. PROFIT they can only vote once for the email, but for non-members The Green Party wants public transport back in public hands. The railways should exist to provide a good service to national election. we’ll all have to do a lot more commuters and travellers, not a honey pot for big business.

In 1993, the Tories sold off the railways to Over 20 years later, the public subsidy SUPPORT THE GREEN PARTY FOR a number of private firms such as Virgin, to private rail companies is three times Arriva and Stagecoach. what it was in the days of British Rail. The Green Party membership door-knocking, especially of • The Tories claimed they would provide Investment has been low and Britain has better and cheaper services than some of the highest rail fares in Europe state-owned British Rail had. while private companies take out huge profits, costing customers and taxpayers A BETTER FUTURE FACEBOOK • They claimed British Rail wasted alike. taxpayers’ money. lists for Newcastle were checked shared houses. • They claimed they would invest in a Greens say we can do better https://www.facebook.com/ rail system Britain would be proud of. than this! BACK IN PUBLIC HANDS groups/421623437897519/

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas is proposing a Bill for renationalisation of the railways.

Nationalise the railways join.green party.org.uk ACTIONPromoted by and on behalf of the Green Party, 56-64 Leonard Street, Development House, London, EC2A 4LT. PrintedFOR by a supporter from http://www.greenparty.org.uk/. Designed by www.lifework.biz Photo:RAIL iStockphoto We need activists to distribute our new Railways for People not Profitflyers (out soon) at as many stations as possible. 27 February – Railways Bill Carbon cuts not comes up in the House of climate chaos Commons for its second reading and a vote - it needs to pass if it’s to go forward to the Committee stage. Combat Climate Change join.greenparty.org.uk

Promoted by Howard Thorp on behalf of the Green Party, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4LT. Printed on 100% recycled paper by Acanthus Press Ltd, Unit 21, Ryelands Farm, Bagley Road, Wellington TA21 9PZ. Photo: iStockphoto©SteveStone. Designed by www.lifework.biz 5 Poster12V1print.indd 3 17/03/2014 09:59 CAROLINE LUCAS MP

