Press Releases for 2004

GREENS AT MAIDSTONE MARKET

20th May 2004

Hazel Dawe, Green Party European Candidate for Kent (1), will be campaigning at Maidstone market on Tuesday 25th May from 11-1pm. She will be asking shoppers abut how the market could be improved. She comments: "The Green Party supports localisation meaning that we want consumers to support local businesses as far as they possibly can, to strengthen local economies. Practical ideas to make shopping in Maidstone market more attractive are most likely to come from those who use the market regularly. We will pass our findings on to the Council and the media.

"We are very keen to bring an end to 'the great food swap.' In 1998, we imported 61,400 tonnes of poultry meat into the UK and exported 33,100 tonnes. In the same year, exports of pork and lamb were 240,000 tonnes and 125,000 tonnes and imports were 195,000 tonnes and 102,000 tonnes respectively. During the 1990s, air freight imports and exports increased by 7% a year and is likely to average 7.5% increase per year 2000-2010. So we cannot be surprised that trade-related transport is one of the fastest growing contributions to greenhouse gases (2). Since our Government has failed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 3 out of the last 4 years, the public must act to protect us against the effects of climate change. One very simple step is to purchase goods produced locally whenever possible. This cuts down transport costs and favours smaller, efficient producers in our communities."

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FURTHER INFORMATION: Hazel Dawe on 01233 645167 or 07960 956272. Contact address: 10 Hillbrow Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 4QH. Local website: www.eastkent-greenparty.org.uk Hazel Dawe is a Senior Lecturer in Law at London Metropolitan University.

Note: 1. Hazel Dawe is one of 10 candidates on the Green Party list for the South East Region's European constituency. Other information on these elections can be found at www.greenparty.org.uk/southeastand on the website of the South East's Green MEP, Caroline Lucas at www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk Published and promoted by Susan Miles, on behalf of the South East Confederation of Green Parties, both at 3 Copse Cottages, Shillingford Road, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8LQ.

2. Dr Caroline Lucas Stopping the great food swap: relocalising Europe's food supply, 2002.

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