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NEWS

Here is a flavour of this months news plus below some interesting  events planned and what's in the blogs this month - for the full stories, reports and background go to our website:

CAMP HOPE AND AVIATION: this month has seen letters re the wonderfully  successful Camp Hope which was supported by Greens from all 4 Glos Green parties, a news release in The Citizen re aviation tax hitting airport expansions, a release condemning the pre-budget report for it's failure to tackle aviation and a letter printed in the councillors magazine condemning support for aviation expansions as economically, environmentally and morally wrong.

MORE CLIMATE CHANGE STUFF: Glos Greens sent another news release  highlighting Labour's plans to abandon their renewables targets and a letter calling for leadership on climate change. We have also made a submission to the Government's consultation on Housing noting the Governments unwillingness to push developers on standards means we are failing to bring CO2 emissions down fast enough.

'PEAK OIL' ALREADY REACHED: Greens highlighted the new global oil supply report saying that peak oil - the point when oil extraction reaches its highest point and then starts to decline - was reached last year and that production will now start to decline at a rate of several percent per year. The report also forecasts 'disturbing scenes of mass unrest'.

CULLING BADGERS: Greens criticised the the government's Chief  Scientific Advisor's recommendation that culls of badgers should be carried out to control the TB epidemic in cattle. His recommendation is in stark contrast to the views of the Independent Scientific Group report into the matter - a near 10-year government study of badger-culling which found that culling could 'make no meaningful contribution.'

SUPERMARKETS: Failures to curb the powers of supermarkets in Britain  has led Glos Greens to renew calls on the EU to investigate the impact of the supermarket sector on farmers, small shops, jobs, communities – and the environment.

INCINERATOR NEAR STONEHOUSE: News that an incinerator is being considered for Javelin Park near Stonehouse has been condemned by Greens - other options are more sustainable and safer.

OTHER NEWS ITEMS:
- Call for referendum on EU treaty
- Anger at Hunt's Grove Call-in
- WiFi need for precautionary approach
- Nuclear consultation sham
- Greens have hailed the success of the acccelerated 'freeze and phase'  out of ozone killing chemical

- Swindon Greens would welcome Green party members and non-members to  their next meeting (tel 01793 529760)

- Pre-Budget report fails on tackling climate change but also move on inheritance tax means more money will stay circulating within rich families than ever before - a regressive move

- Green party elections meant Dr. Caroline Lucas, Green MEP has been  elected as female Principal Speaker while Dr. Derek Wall, who has been Principal Speaker for the past year, has been re-elected as male Principal Speaker.

Plus reports of recent events including the talk re Oldbury nuclear  plant by national nuke experts John Large and Dr Ian Fairlie and the cafe discussions on 'Is Capitalism sustainable?' and how we change the world

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PLUS THE BLOGS

Gaian Economics - now listed in the top 20 Green blogs - vote now:
http://www.jimjay.blogspot.com/
Molly Scott Catos' blog this month includes wheat prices, obesity and  capitalism, local currencies, Clone Towns, Drone Towns and In-the-Zone Towns and foot and mouth slaughter.At: http://gaianeconomics.blogspot.com/

Ruscombe Green with nearly 70 entries this month including: lots of  local bits like A46 latest incl Wades Lane and Ruscombe Brook, Free West Papua, Burma, Chinadependence report, new hate crime law needed and more.
At http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/

Jonathon Porritt on: Capitalism As If The World Matters, Al Gore, Why  put a price on the priceless importance of carbon-free homes, Obesity and Climate Change and Tidal Power.

At: http://www.jonathonporritt.com/pages/

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QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"If there is a future, it will be Green."
Petra Kelly

"As human beings our greatness is not so much in remaking the world
as in remaking ourselves."
Mahatma Gandhi

"My personal revenge will be your children's right to schooling and to
flowers. My personal revenge will be to make you see the goodness in my
people's eyes, implacable in combat, always generous and firm in
victory. My personal revenge will be to greet you 'good morning!' in
streets with no beggars, when instead of locking you inside they say,
'don't look so sad,' when you, the torturer, daren't lift your head. My
personal revenge will be to give you these hands you once ill-treated
with all their tenderness intact."
Tomás Borge, Nicaraguan Sandinista freedom fighter and victim of torture

"[I]f you're going to drive a Hummer and buy carbon offsets, that's
like getting drunk every night and getting into an AA meeting, throwing
money in the basket, and leaving."
Ed Begley Jr

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EVENTS:

Wednesday 31st October - Gloucestershire Green party meeting in
Gloucester - call Philip on 01453755451 for details.

