News release 10th
October 2006:
Cut
your climate change emissions - ask for Manx food
ORDER YOUR CLIMATE CHANGE CAR STICKER NOW - Click here
The Manx NFU is calling on Manx people to buy Manx food - to help reduce global climate change.
10% of all carbon emissions (which lead to climate change) are created by transporting food around the world. If everyone bought mostly local produce we would immediately reduce CO2 emissions by one tenth.
To help make the connection the Manx NFU and NFU Mutual Insurance have produced a new car sticker: Cut your climate change emissions - ask for Manx food. The car sticker is free to order through www.ilovemanx.org or by calling 662 204.
ffinlo Costain, general secretary of the Manx NFU, said: "I don't want to have to look my grandchildren in the eye and say to them - I knew climate change was coming - but I couldn't be bothered to do anything about it. By choosing to buy Manx food everyone on the Island can help reduce their impact on global climate change, and support local agriculture at the same time."
While climate change affects everybody, farmers feel climatic changes more quickly than most because of their reliance on the land and on natural weather patterns. For example, milk production across the UK and EU has been reduced dramatically because droughts this summer have stopped the grass from growing.
"Farmers, like everyone, should be looking to the future to decide what changes they must make to their businesses to lessen the impact of climate change," said Howard Quayle, president of the Manx NFU. "The Island has already spent £30 million coping with just three recent climate change related events. Planning and acting now will save money in the long term."
HOW CLIMATE CHANGE WILL AFFECT THE ISLAND
On the Isle of Man we should expect:
An increase in the number of excessively hot days.
Heavier monsoon-like rain.
High winds, storms and gales.
This could lead to:
Extreme flooding and storm damage
Severe soil erosion from dry conditions and high winds
Widespread risk of fire (Bradda mountain has already been devastated by a fire that lasted five days in 2004)
Heat related illness and deaths
ffinlo Costain said, "The Manx government has recently spent time looking at the potential impact of climate change on the Island. DoLGE is now considering what action to take. One simple action would be to ensure that shoppers know how far their food has travelled by encouraging supermarkets to take the lead in advertising the distance fresh produce has travelled around the world. By showing clearly the food miles that have been travelled by a particular item consumers can actively choose to buy local.
"In the meantime everyone can raise awareness of the issue by displaying one of our car stickers."
END
News contact: ffinlo Costain, general secretary - +44 (0) 7624 490 327
Cut
your climate change emissions - ask for Manx foodORDER YOUR CLIMATE CHANGE CAR STICKER NOW - Click here
The Manx NFU is calling on Manx people to buy Manx food - to help reduce global climate change.
10% of all carbon emissions (which lead to climate change) are created by transporting food around the world. If everyone bought mostly local produce we would immediately reduce CO2 emissions by one tenth.
To help make the connection the Manx NFU and NFU Mutual Insurance have produced a new car sticker: Cut your climate change emissions - ask for Manx food. The car sticker is free to order through www.ilovemanx.org or by calling 662 204.
ffinlo Costain, general secretary of the Manx NFU, said: "I don't want to have to look my grandchildren in the eye and say to them - I knew climate change was coming - but I couldn't be bothered to do anything about it. By choosing to buy Manx food everyone on the Island can help reduce their impact on global climate change, and support local agriculture at the same time."
While climate change affects everybody, farmers feel climatic changes more quickly than most because of their reliance on the land and on natural weather patterns. For example, milk production across the UK and EU has been reduced dramatically because droughts this summer have stopped the grass from growing.
"Farmers, like everyone, should be looking to the future to decide what changes they must make to their businesses to lessen the impact of climate change," said Howard Quayle, president of the Manx NFU. "The Island has already spent £30 million coping with just three recent climate change related events. Planning and acting now will save money in the long term."
HOW CLIMATE CHANGE WILL AFFECT THE ISLAND
On the Isle of Man we should expect:
An increase in the number of excessively hot days.
Heavier monsoon-like rain.
High winds, storms and gales.
This could lead to:
Extreme flooding and storm damage
Severe soil erosion from dry conditions and high winds
Widespread risk of fire (Bradda mountain has already been devastated by a fire that lasted five days in 2004)
Heat related illness and deaths
ffinlo Costain said, "The Manx government has recently spent time looking at the potential impact of climate change on the Island. DoLGE is now considering what action to take. One simple action would be to ensure that shoppers know how far their food has travelled by encouraging supermarkets to take the lead in advertising the distance fresh produce has travelled around the world. By showing clearly the food miles that have been travelled by a particular item consumers can actively choose to buy local.
"In the meantime everyone can raise awareness of the issue by displaying one of our car stickers."
END
News contact: ffinlo Costain, general secretary - +44 (0) 7624 490 327
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