Tag Archives: Activism

DorkySon: For the Oceans

September 30, 2017 By in Activism, Family, Tasmania Tags: , , , , , 31 Comments

Sea Shepherd Tasmania debris cleanup

Since we first arrived in Tasmania, DorkySon has held a quiet fascination with Sea Shepherd.

When the Bob Barker was in port a couple of years ago he kept a wary distance. He loved the idea of protecting whales, but he wasn’t quite sure about those big, sharp teeth painted on the bow.

He loved to look out for Sea Shepherd supporters when we were out and about. At markets and festivals, the familiar logo was emblazoned across t-shirts, hoodies, and beanies, and he could always spot them a mile off.

The longer we have lived here, the more DorkySon has grown to love the ocean and with that has come a new appreciation for the work that Sea Shepherd does. Continue reading →

Activism not Slacktivism

June 14, 2013 By in Activism Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 16 Comments

student protestors

My good friend Adam Ramsay had a piece in the Guardian the other day about student activism, putting forward his view that the main job of students is to save the world and have fun. Despite what many people think the two are not mutually exclusive.

I credit my time at university, and the people I met in that period of my life, with shaping my politics quite substantially. The groundwork may have been laid earlier – by compassionate parents and dinner table discussions – but uni was the time when I became more able to articulate what I believe in, and why. Continue reading →

Volunteer Champions

May 20, 2013 By in Activism Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

CSV Volunteering campaign

CSV, the UK’s Volunteering and Learning charity, have just launched a lovely campaign that I wanted to share with you.

The campaign is called Volunteer Champions, and has been launched to celebrate the people all over the country (and indeed the world) who quietly give up their time to try and make the world a better place.

Continue reading →

Take Action: Nestle and Danone

April 1, 2013 By in Activism Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Save the Children

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the launch of Save the Children’s campaign on breastfeeding, and their report Superfood for Babies, which details some of the barriers to breastfeeding in the developed world.

The focus of the campaign has now shifted to concentrate on one of those barriers in more details; the marketing tactics of multinational breastmilk substitute companies.

Despite 30 years of guidelines, there are continued reports of some breast milk substitute companies marketing their products in an unethical manner.

You can read Save the Children’s full briefing on Nestlé and Danone here, along with this article in the Guardian from Zoe Williams which details the situation in Indonesia, but I also wanted to pick out a couple of things from the report that really shocked me and highlight them in a post. Continue reading →

Alternative Government: The Bloggers’ Cabinet

March 26, 2013 By in Blogging Tags: , , , , , 28 Comments

I have been trying for weeks to write a long and serious post about our current Government. Not a morning passes when I don’t turn on the computer, see the latest headlines and literally want to puke when I see the latest piece of havoc they are wreaking on the country. Having bulldozed their way the through the NHS, the education system and the welfare system, I can only wonder in fear what they’ll turn to next.

But this post isn’t going to be that long and serious examination of the issues. There are so many people far more knowledgeable and eloquent than me writing excellent, passionate and well-informed articles about current affairs, that mine can wait. (See the bottom of this post for a link or two)

Instead, I’m going to present you with an alternative Bloggers’ Cabinet. You tell me that these folk couldn’t do a better job than the shower of shites we’ve got at the moment…

Continue reading →