Packing and Preparing

I have started to pack as we depart on Friday.

We have been sent a kit list which I have gone through, it doesn't all relate to me, as I won't be going through to Paris so I don't need to pack my passport. I have taken note of the need for waterproofs!

I am not sure if I feel ready, but perhaps that is just the way it goes. Are we ever fully prepared for anything? I have continued with my walking and swimming and I have looked for other kinds of resources to keep me going.

On the Peoples Pilgrimage website I have found some prayers and spiritual statements which I plan on taking with me.

One is from Thich Nhat Hanh

Be aware of the contact between your feet and the Earth.
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.
We have caused a lot of damage to the Earth.
Now it is time for us to take good care of her.
We bring peace and calm to the surface of the Earth and share the lesson of love. 
We walk in the spirit.

And so as the butterflys in my stomach heighten I shall depend on these kind of resources, and knowing that there will be people thinking of us all.

I am looking forward to meeting others, to trying something new and to being one small part in the massive preparations ahead of the talks in Paris.

If you would like to hear updates as we walk, I shall endeavour to tweet from @maudward on twitter . I shall also be on instagram under the same name. Otherwise I will write something here on my return.

Please not that...

If you are at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre ahead of and during the Climate Talks in Paris you can write a message of support and encouragement to those meeting and we will send those messages on.

Under 3 weeks to go – Pilgrimage 2 Paris

Last week was what you might call a bad week, I have a condition which can result in fatigue and pain, and last week it reminded me of what it is capable of. I was out for the count, my legs wouldn’t work, my brain was fuzzy, and the slightest movement was riddled with pain, like I said it was a bad week.

Suffice to say I did not do much walking, other than from my bed to the sofa and back to the bed again. Days like that are tough, they are tough physically and they are tough mentally.  I began to doubt if participating in the organised pilgrimage to Paris was the right decision, those doubts stay with me, although I have since got back out there and done a few shorter walks to get myself back in the game.

Yesterday I was speaking to a dear friend, one of those people who just turn up on the exact day you need them and say the words you need to hear. She spoke of going on a pilgrimage recently, one of the many as a part of The People's Pilgrimage. She spoke about the nature of a walk with purpose and the joy she experienced as some joined their pilgrimage for the 2 days they walked and others who joined for a few minutes or a few hours and how that natural ebb and flow to her was as natural as the ebb and flow of our world.  She helped me realise that all I need to do is walk, for however long I am able and so I will. 

I will walk, and I will walk as long as I can.

One of the things I could do last week was peruse the internet looking for bits and pieces to get me in the mood. I read about Friends of the Earth organising trains and accommodation for those going to Paris, I saw articles on the BBC about the negotiations, I caught up on plans for a march in London during the talks and I was drawn to for the love of website where they are asking people to upload an image of what matters to you.

'If you love it, share it' 'Climate Change threatens the things you love about the world. But if you give your heart to speak up for them, you will help to make a difference' fortheloveof.org.uk

And so during the talks in Paris, we shall have hearts here at Woodbrooke for you to fill in and write a message, we can then uploads images of these to their website. You can also upload your images directly. Let us send a message of strength to be courageous to make the decisions and commitments we need for the future of people and planet.

And so, back to practice practice practice.

Pilgrimage to Paris - preparations begin.

I have not written anything for a long time. I apologise. This will be the first of a few posts ahead of the UN Climate Talks in Paris. 

In under a month I am going to be walking my first pilgrimage, or perhaps I should say organised pilgrimage.

I have to say that having gone to a talk a few years ago on pilgrimage where it was suggested every walk was a pilgrimage and I haven’t yet thought that one through.

It’s called Pilgrimage 2 Paris, and the pilgrimage will end up in Paris ahead of the UN Climate Talks. I am only going to take part in the UK bit, from London to Newhaven.  

It has been organised by The Church of England, Christian Aid, CAFOD and Tearfund. It will begin on 13^th November and complete on the 27^th November ahead of the talks.

I applied having heard about it during an ecumenical service on a mass lobby of parliament on climate justice and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. Call it a nudge from a God if you like, I felt pushed by something to go on the website and apply.

I spoke with one of the organisers and we talked through some details, including that it would be approximately 12-15 miles a day. At this, I paused a little. It’s been a few years since I have done a walk of this length so I took a few days to think and to walk and see how it felt. I managed 10 miles and I was exhausted but I survived so I called back and said yes, I’ll give it a go.  

So I have been getting ready, taking the longer route to work, walking around the area, popping out in my lunch break to walk around the block and heading out at the weekends for longer walks with my husband.  It occurred to me on a walk this morning, how essential the preparation is, not just in terms of fitness and stamina but also preparing my mind and spirit.

This pilgrimage is about the UN talks in Paris, but nothing is ever just one thing. This past year I have experienced some lows and whilst I work out how if ever I can admit to the vulnerability and sadness I have experienced, I am able to put one foot in front of the other and walk.  And whilst I am walking I am letting my mind wander, from the very personal to the international.

