Paul Rogers of the Department of Peace Studies in Bradford spoke on the subject of 'Threats to Security of Environmental Crises'. He began by stating that the world just isn't working well for many people. Three trends can be seen as we look into the next century: the legacy of the Cold War in terms of weapons, the widening gap between rich and poor as the world economic system fails them, and the environmental limitations to human growth (we now know that climatic change will severely affect the poorer areas of the globe).
He foresaw three areas of future trouble: firstly, conflict caused by the environment e.g. water and oil wars, secondly, a greater tendency for people to need to move, to migrate, and thirdly inevitable reaction as poorer people become marginalised.
What might the responses be to these problems? The elite may well use 'lidism' - keeping the lid on even by military means - but there could be another way, namely a fundamental change to a co- operative, sustainable alternative. This could be our new vision and is achievable if we work hard at it.
Di McDonald of the Network Information Project, spoke of their work monitoring nuclear movements in Britain and abroad. Her talk focused on the Atomic Weapons Establishments (AWE) at Aldermaston and Burghfield and especially on the release of waste products into the environment; these might be officially 'low' quantities but they entered into the food chain through animals and were linked to leukaemia clusters.
Penny Eastwood of Quaker Green Concern, confronted us with George Fox's 'Ocean of Darkness'. Taking the supermarket as her metaphor she analysed what lies behind its sanitised aisles. Meat represents the abuse of animals, vegetables are fed with chemicals and distort world markets while cleaning products use animal testing. Outside the store, cars pollute the air, banks foster unsustainable growth and invest in arms and oil, and the environment is beginning to strike back.
Penny turned to the contrasting 'Ocean of Love' stressing the availability of Spirit as the Kingdom of God is here with us now. The term 'kingdom' refers to material world imbued with spirit, where the world can be turned upside down; we could have a common wealth not private wealth, a non- hierarchical, non-violent society that is connected to the land.
After lunch we divided into groups to discuss amongst ourselves what were the priorities, our visions and strategies and came together at the end of the afternoon to feed back to the whole group our thoughts. Friends had been impressed by the enormity of the problems. There was a definite feeling that money/wealth, allied to lifestyle, needed attention and that we could start to achieve change by actions in our own lives. By late afternoon the stormy skies had begun to clear outside, and the day had also led us from visions of gloom to new visions of ways forward strengthened by spirit.
Problems: A lack of confidence to challenge - we ourselves are part of the problem; there is a lack of openness; technology is being misused; the arms industry and associated vested interests are too powerful, as is the profit motive.
General resonses: We need to organise, not agonise; need to get together locally and to engage with the political establishment; could use the Millenium as a time to take stock; need to galvanise Quakers and others and build links with other Quaker groups and social justice groups
Economics - priorities: Work on the right use of money; promote Jubilee 2000; support LETS schemes and Credit Unions; ethical investment; fair traded goods; campaign against Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI).
Environment - priorities: Green transport; use the internet instead of flying; plant trees as a form of carbon tax; bottle and pickle seasonal fruit and veg; support local Agenda 21 activities; monitor nuclear industries; recycle; use less polluting cars.