McDonalds is Coming to Town

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Yes, its true. The Golden Arches are coming to Gore and will be peddling their wares 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

According to the McDonalds New Zealand website McDonalds restaurants spend around $100 million a year with Kiwi suppliers - in fact some 90% of the products they use in their restaurants are sourced in New Zealand and 80% of their restaurants in this country are owned by New Zealanders. They employ over 6000 staff throughout New Zealand. Which all sounds good . . . right?

Obviously having a McDonalds in town will not be without benefits to some local businesses. They will need tradesmen for maintenance and repair, they will encourage more visitors into Gore - the closest McDonalds around is a good 40 minutes drive South in Invercargill, and they will employ more people in the town. . . mostly at the bare minimum wage of $12 per hour.

McDonalds workers who are member of the UNITE Union of Workers have recently won a settlement that will, from March 2009, increase the base level of pay for a crew member from $12 per hour to $12.50 and allow them some level of shift security. It has been a hard won fight - and despite the McDonalds Corporation posting significant profits recently, it took 50 strikes by union workers before McDonalds would come to the party. Is this really the kind of employer we want to encourage into our community?

Now, McDonalds is not the first fast food giant to land in town. We have Pizza Hut, KFC and Subway currently gracing our main street, so we are already spoiled for choice when it comes to fast food joints that add little value to the local economy. Do we really need another? Surely it would be wiser as a community to support the local eateries that spend their money here in town?

Although McDonalds have , in recent years, begun to offer healthier choices on their menu, ultimately what they sell is junk food. In fact, what they sell is more junk than food - and I'm not just talking about the poor nutritional value of their products. Fast food outlets are fantastic producers of waste - from unnecessary packaging to food waste.

In the UK McDonalds is responsible for 29% of the fast food rubbish that litters the country's streets. Here in New Zealand, Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws is considering a levy on fast food corporates because the Wanganui Council feel it is unfair that ratepayers should have to pay to clean up their packaging litter. In Gore the local council has stipulated as part of the resource consent granted to McDonalds that they need to install extra rubbish bins around their restaurant. But unfortunately, many fast food consumers don't eat on site and throw their rubbish elsewhere.

Of course, you can't hold McDonalds responsible for their customers being too lazy to properly dispose of their rubbish. But, the fast food mentality - the eating in a hurry, the sacrificing your body's nutritional needs, the generic food and service . . . if you can't take the time to eat mindfully and fuel your body well, then why would you take the time to put your rubbish in the bin?

I'm all for encouraging business into our area of the world. In fact, I am actively involved in trying to build up the local economy in Mataura, where I live, just out of Gore. But I think that we need to be more choosy about the type of businesses we encourage into our communities. We need to be looking for businesses that will strengthen our local economies, that impact positively on the environment, that offer fair wages for a days work, that sell products that contribute to our wellbeing. . . I don't feel that our new McDonalds will do any of this.

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In Praise of Volunteers!

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Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. --Margaret Mead

Volunteers are the lifeblood of every community. From Victim Support to the Volunteer Fire Brigade, the local school to the Scouts and Girl Guides, from Local Government to local sports clubs, they work hard to provide for the needs of the community for little or no financial reward and sometimes at significant cost to themselves.

Volunteers help to build strong, sustainable, connected communities. Without them our communities would be unsafe, unfair, uninteresting and without direction.

In New Zealand, volunteers contribute some 270 million hours of formal, unpaid work for non-profit organisations annually. These millions of unpaid hours benefit human rights, faith communities, health, education, sports and recreation, social services, arts and culture, emergency services, the environment and conservation, animal welfare, and community support and development.

Often their work goes unnoticed - volunteers seldom make the headlines. They do, however, make a significant difference. Imagine what our communities would go without if it weren't for all this unpaid effort? The work that volunteers do is often of such value to those who benefit from it that it is quite literally priceless.

Lets hear it for the volunteers in our communities!

Do you volunteer? Share why you do it in our Volunteer Poll here.

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When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.

Image via WikipediaToday we had no running water at home from about 10am. The tap in our laundry has broken off at the pipe and was leaking water into the walls. Finding a plumber was a mission that took the rest of the day - everyone was either too busy or not answering the phone. Then, when I finally managed to get someone they couldn't fit us in until tomorrow morning.

I was getting all worked up about it when it struck me how lucky I am. 1 in 6 people worldwide don't have access to clean, safe drinking water.

I was thinking how inconvenient it would be with my two preschoolers, one of whom is still in nappies (cloth of course!). Each week there are 42,000 deaths caused by unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation, 90% of these are children under 5 years old.

I was feeling intensly annoyed at not being able to get a plumber to come until tomorrow. In Gaza pipes and other infrastructure could take up to 5 years to be restored after 15 days of Israeli bombardment.