Over the next 30 years, the UK’s set to shell out a staggering £100 billion on renewing our Trident nuclear defence system. So alongside the SNP and Plaid Cymru, I was People must pleased yesterday to co-sponsor an Opposi- tion debate on why that shouldn’t happen. Disappointingly, for the second time in a come before little over a week, Labour (with a few honour- able exceptions) sided with the Conserva- tives, and opposed us. Their auto-justifica- Trident tion is that Trident keeps us safe. Yet that position isn’t even supported by many defence experts themselves. The former head of the British Armed Forces has described our nuclear weapons as ‘completely useless’ and ‘virtually irrele- “When the impact of spending £100 billion is so huge, I’d argue it’s inconsistent to be vant’. pro Trident and pro a better education system, pro ending the housing crisis or pro our In 2007, Cold War defence and foreign policy leaders Henry Kissinger, George NHS. Trident is a political vanity project, irrelevant for our real security needs.” Shultz, Sam Nunn and William Perry, argued in the Wall Street Journal that reliance argument should mean he supported all Trident is a political vanity project, on nuclear weapons for deterrence was nations in the world seeking to acquire irrelevant for our real security needs.And ‘becoming increasingly hazardous and nuclear weapons to protect their security what a vanity project it is, at a cool £100 decreasingly effective’. too, he was unable to answer me. billion. It would, of course, be illegal for us Yet Ministers persist in claiming that The world has moved light years since the to actually use it. Which means the Govern- nuclear weapons are vital for our security. Cold War. Terror has changed its form. Today, ment is unlawfully squandering billions on But when I asked the Secretary of State nuclear weapons simply divert massive a warhead that it cannot ever justify using whether he agreed that the logic of his resources from real security threats. under international law. Which, some might The Government has itself stated that (and do) suggest, lacks a certain common the main security threats we face today are sense. terrorism and cyber-attacks. The MoD thinks It’s even more outrageous when the coastal flooding, climate-driven migration austerity axe is hacking away at housing, and rising food prices due to drought and health, education, public sector jobs and water stress will pose a far greater security social security. From 2010-11 to 2015-16 risk than anything a nuclear weapon might core central government funding to local help us with. On that, I agree with them. authorities is being slashed by 40 per cent The best deterrent is to redouble our and, with it, essential public services. Think efforts to work with other nations to address what we could do with £100 billion over 30 global threats like fossil-fuel-induced climate years. disruption, transnational trafficking in Last year, the Campaign for Nuclear weapons, people and drugs, and the poverty Disarmament (CND) published People not Caroline protesting at Faslane against Trident and desperation which fuel conflicts, hunger Trident, which considered just that. when she was a Green MEP. and violence around the world. Investing that money wisely, it found, 6 CAROLINE’S Statement in response to Infrastructure Bill debate, 26 January, 2015 could create 2 million jobs, compared to 7,000 as a result of Trident. Government determined to force It could build us hundreds of thousands of new homes. In Brighton, sky-high rents fracking at any cost mean nurses and health workers are having to move away. We currently have 18,000 “Today’s debate was farcical – so little Downs, other protected areas and ground- people on the waiting list for housing. The time was given that we weren’t even able to water protection zones, are welcome and Government should be increasing the direct bring the trespass amendment to vote. That a sign that public pressure is forcing politi- capital grant to Local Authorities so they can amendment sought to prevent fracking cians to listen. The strength of public invest in a mass programme of sustainable companies being awarded sweeping new feeling on this issue is palpable – and I think council housing. powers to frack beneath your home without it’s intensified still further in the face of When the impact of spending £100 billion your consent – a move opposed by 99% the astonishing lack of transparency, lack is so huge, I’d argue it’s inconsistent to be pro of respondents to the Government’s own of accountability and lack of regard for the Trident and pro ending the housing crisis. consultation. It was backed in a petition by views of voters. People won’t be silenced on In Brighton, as in many parts of the 360,000 people. When it came to a freeze this.” country, our A&E faces crisis, while nurses on fracking, Labour abstained. Instead they She added: “In the run up to the crucial are being denied even a miserly 1% wage served up their own superficial tweaks, Paris climate talks later this year, the pressure increase. But the £100 billion earmarked lacking in detail and riddled with loopholes. to ditch plans for fracking and instead invest for Trident could fully fund all A&E services Additional provisions, accepted by Govern- in clean home-grown renewable energy will in hospitals for 40 years. It could cover the ment, to rule out fracking in the South continue to grow.” cost of building 180 new state of the art hospitals. It could employ 150,000 new nurses for the next three decades. When the impact of spending £100 billion is so huge, I’d argue it’s inconsistent to be pro Trident and pro our NHS. Caroline is a member This Government has cut the Education of the Environmental Maintenance Allowance (EMA), lifted the cap Audit Committee (EAC), on tuition fees and forced schools to enter Co-Chair of the All-Party into partnerships with private companies. Fuel Poverty and Energy £100 billion could pay the tuition fees of Efficiency Group, and over 4 million students. It could reinstate Parliamentary Champion of EMA for 60 years, enabling students to afford the Energy Bill Revolution books, transport and college materials. campaign. It could build as many as 30,000 primary Caroline wrote on schools – or refurbish thousands more. today’s EAC report and the Instead of nuclear warheads we could – Infrastructure Bill debate and should – be investing in our children’s for the Huffington Post – future. you can find the piecehere When the impact of spending £100 billion is so huge, I’d argue it’s inconsistent to be pro Trident and pro a better education system. People must come before Trident. 7 GREEN PARTY MEPS Jean Lambert – London, Keith Taylor – South East and Molly Scott Cato – South West

Molly Scott Cato MEP says Apple - biggest profits ever made by a company “While people go hungry and austerity politics stalks the world, corporations like Apple literally have more money than they know what to do with. We need politicians to address the issue of tax avoidance and to challenge the power of these vast corporations.”

Apple’s record profits – iPhone 6 sales net £120bn with 74.5m iPhones sold in three months pre-Christmas 2014 Allegations over ‘minimising’ tax in the U.S. Along with giants such as Amazon, Google and eBay. Apple and other multi-national companies are accused of using complex schemes to minimise their tax bills. Green MEPs Jean Lambert, Keith Taylor and Molly Scott Cato say beware TTIP – the USA/EU trade Apple amass a cash pile larger than the total agreement which can sue governments and abolish workers’ rights. market value of Disney, Pepsi or Amazon.

