Water Inventions Saves Lives

I thought it would take a while to find something to top Episkin - the invention that will hopefully make animal testing extinct in the cosmetics industry. But today I stumbled upon two brilliant inventions which will save lives.

Today, 1.1 billion people are without access to safe drinking water, robbing hundreds of women and girls of dignity, energy and time. Safe water interventions, therefore, have vast potential to transform the lives of millions, especially in crucial areas such as poverty eradication, environmental upgradation, quality of life, child development and gender equality.

Hippo Roller

From Project H Design:

The Hippo Roller is a simple rolling barrel device that allows the millions whose livelihoods depend on the daily fetching of water to more easily access and transport their daily water supply, and reduce the risk of long-term bodily injuries.

The roller (pictured above) holds 3-4 days worth of water for a family of 7, about 5 times the amount of water that can be moved using traditional methods, which frees up time for more productive economic and educational activities. It’s an amazing product and an amazing story of good design enabling communities.

YouTube Video

LifeStraw
Recognizing the importance of safe water in our daily lives and the billions of people who are still without access to these basic human rights, LifeStraw was developed as a practical response to the urgency, and confirms our commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

LifeStraw offers relief from waterborne diseases of major public concern such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery and diarrhoea. As a personal and mobile water purification tool, LifeStraw is designed to turn most of the surface water into drinking water, thus providing access to safe water wherever you are.

YouTube Video



















Adam Valvasori - Lucky. Never Thirsty.

11 March 2009 - The End Of Animal Testing!?

Image courtesy of DailyMail

Skin Ethic Labs which is owned by L'Oreal is making and selling fake human skin! Wait, don't be grossed out, it's a good thing!

Although I just found out about this yesterday, this isn't new news but for animal activists, it's the greatest news of all!

If you can speak 'scientist' head over to the lab's website to read how it's done. Here's an easier to understand translation by Treehugger:

A team of researchers at L'Orèal have just invented an artificial skin, dubbed "Episkin," that may soon take the place of all those beleaguered creatures in future trials. Grown from cells obtained from the top layer of pieces of skin, Episkin can be manipulated and adapted based on the tester's needs: it can be made to resemble older skin, can be made to tan and, by using donor cells from women of different ethnicities, can assess the efficiency of sunscreen for various skin tones.

This is proof you should believe in your activist power to change government policy. Pressure from organisations like WSPA, individual activists like Anita Roddick and groups of activists like The Body Shop staff has culminated in the European Union passing a directive which provides for a ban on animal testing of finished products (applicable from 11 September 2004), and a complete ban on animal testing of cosmetic ingredients as soon as alternative methods are validated and adopted by EU legislation.

The final deadline of 11 March 2009 applies even if alternative tests are not available then.

This very strong legislation has been successful in forcing the cosmetic industry to search for alternatives!

I called the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council's Ethics Section and they didn't know of any cosmetics companies actually testing in Australia (I'll investigate this in the near future). If there are they would be required by the Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes 7th edition 2004 to demonstrate there are no other alternatives to animal testing available.

The Body Shop is famous for never testing on animals. The investment into developing Episkin supports the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics and the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments when they said they were optimistic about L'Oreal acquiring The Body Shop. They recognised the opportunity The Body Shop has to positively influence its parent company on the issue of animal testing in the cosmetics industry.

Episkin is going to save the lives of thousands of rabbits. Kinda speaks for itself huh?

Hooray!


Adam Valvasori - Values Manager

A Greenhouse Gas Cheat Sheet

Courtesy of the Carbon Catablog; a handy guide to help you out when you are talking about them nasty gases!

The Gases

There are greenhouse gases caused by humans (anthropogenic) and those caused by Mother Nature.

Unless you have some seriously good connections, the only gases we can change are the ones emitted by us. To help us along, the Kyoto Protocol has selected six major greenhouse gases (2005) that we need to either reduce or neutralize.

