This morning the BBC reported that China is denying claims that 300 monks have been illegally detained from a monastery in Tibet.  Instead, the Chinese authorities assert, they have been taken for “legal education”

Yeah right and we can all guess what that means.

There’s only 4 days to the end of the so-called “listening exercise” – talk about falling on deaf ears.

If you want to have a viable NHS for yourself and your children then you must act now.

Please respond to the exercise and tell Lansley what you think.

More information about it all from 38 degrees

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/nhs-listening-exercise

The EU ban on many herbal medicines is due to start on May 1st . This is our last chance to stop it.

Sign the Aavaz petition.

During the time I lived and worked in India I have met many monks from Kirti Monastery.  It’s one of the strictest monasteries in Tibet and the monks are all hard working and dedicated to their monastic life.

Now thier home monastery in Tibet is being persecuted by the Chinese.

Can you spare a few minutes to send an email to the American Ambassador?  There’s a template email or you can write your own.

Please help these people – they need your support.

Best wishes

Pamela

Yes that’s the blunt truth.  The sandblasting technique that is used to “distress” denim let’s off tiny silica particles that the workers breath in.  The resulting disease, silicosis, can be fatal as the families of hundreds of Turkish workers have already found out.

Get the full report from Label Behind the Label

Don’t know if the jeans you want have been sandblasted, stone washed or bleach then check out the useful guide

We need to put pressure on President Obama to sign the Mine Ban Treaty

Please sign the petition and let him know how you feel.

Thanks

Another petition this week!

The EU has now agreed to allow GM crops to be grown in Europe.  We need to get 1 million signatures to delay this so that the decision is made on scientific data.

Two countries are asking to be made exempt from the world wide ban on ivory trading.  This will simply be the thin end of the wedge and, if we allow it to happen, other countries will join in.  There’s a lot of money in dead elephants.

One way to help the elephants is to sign the petition that has already got 30,000 signatures.  There is no time to waste.  The decision will be made sometime next week.

DEFRA are currently carrying out a survey on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses.

This is a great opportunity to have this practice banned once and for all.