Parliamentary Lobby

 

‘Beyond Recycling –

Towards Zero Waste’

 

held  on 18th June 2002

 

Boothroyd Room

Portcullis House

 

see the pictures

 

Parliamentary Lobby and launch of the Zero Waste Charter

and Ten Point Plan.

 

Tuesday, 18th June 1pm-3pm  

 

'Beyond Recycling - Towards Zero Waste'

 

a  Parliamentary Lobby was hosted by Sue Doughty, MP for Guildford and LibDem spokesperson for waste. 

Top international speakers addressed the meeting, and aided the launch of the Zero Waste Charter and Ten Point Plan, supported by Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, SERA and the UK Zero Waste Alliance. 

 

 

·                     Canberra, capital territory of Australia, set a Zero Waste by 2010 target and reached 59% in five years.  A 'Zero Waste by 2020' target was adopted by Western Australia.

·                     Half the New Zealand authorities adopted Zero Waste policies, and New Zealand has now became the first country to adopt a 'Zero Waste by 2020' policy.

·                     Both the city of Toronto and the most populous US state of California have adopted 'Zero Waste by 2020' targets.

·                     In Britain, the first authority to adopt this policy was Bath and N.E. Somerset.  A successful Zero Waste conference was held in Brighton in February with speakers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US.

 

Programme for the day:

 

11.00am onwards:  Zero Waste and anti-incineration campaigners from across Britain met for coffee, lunch at Westminster Methodist Central Hall.

 

1.00-3.00pm:  'Beyond Recycling - Towards Zero Waste' Parliamentary Speaker Lobby in the Boothroyd Room,  Portcullis House. Presentation of the Zero Waste Charter and Ten Point Plan.  Excellent internationally-renowned speakers and campaigners.

 

3.30pm-4.30pm:  Rally outside Westminster - Moses with his tablet of papier mache with the Zero Waste Ten Commandments.  The Essex Recycling dragons battled it out.  Groups from anti-incinerator campaigns including Newcastle, Hull, Kidderminster, Derby, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Essex and London with their banners and props.

 

Photo opportunity at 3.30pm-4.30pm outside Westminster.

 

Two PCVs were on display from Recycling Works Haringey.  These brilliant Recycling Pedestrian Controlled Vehicles can collect 3 to 4 tonnes per day each, more than a large lorry, at a cost of 7p per day to recharge the battery!  Operators can be trained in 8 hours - no HGV licence necessary! Cuts collection costs by 95%.  Suitable for all busy urban areas.

 

4.30pm:  Formal lobby in Westminster to lobby MPs individually.

 

5.00pm:  Zero Waste Picnic.

 

This was the week of the Global Anti-Incineration Action Day (GAIA Day) on Monday 17th June, which was marked in Essex by a mid-summer madness spoof panto 'Who Burned the Tarts?' on the steps of county hall at 11am. The Wonderland court case featured the well-known Essex characters the Mad Hatter - Lord Hatterfield, the March Hare - Ron Billions of Tarts, the Cook - Kitchen Tray, and the Knave of Tarts - Gerard McBoring.