Sign up to Maybe Mullet #StayAtHome Haircut & colour to support Friends of the Earth
MAYBE ... You’ve been considering a new look during your isolation experience?
MAYBE ... You’re frustrated with the lack of action on climate and environmental issues?
MAYBE ... You’re looking for a fun way to stay connected and have fun during the pandemic?
MAYBE ... You are also considering ... a MULLET?!
Get involved here!
Click & Collect with Friends of the Earth Food Co-op & Cafe
The Food Co-op and Cafe is a not-for-profit social enterprise. That means every cent you spend in-store or donate goes right back into keeping us running and supports the environmental campaigns at Friends of the Earth. The FoE Food Co-op team continues to provide healthy, affordable food during the COVID-19 crisis, and is open for bulk food shopping and takeaway, with hygiene protocols in place.
Check out shopping online with Friends of the Earth Food Co-op here
Sign up to be a Food Co-op member here
Listen: Friends of the Earth Food Justice & Food Co-op Communities history series podcast
Our special message for Earth Day 2020
Fifty years ago, people across the United States participated in the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. The event demonstrated the community's increasing awareness of environmental damage and commitment to protect the natural world. Friends of the Earth Melbourne activists put together this video message to mark Earth Day 2020.
Click here to take a look and remember what makes FoE special
Cooperative Power
Remember Cooperative Power, the energy cooperative we joined last year? Well, they've recently announced that they'll be giving up 100% of their profits for the next 12 months, instead giving them back to members who have been economically impacted by COVID-19. We think this is pretty amazing, so we wanted to let you know how you can support them. If you're already a FoE Melbourne member, you're halfway there - head straight to their website here to start switching your power over today!
If you're not a member of Friends of the Earth Melbourne, you'll need to sign up before you can switch your power.
Victoria's investigation into last summer's fires
Australia suffered through a terrible summer. The 2019–20 bushfires have been described as 'the worst bushfires in our history’. In Victoria, more than 1.2 million hectares have been burnt—making it the largest bushfire since 1939. The Victorian government is holding an independent investigation into the 2019–20 fire season. It is being led by the Inspector-General for Emergency Management. Submissions to this process are open until the end of April and we encourage our members and supporters to send a submission. There are ideas on what you could include in a submission available here.
Blueprint for Climate Justice
Let's use this time to build climate solutions to transform the economy for people and the planet. to learn more about how we can make action on climate change a key pillar of responding to the Covid-19 crisis.
Read Friends of the Earth’s Covid-19 Blueprint for Climate Justice here
Victoria needs climate justice + economic recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense disruption to our society. The economic shock wave has hit and will continue to effect vulnerable people in our community. Meanwhile, we're facing a climate crisis. Deep emissions cuts over the next decade are needed if we're to avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change. We need system change. Call on the Andrews government to make climate justice a focus of Victoria's economic recovery and sign the petition here.
Campaign for science-based Emissions Reduction Targets enters new phase
The 31st of March was the deadline for Premier Dan Andrews and Cabinet to make its decision on Emissions Reduction Targets (ERT) for 2025 and 2030. The Victorian Government must table targets in Parliament within ten sitting days of March 31. Their decision is expected sometime between 23 April and 6 August. When the time comes we will be ready, but for now it’s worth acknowledging the incredible community effort that took a niche policy issue and made it the focal point of climate campaigning in Victoria.
Click here for a short history of the ERT campaign
So what comes after that epic community effort? Our response will depend on whether the targets are based on science or political expediency. Will the day be remembered as a celebration of Victorian climate leadership, or a protest registering discontent at a missed opportunity? Vote in this online poll to let us know what you think, and sign up for action alerts here.
Digital Forum: Stopping fossil fuels + cutting emissions in VIC
Friends of the Earth held an online forum on the risk of fossil gas extraction in Victoria. FoE speakers included campaign coordinator Cam Walker on the history of community resistance to gas in Victoria, and Anna Langford on the convergence between campaigns to stop fossil gas and secure strong Emissions Reduction Targets. Keynote speaker was Mark Ogge, Australia Institute, who outlined the flawed research behind the Andrews government's shock decision to scrap the moratorium on onshore gas extraction. Click here to watch the forum
Stop offshore gas drilling
The next battle line on fossil fuels in Victoria will be the issue of offshore gas drilling. The Victorian government intends to open up large sections of the coast from Cape Otway to the SA border to gas drilling. We expect an announcement on this after June. We are planning some great events in the coming months to focus community opposition to offshore gas drilling.