26 January – Green Party MEPs Keith as usual politics can win the support of Syriza victory in Taylor and Molly Scott Cato issued a joint the people. In the UK we are witnessing a statement after Syriza won the General Green Surge, in no small part due to our Greek Election Election in Greece. anti-austerity agenda, and we hope the The Greek Ecologist Green Party, part of Greek election result marks the beginnings the , took part in a of ordinary people standing up to a discred- joint election campaign with Syriza, which ited economic model and failing Govern- now sees them join a left coalition govern- ments across Europe.” ment in Greece. In a joint statement issued this morning For more information or to request an by Keith Taylor Green MEP for South East interview please contact: England and Molly Scott Cato Green MEP for Joe Ryle (Press Officer for Keith Taylor South West England, they said: MEP) [email protected] “The result of the Greek elections has 07940500633 shown that the people of Greece have Andrew Bell (Media Officer to Molly Scott taken a strong stand against the politics of Cato MEP) [email protected] austerity. Greens share the view of the new 07410 441182 government that austerity is a failed model See more at: http://www.keithtaylormep. which has piled misery on the poorest org.uk/2015/01/26/uk-green-meps- while making the wealthiest even richer. release-statement-after-syriza-win-greek- This result shows that challenging business election/#sthash.Yi0L3OCt.dpuf 8 GREEN PARTY MEPS

I remain convinced that GMOs cause of African elephants cannot be under- contamination of crops, are bad for our estimated. China can improve its global health and that small scale sustainable reputation by putting an end to its engage- agriculture is the answer to solving future ment in the ivory trade. food shortages”. See more at: http://www.jeanlambertmep. See more at: http://www.keithtaylormep. org.uk/2015/01/26/demonstration- org.uk/2015/01/13/european-parliament- chinese-embassy-stop-elephant- gmo-vote-will-mean-more-gmos-not- decline/#sthash.iUTIYBk7.dpuf European Parliament less/#sthash.9ay8qaLm.dpuf GMO vote will mean Guantánamo demo Jean attended a demonstration outside ‘more GMOs not less’ the U.S Embassy this month – it’s 13 years 13 January – MEPs in the European Parlia- since Guantánamo bay opened, now 148 ment voted for a final time today in favour prisoners remain held arbitrarily, almost of allowing member states to legally ban wholly without charge or trial. or restrict Genetically Modified Organisms Giving a short speech, Jean’s key points (GMOs) in their territories. The result of the were: vote was 480 in favour and 159 against. 58 • We need to remember all victims of abstained. terrorism, including those in Nigeria, However, by giving member states Pakistan and many other countries. more power to ‘opt-out’ on GMOs many End to ivory trading • The European Parliament will continue to campaigners and politicians fear this will pursue the truth about what our national actually make it easier for pro-GM Govern- 26/01/2015 – Wildlife is in crisis. The Governments have done – need to apply ments to ‘opt-in’ and therefore enable more numbers of elephants lost to poaching is consistent, not double standards. GMOs. climbing ever higher. Clearly, urgent and • We hope that David Cameron’s trip to An email sent by the Department for immediate action is needed to stop the the USA this week will see Shaker Aamer Environment, Food & Rural Affairs in slaughter of elephants for their ivory. It is return to his family in London. December 2014 said that as a result of this currently estimated that 100 elephants are The London Guantánamo Campaign has new legislation ‘we now expect to see GM being slaughtered by poachers every single been campaigning since 2006 for the return Maize 1507 get its final authorisation in the day. of all British residents, the release of all near future, and new applications should be Attending a peaceful demonstration prisoners, and of course the closure of this approved much more quickly than has been outside the Chinese embassy on Saturday, prison. Follow @ShutGuantanamo the case until now’. 24 January, Jean Lambert, Green MEP for Keith Taylor Green MEP for South East London, said: England who voted against the new ‘It is a shocking, cruel and unnecessary proposals today said: “This agreement is trade. The Chinese Government can make not all it seems. While giving EU countries a big difference in ending this cruelty, but new powers to ban GMOs – I believe what there’s a need to engage with those who this will mean in reality for the UK is more work with ivory and also buyers in order to GMOs not fewer. This is because our pro-GM change attitudes and quell demand.’ Government are now able to give the As the world’s leading consumer of ivory, go-ahead to more authorisations. the role of China in ensuring the survival 9 TALKING POINT Green means ecology by Richard Lawson

