Tuesday 19th January 1999 Embargoed: 2.30pm, January 19th 1999 PRESS RELEASE Genetic campaigners reject award for ‘Best Political Campaign by an Environmental Organisation’ Today, Tuesday 19th January, at the Green Futures Awards Ceremony, attended by Environment Minister Micheal Meacher, genetiX snowball rejected the Green Ribbon award for ‘Best Political Campaign by an Environmental Organisation’[1]. The campaign’s Media Liaison read a statement[2] saying that genetiX snowball had rejected the award because they do not wish to be publicly associated with the award’s sponsors Norsk Hydro. GenetiX snowball maintains that the company are not pursuing environmental sustainability[3] and that the Green Ribbon Awards are a ‘Greenwash’ opportunity. The campaign’s Media Liaison Andrew Wood who spoke at the Awards Ceremony said “Norsk Hydro is continuing to exploit new oil reserves despite concerns over Global Warming; manufactures PVC despite concerns over human health and pollutants; and is the largest manufacture of artificial fertilisers, which have no part in sustainable agriculture”. He added “There is a fine line between promoting environmental good practice and being a showcase for corporate ‘greenwash’. That line has been crossed with these awards”. Press liaison: Andrew Wood telephone: 0973 953 446 or page: 097654 247 502. ENDS Editors Notes [1] The 1998 Green Ribbon Awards Ceremony takes place at the Stakis St Ermin’s Hotel, Caxton Street, London, SW1. The judges for the Green Ribbon awards were Anita Pollack MEP; Jonathan Porritt; Cynog Dafis MP; Matthew Taylor MP; John Gummer MP; Tim Yeo MP; Baroness Nicol; Sara Parkin; Geoffrey Lean; Professor Chris Baines; Andy Veitch; George Monbiot; Adrian Wilkes; and Martin Wright. [2]The statement reads: I’d like to thank the judges for awarding genetiX snowball the 1998 green ribbon award for ‘Best Political Campaign by an Environmental Organisation’. I’d also like to extend that recognition to the many other people campaigning on genetically modified food and crops. We are delighted that the judges, which included parliamentarians, should consider nonviolent direct action as an integral part of the political process. I’d like to say something about Norsk Hydro [who are sponsoring the green ribbon awards] and their commitment to the environment and sustainability. This is a company who are prospecting for new oil reserves in the North sea around the Faros and in the pristine waters of the arctic region despite concerns over Global warming. It is a company producing PVC, for which there is no satisfactory recycling; and who’s manufacture and disposal releases dioxins and phthalates . It is company intending to build gas fired power stations in Norway, when renewable energy is available. And it’s also a company that is the largest producer of artificial fertilisers, which have no part in sustainable agriculture. We feel it is necessary for us to publicly disassociate ourselves from a company which, despite its fine words is not acting for a sustainable future, indeed quite the opposite. Unfortunately therefore genetiX snowball cannot accept the award. There is a fine line between promoting environmental good practice and being a showcase for corporate ‘greenwash’. That line has been crossed with these awards. [3] The further recovery of oil defies what Greenpeace refers to as ‘carbon logic’ -that there are already sufficient known and recoverable reserves which if extracted and used would exceed ecological limits for climate change. Norsk Hydro are currently surveying the waters around the Faroes Islands for production purposes. Norsk Hydro is undertaking a joint venture with Statoil, Norways state owned oil company, to extract oil and gas at the Snohvit (Snow White) field in the Barents sea. The Snow White field will be the first Norwegian petroleum production in the Arctic region. Several bird species are directly affected by the plans, and Norway’s biggest renewable resource, fish, are at the most vulnerable stage of growth in this area. There is no technology to recover spilled oil in Arctic seas with their ice and winter waves averaging 10 ft. Polyvinyl Chloride production involves the use of many toxic chemicals. Dioxins and furans are inescapable by-products of the production process and when PVC is incinerated it releases its chlorine content and again causes the release of dioxins. Phthalates are used as softeners in PVC and can leach out during the products lifetime and pollute water supplies if PVC is landfilled. The toxic chemicals released during the production, use and disposal of PVC threaten the environment and human health. Dioxins - probably carcinogens and known hormone disrupters persist for many years and accumulate in the fatty tissues of living organisms. Because dioxins accumulate in breast milk, nursing infants may be exposed to 10 to 20 times more dioxin than adults per unit of body weight. Phthalates which mimic oestrogen affect the development of male reproductive organs and are believed to be responsible for falling sperm counts. Norsk Hydro have made a bid to build two large gas fired powered stations on the west coast of Norway. It also owns a third of the company Naturkraft, who are also bidding for the contract. The development is being opposed by the broadest environmental opposition in Norwegian history. Over 3000 people have pledged to take direct action if the power stations go ahead. Artificial fertilisers are energy intensive to produce. They can poison worms and soil life. This means that the soil loses biological activity and is less able to support plant growth, which in turn forces the farmer to use more fertiliser to maintain good yields. Soil subject to artificial fertiliser is prone to drying out and becoming waterlogged in rain. The use of fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides is closely linked: lush plant growth is attractive to pests such as aphids requiring pesticides; . Fertilisers also encourage the growth of weeds requiring the use of herbicides. Artificial fertilisers also pollute drinking water with nitrates. The annual cost (1996 - 1997) of measures to control and abate the nitrate pollution of drinking water in England and Wales is estimated to be over £24 million per year. NorWatch, a group within the Norwegian environmental NGO ‘The Future in Our Hands’ has investigated Norsk Hydro’s track record in ‘third world’ countries. They report: Hydro Aluminium (a 100% owned subsidiary of Norsk Hydro) is the largest partner in a consortium planning an aluminium production plant in the Indian state of Orissa. Other partners include Alcan of Canada and Tata and Indal of India - each holding a 20% share. This project is causing serious violations of cultural and economic rights, and more recently of civil and political rights of the indigenous peoples of Orissa, including the Adivasies The preliminary studies have already caused violent disturbances with arrests and injuries and there are reports of violent attacks by company employees or contractors against indigenous peoples. Hydro has also contributed to environmental scandals elsewhere in the developing world e.g. in African Guinea, where Hydro is part-owner of the bauxite/aluminum project at Friguia (Frialco); there are reports of unacceptable practices for waste handling. For further details see NorWatches home page http://www.ngo.grida.no/ngo/fivh/norwatch.htm Picture Editors Notes [1] Photographs of genetiX snowball actions are available on ImageNet under the David Hoffman or ISF sections. David Hoffman: 0181 981 5041. ISF: 01628 542 554. The David Hoffman photo library carries copies of photographs from the first genetiX snowball action on 4th July 1998. Video footage of the first genetiX snowball action on July 4th 1998 by five women in Oxfordshire available on DVC /Beta/ VHS format from award winning film maker Zoe Broughton on: 0961 181 576 genetiX snowball A campaign of nonviolent civil responsibility One World Centre, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS Tel: 0161 834 0295 Fax: 0161 834 8187 Browse: http://www.gn.apc.org/pmhp/gs Press liaison: Andrew Wood 0973 953 446 or page 07654 247502