by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
When talking about themselves they state that Climate Week is a new supercharged national occasion that offers an annual renewal of our ambition and confidence to combat climate change. It is for everyone wanting to do their bit to protect our planet and create a secure future.
Climate Week will shine a spotlight, they say, on the many positive steps already being taken in workplaces and communities across Britain. The power of these real, practical examples – the small improvements and the big innovations – will then inspire millions more people.
Climate Week claims to have support from every part of society and that thousands of businesses, charities, schools, councils and others will run events during Climate Week on 21-27 March 2011. They will show what can be achieved, share ideas and encourage thousands more to act during the rest of the year.
Other supporters apparently range from the Prime Minister to Paul McCartney, the NHS to the National Trust, Girlguiding UK to the CBI, the Big Lottery Fund to the National Association of Head Teachers.
However, what we do not know is who and what actually is behind this front of an organization that is putting on this week. Is is government, is it a quango or is it something else?
The PR agency used by Climate Week is Munro & Foster who specialize in healthcare, public sector and consumer communications. Hmm??? So who or what, as said, is behind Climate Week?
The truth is that this seems to be just another good example of those with the money making a splash rather than those who are most suited and would appear to be an exercise in serious greenwash and a promotional platform for the sponsors of dubious character.
The main sponsor is Tesco, the biggest, at least so they think and claim, supermarket chain in the UK and one that exploits its small suppliers, such as farmers, left, right and center. Not that other supermarket chains may not also do the same as to squeezing the farmers and small suppliers.
Then we have as additional sponsors for this event the likes of AVIVA, EDF, RBS, and Kellogg's... Oh dear!
EDF – Electricite de France – is a French utilities company that has bought up many of the old British electricity companies that were part of the Electricity Board, such as the LEB, the SEEBoard and others. In addition it also has many of the old gar supply boards in its portfolio.
EDF tries to paint itself, like some of it competitors, which are are also foreign companies, such as Eon and N-Power, as very green and environmentally friendly. However, EDF is the biggest nuclear power generating company in France and thus hardly green.
RBS, the Royal Bank of Scotland is a bank that provides massive funding for tar sand extraction and one of those banks that has been responsible for the downturn and the needs of heavy government intervention as to bank bail outs.
Aviva is the world's sixth largest insurance group and the largest in the UK and while I have no details at hand investments could be in dodgy places for sure.
Interesting sponsors for an event that begins to look more and more like something that is being imposed on the people rather than one that comes from the people. One can but wonder who the beneficiaries are from all the cash injections by the big sponsors.
I think it is here where I rest my case; it is beginning to get heavy.
© 2011
