Friends of the Earth Birmingham Action Briefing Oct-Nov 97

It's in the bag!

Over-consumption is a root of environmental problems from landfill waste to forest destruction to climate change.

We live in a 'consumer culture' where even our standard of living is officially judged by politicians as the growth of the economy and spending.

Billions are spent in advertising and it is so easy to slip into a way of life where we believe that all our problems will dissolve when we buy that lovely new top or plastic flowers that dance to music!

Friends of the Earth want to bring people's awareness back to this issue and there are two dates for your diaries:-

Sat 25 October - Take It Back! The focus will be on over-packaging. Encouraging members of the public to question the amount of packaging they receive in supermarkets and high street chain stores.

Sat 29 November - National 'No Shop' Day An anti-consumerism day of action consisting of silly stunts which highlight the role of advertising in our spending sprees and how useless gadgets use up resources, increase waste and incineration, landfill sites and dangerous toxins in the air we breathe......need I go on?!

Hayley Duffin