Carbon dioxide (CO2), the most dominant and notorious greenhouse gas produced by the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation…

Methane (CH4), otherwise known as “swamp gas,” is that which is emitted from animal manure, garbage dumps…

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is laughing gas, but its main form comes via fertilizer and car exhaust…

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are small but potent, and found in your kitchen fridge, air conditioners, foam-blowing agents, aerosol propellants…

Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are by-products of aluminum smelting, and are used for manufacturing semi-conductors. They have become substitutes for ozone depleting chemicals… a lesser of two evils?

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is the most potent greenhouse gas. You’ll find it in Nike Air shoes, car tires, electrical insulation…


Greenpeace on the 'Other Gases'

Adam Valvasori - Values Manager.

A Beer That Doesn't Get The Planet Wasted

Barefoot Radler is a refreshing beer which is infused with lemon and lime, it could be labeled as a "girl's beer" but anyone who prefers a light tasting beer with a little bit of a twist should try it.

I like the fact that they don’t add any additives or preservatives to this beer. What makes it so special that it I want to blog about it? Let me tell you. Barefoot Radler is Lion Nathan’s most environmentally friendly product to date. They make a massive claim of being carbon neutral, which is amazing as the beer industry on average uses 10 litres of water to produce 1 litre of beer.

Barefoot Radler is the first beer product in Australia to be certified carbon neutral by the Department of Climate Change as part of the government’s Greenhouse Friendly initiative. It's about giving greater purchasing choice to Australian consumers and empowering them to make environmentally conscious purchasing decisions.

Great tasting beer, great values whilst looking after the environment what more could you want for summer 2008. Check out the Barefoot Radler website and you will be amazed with the info of what and how they are doing it.

Katie Phillips
The Body Shop – The Glen
Victoria

Silent Witness

We were stoked to receive the below report from LINKS one of the beneficiaries of our Stop Violence in the Home Small Grants scheme. A heartfelt congratulations to Karyl and her team on what looks like a very successful grass-roots awareness campaign!
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There was great excitement after receiving a phone call to say LINKS had been successful in The Body Shop – Stop Violence in the Home Funding Grant. Now we had the funding needed to produce the “Silent Witness” project, LINKS event for this year’s Reclaim the Night. There was a lot of planning and work to be done.

With the help of a local builder we ordered materials needed for the life size silhouettes; ply wood, posts brackets, bolts, paint etc. We then organized the hire of power tools and equipment necessary to cut out, put together and paint our thirteen silhouettes.

Senior Constable Mick Fleming, a member on the LINKS local collective was very helpful in supplying the statistics from January 1^st 2007 - October 17^th 2007. There were 13 homicides in NSW in relation to domestic and family violence.

A number of Nyngan High School students who were keen to be involved had already put together a folder full of art work and ideas they wanted to use for the “Silent Witness” project. Paint, brushes, canvases, easels, paper etc were quickly ordered.

Victim’s stories, statistics and statements in relation to domestic and family violence and some inspirational messages all had to be printed and laminated. Along with a list of support services.

Advertising had to be organized, articles for the local paper, posters to be made and flyers sent out.

All involved were running around asking our neighbors and friends for any old unwanted boots they may have lying around. We ended up with a lot of old and not so old boots. The kids had a great time painting these boots in bright colors and designs, some with ‘Give DV the boot’ and ‘DV is not 4 me’ messages painted on them.

Barnardos Reconnect youth worker Viv Cleaver, myself and students put in a huge effort over the next two weeks to get the “Silent Witness” project completed in time for Friday 26^th October Reclaim the Night.

Music playing in the background, a cake for morning tea, and a BBQ created a positive and happy environment for all participants.

Click on the below to check out more pics from the campaign:

Silent Witness

The following letter to the editor appeared in the Nyngan Observer, 11th November 2007:

Dear Editor,
Congratulations and thank you to the co-ordinators of the Reclaim the Night event held in Davidson Park Friday October 26. Karyl Skewpeck, Vivienne Cleaver, Police Representative and young people did a great presentation creating a visual message to give domestic violence the boot. The life size figures with their written stories were depressing, however the paintings with their hopeful messages gave positive thought for reflection, and the painted shoes and boots that bordered the path were wonderfully creative and colorful. It was great to see the arts in the park and to be inspired by their messages. The works created by young people were worth visiting. There are young people in our Nyngan community volunteering to make this a great place to live.