I had a busy day going on around me and the idea of a 2 minute walk to the neighbours to fill up a container or two of water didn't hold much appeal. Many people in the developing world walk more than three hours every day to fetch water.

Its so easy to forget the relative luxury we enjoy in the developed world.

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Don't worry, there's plenty more where that came from!

There are times when an argument put forward is so glaringly flawed, breathtakingly idiotic and utterly without common sense that it defies belief. This I believe is one of them:

“Besides, the whole concept that we’re “running out of room” to put our garbage and/or have landfills is absolutely ridiculous. If you took every man woman and child currently living on the Earth (6,706,993,152 as of July 2008) and moved them all to Australia we’d each still have roughly a third of an acre of our own private land (Australia is roughly 2,967,909 sq mi. There are 640 acres in a square mile which means there are 1,899,461,760 acres in Australia. Divided by the Earth’s population, we each get 0.28 acres). That would leave the entire rest of the planet empty. Do you not think we could fit both recreational area as well as vast amounts of landfill space on all of North America, South America, Africa, Europe and Asia? Of course I’m not suggesting that we undertake such a ridiculous plan, but it should clarify that the Earth has plenty of empty land that could be used for waste disposal.”

Morgan Hill Review

I am flabbergasted that any sane person would put forward such a ludicrous suggestion. Even with the caveat at the end of the paragraph. In fact, that makes it worse “the Earth has plenty of empty land that could be used for waste disposal”.

I don't know of any vast tracts of empty land that could be better used as a landfill. Image via WikipediaPerhaps the beautiful Fiordland National Park in New Zealand. Its full of sandflies and really doesn't serve any useful purpose.

Image by nunavut via FlickrThe Sahara desert, I guess, really isn't the most productive area, we could do without that.

Image by Ron Layters via FlickrOh, the Grand Canyon – you wouldn't even have to dig a hole there!

Honestly, have people become so deeply disconnected with the land that they only see it as having value if it is under cultivation, making money, or directly and measurably benefiting the needs of humankind?

The whole idea that there is “plenty of empty land that could be used for waste disposal” calls to mind the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. If we continue to squander the planets natural resource as we are, if we pay no mind to the mindnumbingly vast quantities of waste we produce as a result of our consumption, then sooner or later we will find ourselves sitting in front of a pile of dirty dishes.

Nature is not here to serve us. It will continue on perfectly well long after we are gone from the planet. However, we will not fare so well if the earth's eco-system becomes irreversibly changed and can no longer sustain the conditions we need for our continued survival. Its in our best interests to consume wisely, to live lightly, and to value the environment in and of itself.

Choose Your Impact: The Great Nappy Debate

:Image by imcountingufoz via FlickrI recently read an interesting blog post "The Scoop on Poop" that brought to my attention an independent study by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in the UK comparing the environmental impact of reusable, cloth nappies to that of disposable nappies. Actually, it drew my attention to an article in the TimesOnline that referred to the study as the study itself proved elusive.

It was interesting to note that according to the TimesOnline the researchers drew the conclusion that reusable nappies have a much higher carbon footprint than disposable nappies unless "parents adopt an extreme approach to laundering them."

By extreme, they meant "parents would have to hang wet nappies out to dry all year round, keep them for years for use on younger children, and make sure the water in their washing machines does not exceed 60C."

Hmmm, as a mother of two and user of cloth nappies, that actually doesn't sound in the least extreme. I hang the nappies on the line all year round as a matter of course (or indoors by the fireplace in winter). My nappies were mostly hand-me-downs from my sister's kids and have lasted quite well through my two - with still at least a year or so to go. We don't use a hot wash to wash them and we don't use bleach or NapiSan or the like.

In New Zealand, where I live, there are added considerations that weigh in against the disposable nappies as well - and up their carbon footprint. There are no disposable nappies manufactured in New Zealand - so all brands available here are imported, which means additional transport costs.

But ultimately, should this report prove to be the definitive word in the cloth vs. disposable debate I would still choose reusable nappies.

According to the study, the main environmental impacts of disposable nappies are in their manufacture - that includes the raw material production and waste management - whereas for reusable nappies the impacts relate mostly to the washing and drying of the nappies.

While I have no say in how disposable nappies are produced, I can make choices that will mitigate the environmental impacts of cloth nappies:

• I can choose to make my own cloth nappies
• I can choose to use organically grown fabrics as much as possible
• I can choose to wash in cold water
• I can choose to dry pail rather than soak in chemicals
• I can choose to use an energy efficient washing machine that goes easy on the water
• I can choose to line dry the nappies
• I can choose to keep them for any subsequent children I may have or hand them on to someone else who needs them . . .
  

All these choices available to me mean that I can lower the environmental impact of the cloth nappies I use, something I just can't do with disposable nappies.

