It's not just the politicians who have lost their way this last month. We have seen a new low in leadership in regards to environmental responsibility. It's "Down Down" for Coles, VicForests, Burberry and Monsanto. But don't let it get you down. We're moving into spring - time to warm up and get active!

Little Shop of horrors

Coles recent ‘Little Shop’ promotion - offering a free plastic toy-sized household product for shoppers spending $30 or more - has been slammed for deliberately exploiting children and undermining parents, and adding to plastic pollution, which itself makes a mockery of Coles recent ban (and back-flip-reflip) on single-use plastic bags. Check out this parody promo from SBS's The Feed. Take action: > Shop elsewhere (like here) > Give feedback to Coles > Sign the Parenthood petition.

Logging threatens possum home

It's National Threatened Species Day on 7th September. An ABC report revealed last month that VicForests has been conducting an experiment in which it logs the habitat of the threatened greater glider to measure if gliders can survive this process. Oxymoron??? ... Take action: > Sign the petition to stop the logging > Choose non-native forest copy paper at Ethical Paper > Find out about the Threatened Species Parliament event > Tell Donald Trump and his administration to stop the significant (and terrifying) proposed revisions to endangered species act!

Be Inspired: Fast-fashion free

Last month saw calls for an overhaul of the fashion industry after the upmarket British fashion label Burberry said it burned over $50 million of unsold clothes, accessories and perfume to protect its brand. This month's Be Inspired feature showcases initiatives that fly in the face of fast-fashion and emphasise quality and repair over convenience and the disposable. Including Buy Me Once, The Slow Clothing project, Nudie Jeans 'repair for life', and Patagonia's 'Worn Wear' repair scheme. Take action: question the culture of waste and choose to repair and reuse!

Modern Slavery Bill

If you have eaten chocolate, drank tea, worn a cheap cotton shirt, or eaten seafood, the chances are you have taken part in slavery in raw material supply chains. See the Global Slavery Index's snapshot for Australia. The Federal government introduced a Modern Slavery Bill to parliament in June that requires large Australian businesses to publish annual statements on the steps taken to address slavery. Concerns have been raised that there are no penalties for companies who breach the Act. Take action: sign the Oxfam petition asking for a robust Modern Slavery Act for Australia.

Roundup on Monsanto

After years of denial of the health effects of their chemicals, agribusiness giant Monsanto has been ordered to pay $US289 million ($396 million) to a former school groundskeeper dying of cancer, with a San Francisco jury saying the company's popular Roundup weed killer contributed to his disease. Local councils across Australia have moved to reduce their reliance on Roundup, or trial alternatives. Take action: see non-chemical alternatives for weed control at Farmstyle, Gardening Australia, and the Pesticide Action Network's integrated weed management report.