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This December, the world’s governments will meet in Copenhagen to negotiate and decide a global climate deal. This deal is crucial to avoid climate catastrophe. We must call on the government to deliver a fair and safe deal–a deal that keeps the rise in global temperatures to below 2 degrees Celsius, a deal that supports developing countries in their efforts to cope with the impacts of climate change now and in the future. Saturday 5th of December at 12 noon, thousands of people from all walks of life will flood the streets of Dublin. Read the rest of this entry »

A number of environmental NGOs and Minister John Gormely came together on the steps of the Dail on the 29th of October to launch the first branch of the international campaign 10:10. Founded by film director Franny Armstrong, the 10:10 UK campaign grew from the hit ‘The Age of Stupid’ where Armstrong showed viewers what the world could look like in 2050 if we continued living as we are now. The concept is simple and the ask is not too big: 10% reductions in the UK’s carbon emissions in the year 2010. Irish environmentalists, VOICE included, started to wonder why they couldn’t do the same and soon bumped heads until an Irish version of 10:10 was born. 10:10 plans to go global with the next countries rumoured to sign up after Ireland being Australia and New Zealand.
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Food is vital, but its preparation, distribution, consumption and disposal play a huge role in climate change. VOICE’s latest campaign Food Matters focuses on the issues surrounding food and the environment offering information and advice for how each of us can make a difference to our eating, shopping and recycling habits.

Why does food matter?

The international food system is one of the single biggest consumers of fossil fuels, one of the greatest producers of greenhouse gases and one of the core users of water in the world.[1] In Ireland, over 20% of our CO 2 emissions come from agriculture alone.[2] While all of the combined stages from farm to plate make up about 20- 30% of the total CO2 emissions in Ireland. Similarly, Ireland has achieved or is on track to meeting all EU waste targets except for biodegradable or food waste, according to the EPA.[3]

Catastrophic climate change is real and is serious BUT it is stoppable if we change our ways now. Simple changes to behaviour and lifestyle patterns such as how we eat, shop and recycle are ways we all can make a difference. Food Matters offers information on the different arguments surrounding food and the environment and offers advice for how you can make a change.

Summary

Looking at the links to the different processes from farm to bin:
• Farm stage: Using vast amounts of oil and water
• Manufacturing stage: energy and materials used in packaging
• Distribution: transport of food globally and locally
• Waste: what happens to food once it reaches your home
• What you can do: become a green shopper, waste less food, grow a patch of vegetables or fruit

[1] Defra UK Prorgress Report on Sustainable Products and Materials , 2008 , page 5
[2] Environmental Impact of Products (EIPRO): Analysis of the lifecycle environmental impacts related to the final consumption of the EUhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/ipp/pdf/eipro_report.pdf
[3] EPA website news November 27th 2009 http://www.epa.ie/news/pr/2009/name,27454,en.html

VOICE holds a seat on the Steering Committee for the Irish Forest Stewardship Council forest management system. The Forest Stewardship Council is an independent organisation based in Bonn, which originated in South America in response to forest destruction, and promotes the responsible management of forests according to 10 Principles. Each country devises a national forest management standard based on these principles. The Irish draft standard has now been completely rewritten by a standard development group which included VOICE.

See www.irishforestcertification.com for more information