The changed its name to as bears. This means that individualism, the by their adherents to be absolutely true, and Green Party back in 1985 not because we dominant political philosophy of our age all generate schism as different authorities moved away from the ideal of political that gives rise to free market capitalism, make different interpretations. ecology but because you could see people’s neo-conservatism, neo-liberalism and all Learned eco-socialists may protest that eyes glaze over when they heard the ‘-ology’ the other self-oriented drivers of our age, is Marx mentioned the environment more bit. The philosophical basis of our party is simply wrong from a scientific point of view. than once. But christian greens may point still firmly rooted in ecological thinking, This is not to say that Greens do not wish to a few places in the Bible also where it is that is, in a world view that sees humankind to maximise the liberty of the individual, so mentioned that it is not right to kill trees and in its natural setting, a delicate web of life long as that liberty does not limit the liberty poison wells. It is fine to be a green christian stretched thinly across this beautiful, blue of others. or a green socialist or a green anything else, and white planet that is our home. Human are social animals. Does that so long as we remember that what binds In basing our thinking on our dependence mean therefore that we are a socialist us together is our common interest in the on the natural world, we stand apart from party? That depends on what is meant by ecosphere that sustains our life. the ancient left-right, socialist-individualist socialism. There are a vast array of socialist So the Green Party has no sacred text. A dilemmas of the old politics, who see ‘Man’, parties on the market, all 100% convinced few may try to put Policies for a Sustainable whether viewed as a social entity or as an that they are the one and only true socialist Society into that position, but any reading individual entity, as a god-like self-existent party, all convinced that all other parties of it shows that it has more internal self being. (including us) are fakes and traitors to the contradictions than the Bible. It is very much Having said that, it is true that humans socialist cause. In this way, socialist parties a text written by fallible people struggling are a social animal like dolphins and behave exactly like religious sects who base to understand something much bigger wolves, rather than solitary animals such their existence on the correct interpretation than words. Nature itself, and our best way of an absolute Truth. Torah, Bible, Koran, Das of interacting with it and each other, is our Kapital – these are all texts that are believed Book. Left and right are absolute opposites, in their own terms. But society and individual, the state and the market, all exist within a larger matrix – the matrix of a dynamic living reality, the biosphere. Ecological thinking is a big tent, one with no single top-hatted and be-whipped ringmaster, no absolute text, just a living milieu all around us that is being trashed by foolish and short-sighted economic policies. In relating to this all-encompassing ecosphere, and in focusing our minds on changing a destruc- tive economy into constructive economic and political actions that serve the interests of all living beings, we Greens can heal the conflict ridden politics of our age. 10 FEATURE

“Meat eaters in developed countries will have to eat a lot less meat, cutting consumption by 50%, to avoid the worst consequences of future climate change.”

