Environmental Organisation’s Annual Conference Spinning out the ‘Green Wash’

A coalition of environmental groups are today opposing the Environmental Defence Society’s conference at the Aotea Centre, saying it is nothing more than an opportunity for polluters to work on greening their image. The second day of the conference, entitled “Reform in Paradise” is to be visited by Environmental Advocates Today (E.A.T) with the aim of exposing the ‘green wash’ spun out by corporations and politicians alike.

Keynote speakers at the conference are National Party leader John Key and Environment Minister Nick Smith. E.A.T spokesperson Claire Dann says “In the past few months we have seen the National Government trying to spin the mining of national parks as a clean green activity. Environmental groups such as Watchdog Solidarity Auckland have spent huge amounts of energy fighting these mining plans. It is absurd then that both Key and Smith are being allowed to speak at a conference supposedly about environmental defence”

The conference is also sponsored by Fonterra; a company which has recently faced criticism from Greenpeace for using coal at one of its milk dehydrators near Timaru, and for bringing in PKE feed from countries that in return face grave deforestation. Members of Climate Camp Aotearoa also targeted Fonterra late last year with a banner drop drawing attention to Fonterra’s carbon emissions.

“It is ludicrous that a company such as Fonterra should be allowed to sponsor a conference on the environment, when the dairy industry in New Zealand contributes close to 50% of the nations carbon emissions” continued Ms Dann.

Protesters will be staging a light hearted protest outside the conference from 9.30 to 11.30 this morning. A ‘green wash’ monitoring team will be present to draw attention to the spin being carried out inside and demonstrate the farcical and dirty world of ‘green washing’

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