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ORGANIC & Natural Living Seminar |
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Bringing the local food economy home to South East Qld
Enquire for the next Meeting
contact Sally MacKinnon
(Gondwana Centre, Ethos Foundation)
Phone 07 5533 3646 or email safehaven@austarnet.com.au
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A Community Conversation at Beechmont - Gold Coast Hinterland
at the Beechmont Community Hall
The Ethos Foundation, Ethos Centre and Gondwana Centre present a Community Conversation
with Helena Norberg-Hodge, international sustainability leader, linguist, author (Ancient Futures),
Coordinator of the International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC) and leading analyst on
the impact of global economics on local agriculture, culture and economy.
Helena will lead a vital, engaging conversation that reveals:
- How globalisation is putting our food supply at risk
- How to protect our food supply and revitalise our local economies
- Local food and economy vs agribusiness – why Beechmont and SEQ are well positioned to succeed
Food Connect Director Robert Pekin will also overview some of the onground local food
production activities already underway at Mt Tamborine and in parts of SEQ.
This will be an evening of inspiration for all people who call Beechmont home and for our friends and neighbours in surrounding SEQ communities.
Background to globalisation
and local economy Throughout the world, agriculture is in crisis. Farmers are going bankrupt in record numbers,
and the rural communities of which they are an integral part are being drained of life. Meanwhile,
international trade in food is booming.
Every year, the distance between producers and consumers
rises to the point where the average American meal has travelled more than 1,500 miles before
it arrives on the dinner table. These two trends are directly linked. The globalisation of the food economy, while enriching a
small number of giant 'agribusinesses' is undermining the welfare of everyone else.
What's more,
it is a major contributor to increasing C02 emissions and therefore to climate change.
We urgently need to move in precisely the opposite direction - towards shortening the links
between farmers and consumers. Such a shift would bring back diversity to land that has been
all but destroyed by chemical-intensive monocropping, provide much-needed jobs at a local
level, and help to rebuild community.
Moreover, it would allow farmers to make a decent living
while giving consumers access to healthy, fresh food at affordable prices.
FOR MORE INFORMATION :
For further information contact Sally MacKinnon
(Gondwana Centre, Ethos Foundation)
Phone 07 5533 3646 or email safehaven@austarnet.com.au
For more information about ISEC:
www.isec.org.uk
For more information about the Gondwana Centre:
www.gondwanacentre.org.au
For more information about the Ethos Foundation:
www.ethosfoundation.org
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