Veganism: The Green diet by Marcus Dredge, Lincoln Green Party

Social commentators over at Freakonomics asked why many in the environmentalist Make this movement obsess over the evils of coal, yet neglect the huge issues caused through yummy Vegan our use of animals. The article is entitled Agnostic Carnvivores and Global Warming: Pesto Pasta! Why Enviros go after Coal and not Cows and it certainly makes a fair assertion: 1 lb. pasta “Forget ending dirty coal or natural 2 garlic cloves gas pipelines. As the WPF report shows 2 cups packed fresh basil veganism offers the single most effective leaves path to reducing global climate change.” 1/2 cup pine nuts Switching animal products makes little 1/4 cup olive oil difference, nor does being a locavore: 1/4 cup hot water “The evidence is powerful. Eating a vegan Salt, to taste diet is seven times more effective at reducing emissions than eating a local meat-based Cook the pasta according diet. A global vegan diet would reduce to the package directions. dietary emissions by 87 percent, compared Combine the garlic, basil to a token 8 percent for ‘sustainable meat leaves, and pine nuts in a and dairy.’ In light of the fact that the overall blender and process on low speed. environmental impact of livestock is greater than any other sector of industry. Cows With the blender running, slowly than that of burning coal, natural gas, and especially, as ruminants farmed for their add the olive oil, followed by the hot crude oil...” meat and dairy, produce a lot of methane, water. Add salt to taste and continue Freakonomics conclude: as much as 51%, as shown by a study from processing until the pesto is smooth “I’d suggest McKibben, 350.org, and the The World Watch Institute on behalf of The and creamy. Drain the pasta and toss environmental movement as a whole trade World Bank. in the pesto sauce. up their carnivorous agnosticism for a fire Non-ruminants such as chickens still and brimstone dose of vegan fundamen- consume vast quantities of grain. Often it Makes 4 to 6 servings talism.” takes eight to twelve kilos of plant protein From The Compassionate Cook Animal farming has been proven to to produce one kilo of animal protein. 60% produce higher levels of greenhouse gases of global grain production goes to farmed 11 their vastly omnivorous membership In 2006 the United Nations specialist Food base. Former vice-president of the USA, and Agriculture Organization presented Al Gore, is much vaunted for his impres- the report Livestock’s Long Shadow, with sive An Inconvenient Truth lecture and the study’s authors concluding that more admirable missionary zeal in educating the intensified factory farming would be public on the threat of climate change, yet required to meet demand, a suggestion he failed to make one reference to livestock that fails to consider both the interests of impacts during his entire film. In fact the the other animals who are being used, or only cows that feature in the documentary whether animal farming need take place at are those used to positively make reference all. to the Gore family business of cattle Sadly with an ever-growing human ranching. population, and animal products occupying The companion book did make clear the a place as a food of status and social significance of animal product reduction climbing, the amount of animals farmed Diagram: Domestication as a driver in and Al has since stated that: “It’s absolutely continues to rise. This is despite the evident species extinction correct that the growing meat intensity truths regarding dietary impacts and the of diets around the world is one of the scientific consensus regarding anthropo- animals. With 925 million humans lacking issues connected to this global crisis – not genic climate change. enough food, needlessly breeding only because of the CO2 involved, but also Paul MacCready notes that when agricul- non-human animals then feeding them because of the water consumed in the ture began, humans, their livestock and this way seems a criminally selfish act of process.” pets accounted for less than 0.1 percent negligence. In March of 2014 Gore confirmed he was of the total. Today he estimates this group The grain is often produced in ecologically now vegan, stating that: “Over a year ago I accounts for 98 percent of the earth’s total sensitive areas such as the cleared Amazon changed my diet to a vegan diet, really just vertebrate biomass, leaving only 2 percent Rainforest, where 80% of the soya produced to experiment to see what it was like. And for the wild portion. is used to fatten up farmed animals. Around I felt better, so I continued with it. Now for Prominent film director and environ- the world 85% of the total clearance is done many people that choice is connected to mentalist, James Cameron, announced his in order to make space for cattle ranching. environmental ethics and health issues and veganism as an ethical imperative: “It’s not a Meanwhile with 884 million people all that stuff, but