Thank you.
Betty Taylor

Is Supre Profiteering On Whaling?

Photo of the 'Whale Sucks' t-shirts on sale outside Supre's Bourke St Store in Melbourne.

I'm not sure about this one. Maybe I'm being overly critical so I thought I'd poll you about it (have your say to the right before you read any further). Do you think Supre is cashing in on the anti-whaling campaign or helping to create awareness with their massive teen audience?

We've been retail activists for a long time so maybe we're just more experienced at it? I do want to congratulate Supre if this is about their passion for social and environmental change not profits! Here's what I think the 'campaign' is missing:

• "Whaling sucks!" and so does working in a sweatshop... Supre hasn't signed up to the Home Worker's Code of Practice . The code ensures that workers will be paid minimum wage.
• There aren't any facts about the campaign - reasons why "whaling sucks"
  
• There are no action suggestions for customers or even links to anti-whaling organisations like Greenpeace or Sea Shepard in their stores or online.
  
• They seem to be keeping all the profits and so buying the t-shirt isn't directly helping the whales or the organisations trying to protect them.
  

But I'll let you decide if, overall, you think their involvement in the anti-whaling campaign is positive or negative. Vote in the poll or leave a comment.

Adam Valvasori - Values Manager

Sustainability: Make It Your Sport!

I love this ad!



If you live in Melbourne you should definitely try to get down to Fed Square this weekend where there'll be a huge range of exhibitors, talks, interactive workshops, art, films and performances celebrating and inspiring sustainable communities.

I'm looking forward to the ethical consumer talk on Saturday called Your Dollar is Your Vote! Who Did You Vote for Today? by Nick Ray, co-ordinator of the Sustainable Living Foundation’s Directory (link now in the 'websites we love' directory on this here blog). According to the blurb: "Nick's passionate about giving people simple everyday tools to help in living more lightly."

That's kind of what I'm trying to do here at The Body Shop for our activist minded staff and customers... People have the best intentions to be more ethical and sustainable but it can be hard to 1. find the truth 2. break bad habits 3. find the 'right' alternatives easily. I'm trying to inspire and pass on great tools that make "saving us from ourselves" easy peasy.

Adam Valvasori - Values Manager

A New Beginning

'As Prime Minister of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the Government of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the Parliament of Australia, I am sorry. I offer you this apology without qualification.'' - PM Kevin Rudd.

"The essence of the message is: white Australia acknowledges the hurt that was imposed on black Australia and, by that acknowledgement, hopes that we can move to another stage in the quest for both reconciliation and tangible progress." - Michelle Grattan, The Age

"At The Body Shop we are delighted by the leadership Mr Rudd has shown around this issue, as we believe, it is the first of many steps towards reconciliation – and as a business we have campaigned and championed this issue of human rights for many years." - Polly Caldow, CEO - The Body Shop

"We all want reconciliation and we stand in support." - Carlo Santone, Blue King Brown

"If I want to continue to call myself an Australian I have to find something to take pride in," - Alex Michaela of Brunswick

"Sorry it's taken so long to say sorry." SMS from 'Coll' - Crowd member watching at Fed Square

"I can already feel the healing process has begun." - Yorta Yorta woman Deborah Cheetham, from Newport.

"It [the apology] should be from the Howard government: after all, it persisted with those failed policies for much of its time in office as a political holding strategy because it was afraid, until its last year or so, to really do something." - David Moore, Ex-chief of staff to then Aboriginal Affairs Minister Mal Brough.

Thanks to Megan from Imaginif for finding this great post from Aussie Blogger The Cerebral Mum...

"So this was me in the 90s, wearing my reconciliation armband; the armband which sold out within a day of appearing on the shelves at The Body Shop because I was not alone in my sentiments.

