Tar Sands Networking — Europe:
For Immediate Release
13th June 2011
Contact: Sean Gifford
(Lush press office): +44 (0) 20 7434 3948;
sean.gifford@lush.co.uk
SHOP ASSISTANT TO BE COVERED IN OIL
Lush Cosmetics campaigns to stop dirty Canadian oil from coming into the UK (and 21 other EU countries)
All Across Europe — In cities all across Europe high streets will be turned into an oily mess this Wednesday when a shop assistant from Lush Cosmetics is doused in ‘oil’ while draped in a Canadian flag. The striking—and sticky—protest marks the launch of Lush’s European campaign against destructive Canadian Tar Sands oil, which may flood into Europe if the oil companies and Canadian government have their way. The weeklong in-store campaign will hit all stores in 21 countries across Europe:
Date: 15th June 2011
Time: 12 Noon sharp for the oily photo opportunity
Location: Lush Cosmetics in cities all across across Europe
Why is a soap shop in a lather over Canadian Tar Sands oil? The Tar Sands have been called the most environmentally destructive project on the face of the earth. The world is running out of easy to reach oil and companies are now turning to the tar sands of Alberta, Canada in a last ditch attempt to keep the oil flowing. To extract the Tar Sands, ancient forests are being clear cut, the land strip-mined, and the dirt is boiled with water to separate the oil. The end result is toxic water pollution, total devastation of the land, and climate change. With Canadian tar sands being the world’s second largest proven source of oil after Saudi Arabia, the confrontation between environmentalists who want a clean, renewable energy future and the oil companies is going to heat up as quickly as the climate.
To stop the Tar Sands oil at the border Lush is rallying the public to push European politicians to ban Tar Sands fuel from the EU under a hotly debated piece of legislation called the Fuel Quality Directive. Because Tar Sands derived fuel is 3 to 5 times more carbon intensive to extract than conventional oil it threatens to destroy EU carbon reduction targets if its becomes widely used.
For the campaign Lush invented a limited edition shower gel called Sweet and Shower after seeing activists cover themselves in sticky molasses (which looks a lot like oil) at a Tar Sands protest in London. Loaded with mineral-rich molasses, all of the proceeds go to the Indigenous Environmental Network who campaign and lobby against the Tar Sands. The IEN work closely with indigenous First Nations communities in Canada, who have been impacted the hardest by the expanding Tar Sands projects. Tar sands developments poison water, drive away wildlife and trample on First Nations treaty rights.
Lush Campaigns Manager Sean Gifford says, “Our addiction to oil is driving us to desperate measures. When it comes to Tar Sands, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel and this oil is on its way to Europe if we don’t stop it. Tar sands oil is killing people, animals and the planet and we say enough is enough. Let’s draw a line in the sand--keep dirty Tar Sands out of our country, we’ll take clean, renewable energy instead.”
Clayton Thomas Muller of the Indigenous Environmental Network says, “Europe is leading the world when it comes to environmental legislation. The Fuel Quality Directive, if passed in its original form, will send a strong message to Canada—dirty tar sands fuel cannot be greenwashed. While First Nations and American Indian Nations resist the tar sands in North America, Europe can assist in their struggle by taking a strong stand against this dirty fuel.”
Interviews with Clayton Thomas Muller are available upon request.
--Ends--
Notes to editor:
How the Canada-EU free trade agreement will affect social and environmental policy in the EU and Canada.
As the next round of CETA talks begin, how will the proposed agreement impact on the EU climate policy and efforts to regulate the negative impacts of Canada’s Tar sands?