Sign the petition to say NO to new offshore oil and gas here
Read: 2020 Gas villains and how to resist fossil fools
Victorian Government lifts gas moratorium – the story gets worse
Last month, the Victorian government announced it would lift the moratorium on onshore gas drilling that has been in place since 2014. At the time the government claimed that the greenhouse gas pollution that would be produced as a result of the ban being lifted would be minimal.
Read: Gaslighting Victorians: Andrews fails on climate by expanding fossil fuels
It’s time to get a move on with offshore wind
Australia’s first offshore wind farm proposal, the Star of the South, has taken a major step forward this month officially kick-starting the environmental approvals process via the federal and Victorian governments. If governments go slow, we could wait years to see this game changing offshore wind project. If it goes ahead, Star of the South is expected to create thousands of jobs during construction, and power as many as 1.2 million homes with clean, renewable energy. Now is the time to put the building blocks in place to create thousands of jobs in offshore wind.
Take action to support offshore wind here
Australia still lacks a legal framework to greenlight offshore wind projects. Join us and call on both the Morrison and Andrews governments to trigger the next stage in the planning process for Star of the South and bring on a national legal framework as a matter of urgency to pave the way for offshore wind.
For more info and to get involved go to Yes2Renewables or email the campaign coordinator: [email protected]
Join us to #StopKalbar
Kalbar Resources has proposed a large open cut mineral sands and rare earths mine at Glenaladale, near Bairnsdale in East Gippsland. The Fingerboards mine has not yet been approved by the Victorian Government, but after several years of investigation, Kalbar believes the site is suitable for a mine to extract minerals including zircon, rutile and ilmenite, a titanium mineral, and rare earths. There is still time to influence the Victorian government’s decision on this destructive and unpopular project to stop mining at Kalbar.
Please click here to find out on how you can help block this project
Listen to FoE's Dirt Radio on 3CR: State of emergency - police powers and community groundswell
Listen mp3 download
Host Em Gayfer chats with Babs Rapeport about State of Emergency powers and Cam Walker about some of the worrying environmental decisions made since the start of the Covid19 crisis, looking forwards to a world we want to create post-pandemic.
Stop Salvage Logging
The VIC Greens asked officials to calculate the cost of shutting down the native forest timber industry immediately rather than 2030 as planned. Bringing the closure forward will save taxpayers $192m over the next decade. Let's get on with! There is already $130m set aside to help the industry transition.
Sign the No Salvage Logging petition here
Listen: Friends of the Earth Food Forest Campaigns history series podcast
#ReviveOurRivers
The rivers of the Murray Darling Basin are dying because too much water is sold and used for profits. The rivers are over-allocated. Community members across Australia are calling for more water buybacks, to buy water entitlements of willing sellers in Northern NSW and QLD. It’s the easiest way to get more water flowing through our rivers. Join us to call on governments to #ReviveOurRivers
Sign the water buy backs petition here
Follow River Country for more updates
#DonateMyCommute to Sustainable Cities Collective
Covid-19 has changed the way we work, but we're continuing to fight for better public transport for Victoria. The Andrews government continues to frame our economic recovery on the Big Build. But we must ensure that these major transport infrastructure projects are ones that will benefit our community, not destroy it. We're fighting to stop the North East Link toll road, building momentum for Melbourne Metro 2, and advocating for accessible transport for all.
Join us in working towards a more liveable, more connected and decarbonised future!
Ethica Activewear giving back in partnership with Friends of the Earth
Ethica Activewear is donating 10% of their proceeds to our Transform Waste Campaign - check out their range and spice up your iso exercise routine!
Rad Tour Retrospective
The Radioactive Exposure Tour was supposed to depart 10 April 2020 but we’re staying put because of COVID-19. Instead, here are some 3CR radio podcasts to listen to and learn about Friends of the Earth’s active history of Rad Tours.
Earth Matters radio show Roadtrip to Nuclear Australia audio episode
Acting Up! 45 years of Friends of the Earth Radioactive Tours podcast
Radioactive Show: History of the Radioactive Exposure Tour audio episode
Get involved with ACE Nuclear Free collective
Remember last year when we used to protest?
Listen to a podcast produced with 3CR and read about Friends of the Earth’s history of resistance and radical direct actions as part of our history series celebrating four and a half decades of acting up!
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH 45 YEARS OF ACTING UP! Talking Tactics podcast