It's only two weeks since the Guardian newspaper first revealed this new threat to wildlife and the environment. [1] As well as our big people-powered petition, more and more organisations are speaking out– including the RSPB, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace. [2]
Keep the pressure building.
Can you help get the petition to 50,000 this weekend by asking your friends to sign?
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/dont-scrap-environment-laws
The government has branded protection for the conservation, wildlife and countryside as "red tape". [3] That means, without public outcry, we could see laws scrapped that:
- protect wild birds, their nests and eggs
- protect national parks and footpaths
- prevent smog and air pollution
- protect footpaths and access to the countryside
- keep the government on track with tackling climate change
Let's get more names on this petition, and prove that the British public don't think it's "red tape" to be looking after our countryside, wildlife and environment.
We know that when we work together we can stop plans which could hurt wildlife. When the government decided to try to sell off England's forests, over half a million of us got together and convinced them to drop their plans. [5] Now let's do the same to save crucial protection for wildlife, the countryside and the environment.
Thanks for being involved,
David, Hannah, Johnny and the 38 Degrees team
PS: The laws under threat in the government's "red tape challenge" include the Climate Change Act, National Parks Act, Clean Air Act and the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Do these sound like "red tape" to you? Please add your name and tell the government that protecting our countryside and our planet should be a priority.
References:
[1] Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/17/environment-green-laws-red-tape
[2] See: http://www.foe.co.uk/green_blog/lifes_let_downs_30429.html
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/tell-cameron-and-clegg-save-uks-green-laws-20110427
http://campaigning.rspb.org.uk/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=13&ea.campaign.id=10410
[3] http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/environment/
See also: http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2011/04/20/sign-the-petition-dont-scrap-green-laws/
[4] http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about/
[5] 38 Degrees - “Victory! Government to scrap plans to sell our forests” http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2011/02/17/victory-government-to-scrap-plans-to-sell-our-forests/