And so it’s doing a few things for me, walking is helping me process some of my ‘stuff’. I am discovering there is a whole largely undiscovered neighbourhood on my doorstep as I veer away from my usual routes and take a different path. And I am embracing the opportunity to respond to my concerns about climate justice in a different way. I’ve been to talks, I’ve read, watched and shared. I’ve protested and prayed and I’ve organised. Now I am walking.

Here are a couple of photos, taken out and about.

However you choose to respond to climate change, I urge you to do something whether it’s to attend or organise a talk, to educate yourself, to be a part of a vigil, to listen and support those who are very involved, to make changes in your lives and the way you run your homes, by talking to your MP. It is the issue of the time and it connects to everything. Ignoring it will not make it go away.

So please stay posted, I will add updates as I prepare and then during the pilgrimage I will do my best to keep you in touch with how we are doing.  

Global Day of Action

This Sunday, the 21st September 2014, people are coming together from across the world to demonstrate their commitment to climate justice. A Global Day of Action. 

A Day of Action because two days following, Heads of State will be meeting for a summit on the Climate. 

I wanted to write 'yet another summit' but being cynical about it, won't change anything or make me feel any better. Perhaps it was a good time to read this article calling for people to get to the march in New York. 

I am not going to go to New York, nor am I going to London. I shall be joining those in Birmingham. 

On the PeoplesClimate website, I liked the following

'We know that no single meeting or summit will “solve climate change” and in many ways this moment will not even really be about the summit. We want this moment to be about us – the people who are standing up in our communities, to organise, to build power, to confront the power of fossil fuels, and to shift power to a just, safe, peaceful world.'

I used to go on marches and actions a lot more than I do now. For health reasons recently I have not felt as confident but I am getting my confidence back. These marches or days of action changed me more than anything. They inspired me to keep going, to work together with others. I remember a vigil outside parliament during the vote on Trident and I had such an array of emotions; peace, powerful, powerlessness, frustration and hope among what I am sure were many more. At the end of the vigil I felt alive and refreshed, invigorated to do more. 

There is something about bearing witness in the place witness needs to be born. This Sunday, for me, that is in Birmingham. For you, that might be in London, or where you live? Perhaps you will engage online with others that way. 

In my mind, every day is a global action for day, we can change the world everyday through our interaction with others, through our choices and actions. Having said that I don't think it hurts to be a part of a global day of solidarity, to come together and to do something that says, here we are, bearing witness to our commitment to climate justice. That making changes in our own lives is vital but that being a part of a movement demanding systemic change is as vital. 

There are lots of websites that you can look at for more information about Sunday, here are a few

Quakers in Britain

Operation Noah

Friends of the Earth

Peoples Climate

Greenpeace

Peace One Day

Avaaz

There is a shared statement from Quaker groups - Facing the Challenge of Climate Change

There's more to a label than size and make - or is there?

Last week, I met Edwina at the event - Transforming Ourselves, Transforming the System - here she showed me her article on sustainability and the fashion industry. What follows, is a short introduction and then her article. 

I am a student of textiles at Norwich University of Arts and a Member of Bury St Edmunds Meeting. My work combines tradition with new technology, natural dyes with digital print, hand stitch with resist and foil. Sustainability is an important aspect of my practice and my inspiration is often the forest that surrounds my home. The dyes are extracted from the plants and trees and my drawings are developed into designs for digital print technology. The Kimono is proving to be a good context for my work and while respecting its history I have developed a range of designs which are intended for use as screens or hangings but can always be worn and enjoyed. My research for this degree investigated the ethical practice and sustainability of the Fashion Industry and part of the research was to write an article for Quakers about the importance of understanding what lies behind the label.

Edwina Hughes

THERE’S MORE TO A LABEL THAN SIZE AND MAKE – OR IS THERE?

The Clerk’s notes on the Canterbury Commitment asks individual Friends ‘to keep informed about the work being done locally, centrally and throughout the Quaker world and to educate themselves’  (Religious Society of Friends 2011)  ) about our commitment to conserve the earth’s resources and be responsible for one another. We have used the Sustainability Toolkit to learn, to evaluate and to take action so that our buildings, energy consumption, water usage, travel, product consumption and waste are low carbon and sustainable. There is practical information for the investment and use of our money but there are many everyday purchases where we do not have the information to make the best choice for the Earth. Clothing constitutes a regular purchase for many people. In most cases the label provides the main information but shows the brand, the size and possibly country of origin but little else. By being informed the label CAN tell us more!

