Hammersmith and Fulham Friends of the Earth

Biodiversity - the richness and variety of life - is under serious threat.
Human activities are to blame. Right now, the natural world is suffering its greatest wave of extinctions for 60 million years.

Since 1945, we have lost an estimated 95% of flower-rich meadows, 30% of ancient woodland and 80% of lowland grassland in the UK. As it disappears, so our fellow creatures are being done out of a place to live. Living in the city its' all too easy to forgot we share our country with thousand of other species!

Make a Difference!

Buy reclaimed and sustainable wood only

Get a copy of the Good Wood Guide, which has advice on where to get hold of second-hand furniture and products made from reclaimed wood.

Think of your garden as an ecosystem

Your garden is an ecosystem teeming with life; and just as it contains its own micro-ecosystems, it is also part of the ecosystem of the surrounding area. Encourage biodiversity , by thinking about what species you plant and the materials you use in the garden. Contact the wildlife trust for a leaflet on Wildlife Gardening by calling 01636 677 711, or see www.wildlifetrust.org.uk.
Also see www.hdra.org.uk.

Greasy Palms

One particularly inspirational workshop at the Conference was on the devastating effect of palm oil. The oil palm tree is grown in massive monocrop plantations across Indonesia and Malaysia, and its oil ends up in hundreds of products from bread and crisps to lipstick.

Palm oil plantations are damaging on every level: tropical rainforests are cleared to make way for the oil palm; it is driving orang-utans and other endangered wildlife to extinction; local people are forced off their land and have been tortured or even killed for protesting; and pay and conditions for plantation workers are so bad the oil palm is known locally as the ‘slave tree’.

The good news is that we can do something about this! Although it’d be almost impossible to boycott palm oil – it’s too ubiquitous and often just labelled as ‘vegetable oil’ – we will be campaigning outside a Tesco near you on Palm Oil Action Day, 29^th October. Join us, help us plan the day at the next meeting, or write to your MP demanding UK company law reform to stop companies acting destructively.

In advance of the day of action on palm oil, Friends of the Earth is holding an evening for campaigners at its Underwood Street headquarters on Wednesday 19 October. The campaign aims to draw public attention to the failure of UK supermarkets to take action on palm oil, and put pressure on the Government to reform company law to impose clear duties on company directors to minimise their environmental impact.

This is your chance to learn about palm oil, what it means for orang-utans and indigenous peoples, and discuss together what we can do about it as Friends of the Earth. Drinks and light nibbles will be served.

FoE is urging the government to introduce laws that would require companies to minimise their impact on local communities and the environment. It wants 5,000 people to sign a postcard to their MP asking for duties on company directors.

Saturday 1st Oct, at 3pm, Margravine Cemetery tree walk Meet at the cemetery gate in Margravine Gardens, the one nearest to Barons Court tube. We hope to start an informal photographic record so bring your cameras if you have one! Latecomers just look for the group! Gavin Simmons, Tree Officer will lead a guided walk. call Ruth 0208 748 2927 for more info.

Tuesday 2nd August, at 6pm, Margravine Cemetery wildflower walk number 2: Meet at the cemetery gate in Margravine Gardens, the one nearest to Barons Court tube. We hope to start an informal photographic record so bring your cameras if you have one! Latecomers just look for the group!

Tuesday 19th July 6pm at Matthew's Community Hall , Margravine Road, nearest underground Barons Court.
Margravine Cemetery - wild plant identification talk followed by survey walk round the cemetery Information from Ruth 020 8748 2927

The World Bank and United Nations are seeking to increase logging by 60 times in the Democratic Republic of Congo's priceless ancient rainforests.
They are doing so without a government in place and against local opposition. Where is the outrage? It takes one minute to protest turning Congo's rainforest wilderness into diminished tree farms. Please do so at:

The alert has been updated to now target the UN as well. Alert participation has not been as high as desired. Consider that similar protests in Papua New Guinea have helped reduce industrial logging of primary rainforests by 80%. Who will protect the World's last wildlands - if not you?