I just wanted to try it to requirement to eat animals, we just choose lacking access to clean water it takes 2400 see what it was like. In a visceral way, I felt to do it, so it becomes a moral choice and gallons to produce one pound of meat. better, so I’ve continued with it and I’m likely one that is having a huge impact on the That’s a total of 235 trillion gallons of clean to continue it for the rest of my life.” planet, using up resources and destroying water annually just to produce meat alone. Buoyed by Al Gore’s veganism, prominent the biosphere.” Truly a food stuff of the self-appointed UK environmentalist and journalist, George A plant-based diet just happens to be one ‘global elite’. Monbiot, finally came down in favour of the of the healthiest ways of eating yet we Topsoil is being destroyed, previously position. This decision was based largely on continue to unnecessarily inflict suffering fertile land is increasingly made barren and his findings while researching the bookFeral, on other animals and threaten the very native plant species are becoming extinct, which focused on rewilding. He rescinded his sustainability of this one planet all species as are wild animal species, pushed out of previous opinions that animal agriculture depend upon. existence as this monolithic global animal could be done sustainably and that there Ecological concerns are a good reason to farm spreads. Currently nearly one third are better uses of the Lake District’s hills go vegan; it’s easily done and if you need any of the earth’s surface is covered by farm (one example being reafforestation) than assistance do drop a line to: animals. allowing them to become ‘sheepwrecked’ by http://veganoutreachuk.blogspot.co.uk/ It’s not just the big environmental groups the destructive, non-native grazers farmed search/label/activism who are afraid to rock the boat and offend by humans 12 FEATURE For more information visit www.clivelord.wordpress.com Citizens’ Basic Income (CBI) by Clive Lord The Citizens’ (Basic) Income (CBI), a regular 3 The CBI can be the basis for a reconcilia- Means testing is seriously wrong, and sum of money given to everybody instead tion between ‘left’ and ‘right’, or workers must be got rid of. Duncan Smith’s way is of means tested benefits to a few poor and bosses. No one will have to work, workfare (working for benefits only) benefit people was discussed in the last Green but they will be better off if they do, and sanctions, the bedroom tax, the 1% benefits Activist. The idea has also appeared in the employers will have to make it worth cap and Work Capability Assessments. Guardian with a multitude of comments. their while. But on the other hand a In other words, 19th century ideological Not quite mainstream yet, but a good start. I struggling entrepreneur can offer lower nastiness. The only other way is to give have been pleading for the Citizens’ or Basic wages where he would otherwise go out everybody basic subsistence, and take it Income to be a leading Green Party policy for of business, and employ nobody. from those who don’t need it through the over 40 years, and it is salutary for me to be tax system. reminded of the huge misunderstandings. The main thing which needs stressing All this is given, chapter and verse in a The Green Activist article covered most now – and in the election campaign – is very surprising source: Dynamic Benefits: of the bases well. Two points are worth that the CBI ends the poverty trap. This is towards Welfare that works. Search for elaborating. The CBI must cover housing where major misunderstandings persist. the Centre for Social Justice – an Duncan costs. But Housing Benefit is huge, due Iain Duncan Smith has hoodwinked the Smith Think Tank – click ‘Publications’ and to distortions caused by short sighted entire Labour party with his demonising go to September 2009. The second part is solutions, so the tax on the better off scroungers mantra. He was quite right to specious rubbish. It introduces the Universal would frighten them too much. At this identify MEANS TESTING as a problem. Credit. But the first part cannot be bettered (election) stage, Green Party policy will be Withdrawal of benefits operates as a tax as the unintentional case for the CBI, with a a generous Job Seekers Allowance equiva- which is massive in proportion to low series of graphs showing the withdrawal of lent to everybody, paid for by abolishing the incomes, but negligible to everyone else. means tested benefitsas though they were tax free personal allowance. This will be tax Everybody who doesn’t receive means taxes. Look at page 88, and (from memory) neutral, to get people used to the principle. tested benefits pays this disguised, but very page 162. One of our worst enemies has The Green Activist article is concerned real tax. given us the ammunition to destroy him. that the CBI might enable bosses to pay lower wages. Let me explain why this won’t happen generally, but why I approve of it where it does.