Garment labels became the focus of the world’s attention after the Rana Plaza fire as they provided indisputable truth about the brands who were using this factory

The tragedy has forced apparel retailers and brands to take a closer look at how, and where, their products are made. There were discussions about making the label more informative but little action. The Ethical trading Initiative (ETI) were involved and this organisation aims to ensure that all products for the UK market meet international standards for ethical practice. Members include M&S, Monsoon, River Island and John Lewis and the full list of members can be accessed on their web site ww.ethicaltrade.org/about-eti/our-members. The Ethical Fashion Forum (EFF) set up in 2006 works in the same way but targets the fashion industry and provides a ‘Global Platform for a Sustainable Fashion Toolkit’ (Ethical fashion Forum 2012)  offering its members an in-depth evaluation of best practice to achieve sustainable fashion. The attention of the media often results in consumer pressure for ethical change.

Sustainability is an aspect of the fashion industry targeted by the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) and there are 10 principals that members have to adhere to achieve full membership. WFTO does provide the customer with a search engine to access the list of members who have a ‘commitment to eradicate poverty through sustainable economic development’ (World Fair Trade Organisation 2013). The FAIRTRADE Mark is known for its guarantee of sustainability which means that clothing with this label (see fig 8) is made with 100% cotton grown and produced where ethical and sustainable development are the central focus of trade. Their research shows that in 2011 ‘7 in 10 UK households purchased a product carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark’ (Fair Trade Foundation 2012) and since the UK launch in 2005 the sale of garments rose to 20 million in 2011. This seems to indicate a growing awareness by the public of the importance of sustainability and there is a growing trend to make the Fair Trade label available on the High Street.

Fig 8 Fair Trade label

The People Tree label have developed their brand and have taken the ideals of the FAIRTRADE Mark a step further for the customer by developing the first supply chain for organic cotton from farm to final retail product. They have been working with Fair trade farmers to provide a ‘new kind of sustainable fashion’ (People Tree 2001) where the customer is guaranteed that all aspects of the garment have been produced sustainably not just the cotton. Recent initiatives have led to designers becoming involved resulting in People Tree labelled clothing being available in the High Street stores of Laura Ashley and the Oxford Street branch of Topshop. For the customer understanding the brand policy behind the product is crucial to recognising labels which offer sustainable clothing.

The results of the questionnaire (Appendix 2) into clothing showed that the most used purchase mode across all groups is the High Street stores. A majority of Quakers chose Marks & Spencer as their first choice. But High Street stores do not always offer background information about their garments as I found out when I visited some of the more popular shops. In Debenhams, Gap and River Island the staff did not know if their garments had been made ethically or anything about their policy on sustainability. In fact it was only the staff in Topshop who were able to show me their organic range, their Made in the UK range (see Fig 9) and were informative about their policy for ethical standards. This first hand approach takes time but there are other ways to discover retailers’ credibility.

Fig 9. Topshop Made in UK label

Organisations who evaluate the trading of retailers and make that information available to the customer can be found online. My research has enabled me to use these web sites and identify those large retailers who are working towards a supply chain where ethical practice is inherent and sustainability traceable from seed to product. Smaller traders who have these ideals inherent in their business often rely on an online trading. Many of them are listed on the web site of Style with Heart.  ‘While there are many companies on the high street working hard to catch up with the green and ethical agenda, the companies you will find listed here were created with strong values from their inception’ (Style with Heart 2014). One of the most impressive brands on the list, who opened their first shop in 2013, is Rapanui in Sandown, Isle of Wight. All their leisure clothing and products are 100% traceable in other words the customer can access detailed information from seed to manufacture to shop and the labels (see Fig 10) they use grade the garment from organic, ethical and sustainable through seven levels. But it does prove that online information is vital for informed shopping.

Fig 10 Rapanui label with grades

Labour behind the Label (LbL) is the most active organisation to address the level of ethical practice in the fashion industry. Their Annual Report Let’s Clean Up Fashion (Label behind the Label 2013) produced since 2006 looks at and identifies retailers who are working to improve ethical practice in their supply chains. They name brands such as Debenhams who declined to give any information, retailers George at Asda, Clarks, Debenhams, John Lewis, Laura Ashley and Sainsbury’s who ‘had not provided concrete information about any plans to address the living wage issue’ (Label behind the Label 2011) and Next, Monsoon and Marks & Spencer for their projects which do address working conditions in their supply chains. The report also recognise the improvements made by the retailer but overall they state that progress with all retailers has been slow. This Report is an interesting source of information for the customer who wants to know more about the ethical concerns of the High Street fashion retailers.

The lack of information available to the customer on most labels in the fashion industry must be addressed if we want to continue our quest to conserve the earth’s resources and be responsible for one another. At Made in a Free World they believe that ‘changing the world takes everyone … individuals, groups, and businesses working together to disrupt slavery and make freedom go viral; … to get slavery out of our system’ (Made in a Free World 2011). Ethical practice and sustainability is embedded in our Testimonies and continually referred to in Quaker Faith and Practice so buying from the fashion industry needs our attention. If the label does not help us to achieve this then the onus is on the individual to take action by educating ourselves, by making a choice where we shop and by understanding that there is more to a label than brand, size and make.