		Hammersmith and Fulham Friends of the Earth

Local Campaigns Waste, Real Food, Transport, Climate, Living World Resources Local Real Food Directory - recently updated, Local Recycling, Kids Zone, Links, Living World Links Real Food Directory - Grow your own Links to other Sites Palm Oil - Rainforest in your shopping Save or Delete.com - uncovering ancient rainforest crime Garden Furniture Guide - Get Active Flora in Fulham WormWood Scrubs Nature Reserve London Wildlife Trust get you free wildlife gardening pack here Parks and Open Spaces in Hammersmith and Fulham West London Groundworks For composting and wildlife in your garden see wigglywigglers The aim of HDRA's scientific research is to develop and improve the techniques used in organic agriculture and to advance the knowledge of organic production systems. Trees for London. Trees for London is an independent charity working to improve London's environment through tree planting and landscaping projects. Tree Planting Tips Rainforest web portal		Biodiversity - the richness and variety of life - is under serious threat. Human activities are to blame. Right now, the natural world is suffering its greatest wave of extinctions for 60 million years. Living World Campaign Since 1945, we have lost an estimated 95% of flower-rich meadows, 30% of ancient woodland and 80% of lowland grassland in the UK. As it disappears, so our fellow creatures are being done out of a place to live. Living in the city its' all too easy to forgot we share our country with thousand of other species! Make a Difference! Buy reclaimed and sustainable wood only Get a copy of the Good Wood Guide, which has advice on where to get hold of second-hand furniture and products made from reclaimed wood. Think of your garden as an ecosystem Your garden is an ecosystem teeming with life; and just as it contains its own micro-ecosystems, it is also part of the ecosystem of the surrounding area. Encourage biodiversity , by thinking about what species you plant and the materials you use in the garden. Contact the wildlife trust for a leaflet on Wildlife Gardening by calling 01636 677 711, or see www.wildlifetrust.org.uk. Also see www.hdra.org.uk. (from 'Go MAD!', published by The Ecologist) Campaign News and Actions Oct 2nd The future's not bright if you're orange Greasy Palms What's the problem with Palm Oil? And what can you do about it? Palm Oil Day of Action: 29th October One particularly inspirational workshop at the Conference was on the devastating effect of palm oil. The oil palm tree is grown in massive monocrop plantations across Indonesia and Malaysia, and its oil ends up in hundreds of products from bread and crisps to lipstick. Palm oil plantations are damaging on every level: tropical rainforests are cleared to make way for the oil palm; it is driving orang-utans and other endangered wildlife to extinction; local people are forced off their land and have been tortured or even killed for protesting; and pay and conditions for plantation workers are so bad the oil palm is known locally as the ‘slave tree’. The good news is that we can do something about this! Although it’d be almost impossible to boycott palm oil – it’s too ubiquitous and often just labelled as ‘vegetable oil’ – we will be campaigning outside a Tesco near you on Palm Oil Action Day, 29^th October. Join us, help us plan the day at the next meeting, or write to your MP demanding UK company law reform to stop companies acting destructively. In advance of the day of action on palm oil, Friends of the Earth is holding an evening for campaigners at its Underwood Street headquarters on Wednesday 19 October. The campaign aims to draw public attention to the failure of UK supermarkets to take action on palm oil, and put pressure on the Government to reform company law to impose clear duties on company directors to minimise their environmental impact. This is your chance to learn about palm oil, what it means for orang-utans and indigenous peoples, and discuss together what we can do about it as Friends of the Earth. Drinks and light nibbles will be served. `FoE is urging the government to introduce laws that would require companies to minimise their impact on local communities and the environment. It wants 5,000 people to sign a postcard to their MP asking for duties on company directors.` read more Saturday 1st Oct, at 3pm, Margravine Cemetery tree walk Meet at the cemetery gate in Margravine Gardens, the one nearest to Barons Court tube. We hope to start an informal photographic record so bring your cameras if you have one! Latecomers just look for the group! Gavin Simmons, Tree Officer will lead a guided walk. call Ruth 0208 748 2927 for more info. Tuesday 2nd August, at 6pm, Margravine Cemetery wildflower walk number 2: Meet at the cemetery gate in Margravine Gardens, the one nearest to Barons Court tube. We hope to start an informal photographic record so bring your cameras if you have one! Latecomers just look for the group! Tuesday 19th July 6pm at Matthew's Community Hall , Margravine Road, nearest underground Barons Court. Margravine Cemetery - wild plant identification talk followed by survey walk round the cemetery Information from Ruth 020 8748 2927 May 05 - check out the Flora in Fulham project CONGO: World's Second Largest Rainforest to be Destroyed By Forests.org, Inc. - http://forests.org/ March 18, 2004 The World Bank and United Nations are seeking to increase logging by 60 times in the Democratic Republic of Congo's priceless ancient rainforests. They are doing so without a government in place and against local opposition. Where is the outrage? It takes one minute to protest turning Congo's rainforest wilderness into diminished tree farms. Please do so at: http://forests.org/action/africa/ The alert has been updated to now target the UN as well. Alert participation has not been as high as desired. Consider that similar protests in Papua New Guinea have helped reduce industrial logging of primary rainforests by 80%. Who will protect the World's last wildlands - if not you? This is tremendously important. If industrial logging becomes established in the Congo to the degree it has elsewhere, there is little hope that Congolese rainforests - and their ecosystems, species and peoples - will be sustained. Biodiversity Action Plan http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Have_your_say/Consultations/biodiversity/default.htm GREENPEACE VS GEORGE W. BUSH In a move unprecedented in US history, George W. Bush's Justice Department has indicted an entire organization – Greenpeace! -- for the peaceful protest activities of its members. For years, we have been working to halt environmental destruction and human rights abuses by criminal enterprises in Brazil's Amazon rainforest. In April 2002, miles off the coast of Florida, two Greenpeace activists boarded a ship that was carrying wood illegally exported from the Brazilian Amazon. Their goal was to hang a banner that said "President Bush: Stop Illegal Logging." But instead of intercepting the contraband and prosecuting the smugglers, the Government now has charged Greenpeace with crimes for boarding the ship. A trial is scheduled. Contact George W. Bush and US Attorney General John Ashcroft and tell them to prosecute illegal loggers, not Greenpeace: http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/bin/view.fpl/10048/action_id/195.html