Update. March 2011
Schools
Kit ... News ... Good Choices
... Focus on Agribusiness ... Upcoming
events ... Fundraising? |
Schools Kit ....
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Check out our new Educational Resources section, including:
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News ....
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First Milk Wars, now Beer Wars 23rd March 2011 Beer has become the new battleground in the supermarket price war after Australia's biggest brewer, Foster's, pulled key beer brands from Coles and Woolworths upon learning of a plan to sell them for $28 a slab - well below cost. more. Between them, Woolworths and Coles control over 50% of total alcohol retail in Australia – up from 32% just 5 years ago. more |
With exception of the family owned Coopers Brewery, all of the large Australian breweries are now owned by either the Foster's Group (still Australian owned) or Lion Nathan-National Foods (owned by Kirin of Japan). They have 50% and 40% of market share respectively. See their brands here When buying beer, consider supporting one of Australia’s 100+ microbreweries.
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Coles
and Woolies both pledge to source sustainable seafood Woolworth
plans eventual MSC certification. more |
>>
See more at our News
page.
Good Choices ....
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This Easter Get into the 'new life' swing and avoid the 'chocolate made with child labour' thing. more You can choose Fairtrade chocolate eggs at Only Just shop (48 Were St, Montmorency, Vic, 0413 314 626), and Oxfam online shop, or find other retailers stocking good chocs at World Vision's 'Don't Trade Lives' campaign Good Chocolate Guide. For those wanting
a Lenten adventure with personal and planetary significance, check
out the Carbon
Fast, a 40 day challenge that enables you to learn, live, give,
pray and advocate for justice in a changing climate. |
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Plastic State of Mind Check out
this very
amusing vid!
What to do?
Make sure those reusable bags end up in your handbag, rucksack,
car boot, or bike pannier, and come with you to the store! |
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Don't buy Coles homebrand milk! Sometimes you
have to spell it out... |
>> Better options - branded products - such as National Foods owned by Kirin of Japan, have 81 % of the market (Pura, Dairy Farmers); Parmalat of Italy (Rev, Pauls, Physical, Skinny); Fonterra of New Zealand (Brownes, Anchor)
>> Better still - Australian owned milks - such as Murray Goulburn Co-operative (Devondale); Freedom Nutritional Products (A2); Warnambool Cheese & Butter Factory (Sungold)
>>
Best - small independent farm gate products - such as
B.-d. Farm
Paris Creek, True
Orgainc, Elgaar
Farm, Barambah
Organics, Hastings
Valley Dairy
Focus on Agribusiness ...
Who controls our food? - Food security has emerged as a growing political concern after a wave of agribusiness buyouts. more. These include:
- the takeover of ABB Grain by Canadian grain company, Viterra in September 2009
- the acquisition of 20% of Intergrain, one of Australia's largest wheat breeding companies, by Monsanto, the world's biggest owner of genetically engineered crops, in September 2010
- the sale of AWB, (the Australian Wheat Board) to Canadian-based Agrium, the largest agricultural retailer in North America, in December 2010, and subsequent sale of a majority of AWB on to Cargill, the world’s largest commodity trading company, one month later
- the bid for Sunrice by Spanish Food giant Ebro which is to be decided in May
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What can you
do? Where possible, support small local busineses and economies
where you know who your dollar is supporting.
Petition government to regulate
on who can own what. |
Upcoming events...
| Workshops in Victoria | |
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Find
out more or register online here
.
Meal & Movie nights |
Fundraising? ...
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Don't sell chocolates, sell the Guide! – No child labour, no multinational ownership, no sweet fatty bits (well, just a few!).
Spread
the message and raise funds for your group! more |
Get the Guide!
- pocket guide, iphone app, hemp bags - www.ethical.org.au/shop
See news and print guide updates at www.ethical.org.au/news
and www.ethical.org.au/rss
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To view this newsletter online go to www.ethical.org.au/newsletters/mar2011.htm