For me there are THREE reasons for a CBI. 1 It is redistributive, reducing inequality, and it is FAIR in a way the present system is not. It will allow millions of ordinary individuals to contemplate a recession Marginal Tax rate without fear. (the amount you 2 The Green Party was founded in response lose from each extra £ earned) to the ‘Limits to Growth’ MIT study (1972) which warned that indiscriminate economic growth would risk wrecking the planet 13 GREEN PIONEERS

Who was Donella Meadows? production and resources. They then ran the model repeatedly using a variety of assump- By David Flint tions about both the actual numbers and Donella Meadows (1941 to 2001) was an the relationships between them. award-winning environmental scientist and The major finding was that the most writer. She is best known as lead author of likely result if we continued with ‘business the Limits to Growth, 1972, a study which as usual’ was a collapse of the whole system predicted global collapse unless urgent sometime in the 21st century. The immediate action was taken to restrain growth. This cause of the collapse might, depending on work stimulated the formation of the Green the assumptions, be the exhaustion of key Party (which was then called People) in She taught at Dartmouth College from resources or an excess of pollution. The result 1973. 1972 to 2001 and for 16 years wrote a would be a major decline in world popula- Donella Meadows (nee Hagar) was born weekly newspaper column – ‘The Global tion and production; a true catastrophe. The in Illinois. She earned a BA in Chemistry Citizen’ – applying systems thinking to authors showed that this could be avoided and a PhD in biophysics from Harvard then world events. by determined and timely action. became a research fellow at MIT. There she She received a number of awards for The work was attacked by many people was part of Jay Forrester’s team, applying her work including a Pew Scholarship, a but often for not doing things it did not systems thinking to a variety of complex MacArthur ‘genius’ Fellowship, the Walter C. claim to do – making specific predictions. problems, and was lead author of The Limits Paine Science Education Award and, posthu- Meadows’ work remains controversial to Growth. mously, the John H. Chafee Excellence in though attitudes seem to owe more to prior Environmental Affairsassumptions than to analysis. In general, Award. In her later years scientists accept its general message whilst she lived in an organic economists reject it. The same arguments farm-based community in can be seen in relation to climate change Vermont. Meadows died at which is, arguably, a special case of 59 of bacterial meningitis. Meadows’ argument. Meadows’ most important book was For more information see: undoubtedly the Limits to Kolankiewicz, Leon, 2001: Donella Growth. The book reported Meadows - A Tribute. Social Contract Press. attempts by Meadows Volume 11, Number 4 (2001). http://www. and her co-workers to thesocialcontract.com/artman2/publish/ understand the global tsc1104/article_985.shtml economic/industrial/ environmental system The Donella Meadows Institute: http:// using the methods of www.donellameadows.org/systems- systems dynamics. thinking-resources/ DIAGRAM OF THE LIMITS The authors built a TO THROUGHPUT FROM computer model, World3, Meadows, Donella, Randers, Jorgen and THE CONSERVER SOCIETY which showed the Meadows, Dennis, 2004: Limits to Growth: BY MARY IVER (1979) relationships between The 30-Year Update. population, industri- alization, pollution, food 14 WHO’S WHO IN THE GREEN PARTY

HOUSE OF COMMONS LEADERS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT UK OFFICE Krysia Williams – Constituency Coordinator and Researcher [email protected] Joe Ryle – Press Officer [email protected] REGIONAL STAFF Eloise Shavelar – Hampshire & Isle of Wight [email protected] Caroline Lucas Natalie Bennett Jean Lambert Anne Weinhold – Surrey and Sussex MP for Brighton Pavilion Leader MEP for London [email protected] House of Commons, London [email protected] [email protected] BRUSSELS OFFICE SW1A 0AA www.nataliebennett.co.uk www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk Jo Sprackett – Parliamentary [email protected] Twitter: @natalieben Twitter: @GreenJeanMEP Assistant Twitter: @CarolineLucas Facebook: /GreenNatalieBennett Facebook: /GreenJeanMEP [email protected] Facebook: /caroline/page UK OFFICE www.carolinelucas.com Danny Bates – constituency • Cath Miller – Chief of Staff co-coordinator and researcher 0207 219 7025 020 7250 8416 Jenny Williams – Press Officer [email protected] 07590 050 565 Claire Norman – PR and media officer 020 7250 8417 [email protected] BRUSSELS OFFICE Rachel Sheppard – Parliamentary Assistant to Jean Lambert Shahrah Ali +32 2 2837507 Molly Scott Cato Deputy Leader [email protected] MEP for the South West & Gibraltar [email protected] http://mollymep.org.uk/ [email protected] Twitter: @MollyMEP Facebook: /molly.scottcato?fref=ts For all enquiries regarding Molly’s work in the European Parliament. Baroness Jones of Grace Murray – Parliamentary Moulsecoomb Assistant, molly.scottcato-office@ europarl.europa.eu [email protected] For issues relating to the South Twitter: @greenjennyjones west constituency or to invite Molly http://t.co/BA70H5w5MY Keith Taylor to attend an event. http://t.co/6Isc6vT6Zl MEP for South East England [email protected] Deputy Leader [email protected] www.keithtaylormep.org.uk For all enquiries relating to press Twitter: @GreenKeithMEP and media Andrew Bell – Media Facebook: /KeithTaylorMEP [email protected]

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