I cried today when that symbolic act took place. I cried to hear, finally, an official apology which was unequivocal and made no excuses. I cried to see someone stand up and speak the truth on behalf of all of us who have wanted it spoken for so long. Not because it expatiates our history’s wrongs, not because it absolves us of our guilt, but simply because, as Cathy Freeman said, It is the right thing to do.”


Adam Valvasori - Values Manager

Handle With Care - Stop Live Export!

It's not easy to watch the video below but you should try. Remember when you do, over four million sheep are exported from Australia every year.



I watched parts of the video on the 7.30 Report last night and I just feel sick, disgusted, embarrassed and ashamed that we allow this to happen.

I feel it's a massive black mark against our humanity and dignity to allow defenseless animals to be treated with such barbarity and disrespect.

According to the Department of Agriculture our previous Government felt Australia are world leaders in animal welfare practices. Either they were deluded or the world standard is ridiculously low.

The video is a result of undercover research conducted by Animals Australia and a campaign called Handle With Care, launched yesterday by an impressive coalition of animal rights organisations which also includes RSPCA, Compassion in World Farming and our Values Partner WSPA. Animals Australia says: "We have spared you from the worse images (no slaughter footage is shown)."

The campaign is opposed by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) their spokesperson Scott Hansen said on the 7:30 Report :

"This is a trade that importantly the value that's created by it in large part is in rural and regional areas that don't have access to alternative marketplaces. And as such, it's a value and an economic worth generated for regions that really have little other options in terms of their markets."

Bzzzt! Wrong Scott. Australia exports live animals to meet a demand for Halal slaughter. Australia, however, also exports chilled and/or frozen meat to every country it exports live animals to and has Halal-certified export slaughterhouses currently supplying high quality Halal meat the Middle East.

So there's no reason why Aussie farmers would be out of pocket. In fact surely Halal slaughter in Australia would be more economical, as it would take far less room to ship. And the lives of thousands of animals that die during the transportation process wouldn't need to be wasted.

I think it's laziness and lack of imagination on the exporters behalf. I talked to Ferida, a very helpful staffer at the Islamic Council of Victoria today to clarify some issues about Halal meat. She feels that Halal abattoirs in Australia probably do just as good a job as the Halal abattoirs in the Middle East. It's just a matter of importers and or consumers not trusting the level of integrity and quality of Halal slaughter in Australia as much.

Ferida quickly came up with a solution; simply invite Middle Eastern importers to inspect our Halal abattoirs to allay their concerns. It would also be easy for the MLA to run marketing campaigns in Middle Eastern media to build awareness and trust in Australian Halal Meats.

"Each animal has the right to sanctity of life and this life is taken from some by the permission of ALLAH (s.w.t) and for good reasons only for food, by the most humane and merciful ways of killing." - Dr. Abdul Majid Katme, (Chairman of the Islamic Medical Association in the UK)

Read more:

• The Handle with Care FAQ is very good.
• Handle with Care - The Cruel Truth.
  
• WA sheep exporter Emanuel Exports on cruelty charges (8 Feb 08)
• An Up-To-Date Assessment of the Muslim Method of Slaughter
  

Act now:
It will only take 5 minutes to express your opposition to live exports, by writing an email from the Handle with Care website. They have everything you'll need to contact:

• The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
  
• Your local MP

Don't forget to help spread the word about this campaign by letting your family and friends know. You could also contact the media by writing a letter to the editor or calling talk back radio.

Good Luck!


Adam Valvasori - Values Manager

Happy Chinese New Year!?

We stand with Amnesty International Australia who posted this on their website today:

We welcome the opportunity 2008 presents to the Chinese authorities to make a positive change for human rights. It is an exceptionally exciting year for China, with the Beijing Olympics commencing on 8 August 2008.

At this time of celebration we wish Chinese people a positive year ahead and further encourage action to improve human rights in China.