Sunday 4th Nov Time/place TBC. --  Talk on Green Politics in the US -
Mary Paul. Cheltenham. A Rendezvous Cafe event, contact Dennis at
Rendezvous at: dzm99@yahoo.com .

Wednesday 7th Nov ‘Resurgence’ talk: CommonGround on
ClimateChange-developing an All-Party approach to mitigate global
warming. Contact 01237 441 293 .

Saturday 8th November: Meeting re Staverton in Stroud 11 to 12.30 -
call Philip on 01453755451 for details.

Weds 14th Nov about West Papua with speakers from the Free West Papua
campaign (http://www.freewestpapua.org/). 7:30pm Star Anise Arts Cafe
(Behind the Old Painswick Inn, Gloucester Street, Stroud). The evening
will include traditional Papuan music, a short video introducing the
country and the Free West Papua campaign, insights into the
inspirational peaceful and land-based culture of West Papua and
information on the current situation and how you can help. The Green
Party is very active in the Free West Papua campaign - particularly in
Oxford and Norwich and invited the two speakers to this years Spring
conference. Unfortunately our government would prefer to leave the
situation to Indonesia, as stated in a letter form the Foreign &
Commonwealth Office.

Thursday 15th November at 7.30 - 'Bullshit' - This inspiring
documentary covers 2 years in the whirlwind life of Vandana Shiva, an
Indian environmental activist, as she attempts to counter the power of
global multinationals like Monsanto, the leading proponent of applying
'Genetic Modification' in agriculture worldwide. Book in advance to
ensure a good seat or come on the night. £2 ticket.  Bar. Tel: 01285
640441

Thursday 15th November -  "Peat-Free Gardening" talk  - a Seed Exchange
Evening hosted by the The Biodynamic Agriculture Association at The
British School - by Helen Pitel, an organic gardening teacher - doors
will open at 7.00pm and the talk will start at 7.30pm. If you have any
seeds to share please bring them along but don't worry if you haven't
saved seeds this year - come along anyway.NB If you unable to attend
this event would like to part of local informal seed saving
network please contact Sheila.  FFI contact Sheila Macbeth (01453)
765789 email: lady@macbeth.me.uk

Wednesday 21st November - Next 2 One Tonners events to take place at 2
campuses at the University of Gloucestershire: 12.15 pm = MC304,
Pittville Campus, Albert Road, Cheltenham and 1.30 pm = Chapel Meeting
Rm, Francis Close Hall Campus, Cheltenham. More dertails about this
exciting project to move to a low carbon lifestyle at:
http://theonetonners.blogspot.com/

Friday 23rd November: What might a Green Transport System really be
like? Open to anyone - 7.30 to 9.30pm at Star Anise Arts Cafe at the
Painswick Inn, Gloucester Street, Stroud. Click 'Read more' to find out
about previous talks and idea behind these Coffee House Discussions.

Saturday 8th Dec National Climate Change March – London. Speakers
include George Monbiot and Caroline Lucas. A coach will be leaving from
Gloucester about 8.00 am , with two pick-up points in Cheltenham and
Cirencester and return to Gloucestershire by 7.00 pm: seats will cost
£10 per person. Contact cathyclimatechange@yahoo.co.uk
  or cheltenhamfoe@yahoo.co.uk Forest of Dean coach transport contact
robinlarkham@hotmail.com; or try:--  info@campaigncc.org,
 www.campaigncc.org, 02078 339 311 ; or visitwww.icount.org.uk

Details of Gloucestershire Green party meetings can be got from John
Marjoram on 01453 751189.
This Green news service first established on 13th November 2001. To
subscribe or unsubscribe to GNN visit the Gloucestershire Green party
website and to contribute to this news service contact the editor
Philip Booth on  press@glosgreenparty.org.uk