Dick of the Year 2010 Nominee: Lord John Browne

My nomination to the http://brightgreenscotland.org's Dick of the Year award 2010. You can follow them on twitter @brightgreenscot

Baron Browne of Madingley, crossbench peer and former chief executive of BP

Who but the former CEO of a petroleum company, BP is better equipped to advise the government on the higher education sector? That is what the previous Labour government must have thought for employing Lord Browne to carry out a review in apparently ‘Securing Sustainable Future for Higher Education’. If uploading debt onto generations of young people for three years of education in universities can be considered as ‘sustainable’ then Browne clearly has a flawed view of what an education system should be.

It is however of no surprise that Browne does call for marketization of the education sector along with an 80% cut in teaching grants for universities. In BP, Browne was involved in PR spins that led the company to change it’s image with slogan ‘beyond petroleum’ whilst still drilling heftily for oil. BP also was classed as second in the ‘Ten Worst Corporations in 2000’ and only five years later, in 2005, it topped the list.

It seems Lord Browne, who was a close friend of former Prime Minister Blair, is now good friends with the coalition government and has been appointed as a ‘Non-Executive Director’ board member in the Cabinet Office, making departments ‘efficient’ and overhauling how Whitehall works. Can that lead to only more cuts and double-speak? No surprise.

Run Fat Girl Run

The Royal Parks Half marathon was the first I ever did, finishing the whole marathon in 2 hours 45 mins.  And here's why: 

http://peopleandplanet.org/navid8784
http://peopleandplanet.org/greenleague
http://peopleandplanet.org/navid8905
http://peopleandplanet.org/navid10264


My previous employer People & Planet strives to combat the roots causes of poverty and climate change and does so everyday by inspiring young people and students to change their education institutions and the world outside the. 


And there's more too, the achievements.Over the years, People & Planet has also:

• Transformed environmental performance across the higher education sector through our Go Green campaigning, including the award winning Green League.
• Persuaded the UK government to lead an international commitment to provide HIV/AIDS treatment for all by 2010 — millions more now receive treatment.
• Campaigned for Fairtrade in universities, schools and colleges. Over 100 universities, and 106 secondary schools have now achieved Fairtrade status.
• Secured $88bn debt cancellation for the world’s poor, by playing a key roll in the Jubilee 2000 campaign.
• Persuaded a £20 billion lecturers’ pension fund to adopt a socially responsible investment policy.
• Forced Pepsi out of Burma, ending their financial support for the military junta and receiving thanks from Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in exile.

So here's a final dig for cash: http://www.justgiving.com/Manishta-Sunnia 

And more http://peopleandplanet.org/fanclub/

The Real Christmas

Whether you celebrate Christmas for religious purposes, for a break or to take time to spend with the family, the same atmosphere recurs. It is an atmosphere of indulgence in receipts of gifts and immense amount of food consumed.

In A Christmas Carol' the character 'Ebenezer Scrooge' is Charles Dickens' symbol of a miserly, selfish and mean person  who does not believes in charity or a fair distribution of wealth in the society he lived in. All of which, I believe can be reflected into our contemporary world. And I am certainly pointing out how our society, especially around Christmas contributes to being a big fat... scrooge.

The sad structure of our society is based on consuming, consuming and consuming and in  Christmas time, more so than ever. We give each other cards and presents to show our love to each other, also because that is the norm. If we take a look at the reality behind our never-ending consumption around Christmas, we see the sheer exploitation of the poorest people in the society by the richest ones. For our indulging Christmas shopping, we're visiting high street shops and wearing our favourite labels from Topshop/ Topman, M&S, Next and more. 

In the meantime, among many, the Arcadia group (owners of most high street shops from Topshop to Evans) are consistently involved in the oppression and exploitation of the poorest across the world, even in the UK. From paying their workers in many developing countries pennies per hour to working in appalling conditions and illegal wages (half of minimum wage) in Leicester, UK. 

Aside to the meagre workers rights and welfare the Arcadia group contributes to what I believe as modern slavery. Our beloved brands and high street shops are also investing into raping the environment and oppressing those who stand against them. Company brands ranging from Coca-Cola to KFC have their profits invested through in water pollution, destroying forest areas and more. Our high street companies and favourite brands are also known to be involved in bribery and corruption so that local democracy in many countries fail. Hence, the voices of the powerless and weak are never considered. 

The alternative to this vicious circle, as is depicted in Dickens' novel are characters the Christmas 'ghosts' showing the real face of what Christmas is - exploitation, materialistic consumption and poverty - The ingredients that benefit those like Philip Green, the CEO of the Arcadia group into piling profits out of the destruction of the environment and impoverishing the impoverished. 

Is it our fault that such likes thrive in bringing 'modern slavery' about - as we buy what they are selling? Or is it that such likes, contrary to individuals in society are deeply involved in shaping the rules to how society works? 

For example, Philip Green is currently involved with Conservative Party's David Cameron as adviser to implementing cuts in the services such as local councils, libraries, hospitals,etc. Hence leading to massive job losses and when he calls ' Efficiency Review'. Impoverishing the poor is efficient?? 

Our actions such as buying into their products strengthen such companies in playing the ironical part of ruining our own lives. Is it time to give such companies and individuals a vote of no confidence? Yes. 

But how, do we give up on shopping for clothes, feeding our families and having our homes heated? 

We can pledge to shop elsewhere and do so loudly. We draft an emails, letters and phone calls to companies telling them we're shopping elsewhere as they are scrooging on our society.  We support those voicing out against companies, we demand change in the legislations new regulations and defy politicians making wrong decisions. We will march on the streets and to politicians and we will join those of the likes of UKUncut, unify civic groups and call for change and if denied we will and must shut down the shops. 

And they will turn around - because they need the profits.

Sources:

http://www.labourbehindthelabel.org/campaigns/item/901-uksweatshop
http://www.waronwant.org/news/262-general-news/15153-coca-cola-drinking-the-world-dry
http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/731169/Topshop-faces-accusations-using-sweatshop-labour/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-2104055-topshop-scandal-east-end-sweatshops-exposed.do
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Green
http://www.corporation-free.org/why.html
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-2104055-topshop-scandal-east-end-sweatshops-exposed.do
http://www.waronwant.org/campaigns/corporations-and-conflict
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/08/gap-next-marks-spencer-sweatshops