Panel includes:
Dr. John O’Connor, physician from Alberta, Canada
Jasmine Thomas, Indigenous Environmental Network
Scott Sinclair, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Stuart Trew, Council of Canadians
Jess Worth, UK Tar Sands Network
Debate co-chaired by Keith Taylor MEP (Greens/EFA) and Kriton Arsenis (S&D)
To RSVP and for further information, please contact: info@no-tar-sands.org
For Immediate Release
13th June 2011
Contact: Sean Gifford
(Lush press office): +44 (0) 20 7434 3948;
sean.gifford@lush.co.uk
SHOP ASSISTANT TO BE COVERED IN OIL
Lush Cosmetics campaigns to stop dirty Canadian oil from coming into the UK (and 21 other EU countries)
All Across Europe — In cities all across Europe high streets will be turned into an oily mess this Wednesday when a shop assistant from Lush Cosmetics is doused in ‘oil’ while draped in a Canadian flag. The striking—and sticky—protest marks the launch of Lush’s European campaign against destructive Canadian Tar Sands oil, which may flood into Europe if the oil companies and Canadian government have their way. The weeklong in-store campaign will hit all stores in 21 countries across Europe:
Date: 15th June 2011
Time: 12 Noon sharp for the oily photo opportunity
Location: Lush Cosmetics in cities all across across Europe
Why is a soap shop in a lather over Canadian Tar Sands oil? The Tar Sands have been called the most environmentally destructive project on the face of the earth. The world is running out of easy to reach oil and companies are now turning to the tar sands of Alberta, Canada in a last ditch attempt to keep the oil flowing. To extract the Tar Sands, ancient forests are being clear cut, the land strip-mined, and the dirt is boiled with water to separate the oil. The end result is toxic water pollution, total devastation of the land, and climate change. With Canadian tar sands being the world’s second largest proven source of oil after Saudi Arabia, the confrontation between environmentalists who want a clean, renewable energy future and the oil companies is going to heat up as quickly as the climate.
To stop the Tar Sands oil at the border Lush is rallying the public to push European politicians to ban Tar Sands fuel from the EU under a hotly debated piece of legislation called the Fuel Quality Directive. Because Tar Sands derived fuel is 3 to 5 times more carbon intensive to extract than conventional oil it threatens to destroy EU carbon reduction targets if its becomes widely used.
For the campaign Lush invented a limited edition shower gel called Sweet and Shower after seeing activists cover themselves in sticky molasses (which looks a lot like oil) at a Tar Sands protest in London. Loaded with mineral-rich molasses, all of the proceeds go to the Indigenous Environmental Network who campaign and lobby against the Tar Sands. The IEN work closely with indigenous First Nations communities in Canada, who have been impacted the hardest by the expanding Tar Sands projects. Tar sands developments poison water, drive away wildlife and trample on First Nations treaty rights.Lush Campaigns Manager Sean Gifford says, “Our addiction to oil is driving us to desperate measures. When it comes to Tar Sands, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel and this oil is on its way to Europe if we don’t stop it. Tar sands oil is killing people, animals and the planet and we say enough is enough. Let’s draw a line in the sand--keep dirty Tar Sands out of our country, we’ll take clean, renewable energy instead.”
Clayton Thomas Muller of the Indigenous Environmental Network says, “Europe is leading the world when it comes to environmental legislation. The Fuel Quality Directive, if passed in its original form, will send a strong message to Canada—dirty tar sands fuel cannot be greenwashed. While First Nations and American Indian Nations resist the tar sands in North America, Europe can assist in their struggle by taking a strong stand against this dirty fuel.”
Interviews with Clayton Thomas Muller are available upon request.
Notes to editor:
- The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN), established in 1990 within the United States, and working in North America and internationally, was formed by grassroots Indigenous peoples and individuals to address environmental and economic justice issues. IEN’s activities include building the capacity of Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities. For more information on IEN’s Tar Sands Campaign- www.ienearth.org/tarsands.html
- Lush Cosmetics, since establishing 16 years ago, has been driven by innovation and its ethics. Creators of pioneering beauty products such as the fizzing bath ballistic, shower jellies and solid shampoo bars . Lush places emphasis on fresh ingredients like organic fruits and vegetables. Lush operates a strict policy against animal testing and supports Fair Trade and Community Trade initiatives. Lush leads the cosmetics industry in combating over-packaging by running public awareness campaigns and developing products that can be sold ‘naked’ to the consumer without any packaging. Lush has been awarded the RSPCA Good Business Award for 2006 and 2007, the 2006 PETA Trailblazer Award for Animal Welfare and the International Fund for Animal Welfare ‘Business of the Year’ award for 2010. Co-founders Mark and Mo Constantine were awarded OBEs for services to the beauty industry in the new years honours list 2010. Lush currently has over 700 shops worldwide and are present in 46 countries, with manufacturing sites across the world.