Personally, knowing what goes into making disposable nappies and the chemicals involved in their manufacture, I am less comfortable with these impacts on the environment and I remain convinced that my cloth nappies are kind to the environment in ways that matter to me and that disposable nappies are not.

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Diversity of Species in the Rainforest

“The destruction of the rainforest comes in many shapes. And there are all kinds of animal and plant species which suffer as a result. Every hour three different types of animal and plant life are made extinct. Help us to save the rainforest: www.oroverde.de."

I discovered this wonderful ad over at Osocio.

You can help save the Atlantic Rainforest for only $2 - and every donation goes in to the draw to win a fabulous WE ADD UP 'Plant Trees' Tee!

Do the Right Thing

Image by Rickydavid via Flickr

I read today that a 28 year old woman is missing in New Zealand after showing up at a service station in a distressed state and asking to use their phone. Her request was denied, according to reports, because she had no cash or eftpos card.
I would guess that the service station probably has a policy that if people asked to use the phone they would have to pay for it. It makes sense. They run as a business, and they have to pay for their calls. There isn't much margin in selling petrol, so they wouldn't want to be out of pocket. But surely, in a situation where someone was obviously distressed and unable to pay, wouldn't you bend the rules?

What is wrong with us, as a society, that when someone obviously needs our help, we are more concerned with what we will get in return than in doing the right thing?

Why do we choose not to help someone in need:

• Are we too busy with other things?
• Do we feel that we don't have enough ourselves to be able to share what we have?
• Are we expecting someone else to do it?
• Do we not care?
• Do we think other people will judge us as weak if we show kindness or concern?

Why do so many of us choose to ignore the obvious pain of other people, of the planet, of our communities instead of doing what needs to be done to make a difference? Often its only the smallest of things – a phone call here, a kind word there, a couple of dollars, or just a couple of hours – and they make the world of difference.

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Let's Make 2009 the Year for saying "No"

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All the great men and women in the world have been people who, rather than say "Yes", said a very resounding "No" to everything that did not fit their ideal of bounty and growth.

- Paulo Coelho

There are a lot of things wrong in the world, from pointless wars and starvation amidst plenty, to a deepening recession and all the fear and uncertainty that entails.

Its easy to feel powerless in the face of it all, to shrug our shoulders and wonder what 'they' are going to do to fix it for us. But playing the victims isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to take action.

Lets make 2009 the year to lay claim to greatness and say 'No' to the things that don't fit our ideals of bounty and growth. Lets make this the year of standing up for what we believe in, being accountable and making a difference.

I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions, but here's a few things I'm saying 'No' to this year:

Deforestation
We need trees! They purify the air we breathe, provide habitats for countless varieties of flora & fauna, and they soothe the soul, amongst other things. Lets all say 'No' to chopping them down en masse so a few can make a transitory profit.

Whether its the Atlantic Forest, the jungles of Borneo or that patch of green on the edge of your neighbourhood, lets not stand by and let it happen in 2009!

You can say 'No' to deforestation in the Atlantic Forest by donating $2 here - and you go in the draw to win an awesome WE ADD UP 'Plant Trees' tee.

Greed
Lets make 2009 a year to exercise greed control. A recession is no place for selfishness and hoarding. Join me in saying a resounding 'No' to greed and fear and lets share what we have - time, knowledge, skills, money, possessions. Lets build strong communities, neighbourhoods where we support each other through the tough times ahead. Lets create hope, dignity and opportunity through our generosity.

Poverty
Almost half the world lives on less than $2.50 a day and at least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. That can't fit anybody's ideal of bounty and growth!

And lets not assume that poverty only happens overseas, to other people. There are people in our own communities who, for reasons beyond their control, don't have enough. Let's say a huge 'No' to that this year.

In our world of relative plenty there is no excuse for poverty, hunger, homelessness, hopelessness. We all have a responsibility to do something about it, in our own neighbourhood, in our own country and further afield. With a little generosity, kindness and a shift in our thinking of what is enough we can all create opportunities to lift others out of poverty.

Junk Food
McDonalds is moving in just up the road in Gore. I guess that means we are on the map. But junk food really just doesn't fit my ideal of bounty and growth. It is wasteful, creates vast quantities of rubbish, is less than nutritious and full of empty calories.

For many people junk food - and I don't just mean fast food, but processed food, soda, candy bars, ice-cream - has become a staple part of their diet. According to Dr. Scott Olson most people eat around 1/4-1/2 pound of sugar a day.

And its bad for us. All this junk. It makes us sick, and tired. Its not the food our bodies were made to run on.

So this year lets get back to eating food our Grandparents would recognise as food. More fruit, more vegetables, more wholegrains. Real food.