I hope I'm not leaking this inappropriately but we are hoping to support AI's upcoming 'Uncensor' campaign in the lead up to the olympics... it aims at supporting free speech in China.

The Chinese Government has a complex system to control China's 140 million internet users. that includes 30,000 Government employed "Internet cops" that make sure:

• Internet cafes & chat rooms are monitored
• Blogs deleted
  
• Websites Blocked
• Search engines restricted
• Searches come up empty for certain key words
• People are imprisoned for simply posting and sharing information considered 'sensitive' or 'state secrets'.

Shockingly, they are being assisted by companies like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! who have in one way or another facilitated or colluded in the practice of censorship in China. According to Amnesty International this includes:

• Yahoo! has provided the Chinese authorities with private and confidential information about its users. This info has been used to convict at least two journalists. One of which is Shi Tao (pictured right) who sent an email in 2004 to the US summarising Chinese Government information advising journalists not to attend Tiananmen Square on the anniversary of the 1989 protests by activists. Shi Tao was charged with "divulging state secrets abroad" and sentenced to prison for 10 years!
  
• Microsoft has admitted to shutting down a blog on the basis of a government request.
• Google has launched a censored version of it's international search engine in China.
  

Stay tuned for how The Body Shop will be getting involved. We believe strongly in sustainable and fair trade being the key to lifting millions out of poverty... but that's not mutually exclusive to our passion for defending human rights.

The Body Shop International has participated in the second wave of the Impactt project to reduce overtime in China along with other retailers including Marks and Spencer, Lambeth Howard, Next and IKEA. A major focus of this project is on capacity building with local Chinese organisations as well as with factory managers and workers. The Body Shop hopes that this project will result in a replicable model that will lead to tangible improvements in labour conditions in China.

Be A Good Activist:

• Amnesty International's China Campaign
• Eight Ways to Make A Difference During Chinese New Year

More Info:

• The Body Shop International's Supplier Code of Conduct.pdf
• Microsoft and Yahoo! Inc. Joint Statement to U.S. Congress Human Rights Caucus on Policies Related to Access to Internet Content (1/2/2006)
• Testimony of Google Inc. before the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, and the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights, and International Operations (15/2/2006)

Adam Valvasori - Values Manager

Marula Makes Make-up Fair

4 Members of the Eudafano Women's Cooperative with their harvest of Marula Nuts.

The Body Shop was the first company ever to use Community Trade Marula oil in their make up and now it’s an important ingredient in nearly all of our cosmetics.

Happily, the 6,000 women of the Eudafano Women’s Cooperative (EWC) in Namibia have been able to supply all of our needs. The EWC was established in north central Namibia in 1996 to market oil from the local marula fruit. The EWC helps local women with otherwise limited employment opportunities earn fair wages. It also contributes to regional economic development.

The Eudafano women harvest fruit from wild marula trees and deliver kernels and seeds to the EWC processing factory. Juice and oil are extracted and prepared for local customers and international buyers including The Body Shop. Women now involved in the project report that the benefits to them go beyond money, affording them a sense of independence, competence and confidence. Many women use money earned to educate their children. Community Trade makes such a difference including equality, independence and confidence!

Last year The Body Shop launched a new range of make-up called "Make Me Fabulous". They tell me (because I don't really use cosmetics) the lipsticks, bronzing collections and eye colours makes you feel fabulous. Thus the name I guess. As a guy who can't tell the difference from one cosmetics counter to the next - I think people out there using our make-up should feel fabulous because they are helping some truly beautiful women out of poverty as well as minimising their impact on the environment. Here are the facts:

• The Make Me Fabulous range uses recycled plastic wherever possible in its packaging.
  
• Over 70% of colour product packaging contains post consumer recycled plastic.
  
• The range supports Community Trade by using Marula Oil from Namibia in the majority of Make Me Fabulous products.
• "Marula Oil moisturises and conditions skin"
  

WOW! What more could you ask for from your make-up?

Adam Valvasori - Values Manager

EWC Factory Image Courtesy: DeBeers