Lets say 'No' to corporations making money at the expense of our health and wellbeing by selling us junk and calling it food. Lets say 'No' to blindly following their advertising directives and take responsibility for choosing to spend our hard earned money on food that is good for us instead.

Stuff
How about we choose this year to stop accumulating stuff. Lets choose to define ourselves by our relationships to people rather than by the things that we own and the stuff we consume. Lets make do, buy second hand, opt for reusable rather than throw-away items, borrow from a neighbour, share, make our own . . .

The current economic climate is a marvellous excuse to explore the joys of frugality. Lets embrace it. Lets learn new skills to make the most of what we have.

Lets get out of debt, choose not to get into debt, live within our means. Think of the freedom, think of the choices we will have. Would you really work all that overtime rather than spend the time with your family if you didn't have to pay that huge mortgage for a huge house when a smaller house would do just fine? Does the latest fashion, the newest gadget, the shiniest appliance, the swankiest nick-nack really make your life more rewarding?

This year lets make a point of saying 'No' to stuff. Lets take our lives back, lets focus on the important things instead.

What's your resounding 'No' for 2009?

New Year's Resolutions Anyone?

Its that time again. Time for reflecting on your achievements in the year just gone and setting goals for the year ahead.

I'm not a big fan of sweeping New Year's Resolutions. For most of us they are simply an airy-fairy wishlist of things we would like to be different in the coming year, rather than real, executable, achievable goals.

Image by Matthew Fang via FlickrIf your goal is to Make a Difference to any area of your life, or the lives of others, in 2009 then you need to read the following posts. Some of the best New Years Wisdom from the blogosphere for setting New Year's Resolutions that stick.

1. The Biggest Mistake You are Going to Make in 2009
   
   
2. The Year of the SwashBuckle
   
   
3. Thinking Seeds . . .
   
   
4. Make 2009 Great: Join The Power of Less New Years Challenge!
   
   
5. How To be Damned Serious About Your New Years Goals
   
   
6. Seven Powerful Tips for 2009
   
   
7. Forget Resolutions. The Secret to Freedom and Focus this Year
   
   
8. Learn to tune OUT to tune IN to great progress in 2009
   
   

What New Year's posts have inspired you so far?

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There's only 7% of the Atlantic Forest left. Help Preserve It!

This January YOU can help save the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. All it takes is $2 - and a few minutes of your time to spread the word.

Please Digg, Stumble and Twitter this post to help us get the word out for the Atlantic Forest. Your efforts will make a difference!




Why Save the Atlantic Forest?Image via Wikipedia

In 1500, when the Portuguese arrived in Brazil, the Atlantic Forest stretched the entire 2,000 mile length of Brazil's eastern seaboard,covering an area twice the size of Texas. It was once the world's richest biological reserve; it has more plant and tree diversity in 2.5acres than the entire eastern seaboard of the United States.

Today, a huge 93% of the Atlantic Forest has been destroyed, largely in the last 50 years.

The Atlantic Forest and Amazon Rainforest really are the 'Lungs of the World'. Even with 93% of the Atlantic Forest destroyed the Atlantic and Amazon Rainforests produce 20% of the world's oxygen!

Scientists estimate 50-60 percent of plant and animal species found in the Atlantic Forest are only found in that region alone. Its an amazing treasure trove of biological diversity.

Who are SALVEASERRA?

SALVEASERRA are an NGO in Brazil working to restore degraded areas of the Atlantic Forest by promoting sustainable land use and agro-reforestation techniques through their 'Trees & Education Project' with GlobalGiving.

Since 1995 they have planted over 80,000 trees in the Atlantic Forest. They maintain a seed bank of local forest species to ensure that reforestation respects the original genetic profile of the forest.

SALVEASERRA also take groups of school children through the forest to help build awareness of its importance.

In addition to this they offer training courses tailored to the needs of local rural communities, farmers and others interested inorganic,ecologically sound farming and agro-forestry practices. In 2007 250 students took part in these courses.

They also work directly to alleviate poverty in the area by training local communities on how to use forest resources to make handicrafts to help provide employment and increase local incomes.And they run a course teaching eco-friendly ways to produce organic food at home to supplement family diets and increase income from surplus production.They also prepare and donate vegetable gardens to local communities.

Donate $2 and WIN

Everyone who donates $2 or more to SALVEASERRA before the 31st of January 2009 goes into the draw to win a fantastic We Add Up Organic Cotton 'Plant Trees' Tee.

WE ADD UP is an organic t-shirt campaign that counts you in the fight to stop climate change. Each tee is custom hand-printed with a unique number. YOUR number represents your position in the worldwide count of people doing something to do their part. No two shirts are alike. When you purchase a WE ADD UP tee and join the count, you help our number grow. Our goal is to show that small changes do make a big difference and WE ADD UP.

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