As July kicks off we are back with some more environmental campaigns for you. As always please get involved in any of the campaigns that interest you. Your signature, support or even just spreading the word can go such a long way in making a difference to the planet we call home.

Petition: Ban balloon and sky/Chinese lantern releases
In 2013, the Government commissioned a study on balloons and sky lanterns. This report is now out of date! In March 2017, MCS reported a 53% increase in balloon litter, upon 2015. 'Biodegradable' balloons and ribbons snare/kill farm, wild and marine life and take years to rot. Follow the link below to sign the petition to ban balloons and sky lanterns.
Read more: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/215782

Ghost Gear: tell supermarkets to stop the animal suffering
Our biggest supermarkets are ignoring a heartbreaking crisis that’s killing whales, turtles and dolphins. Sign the petition demanding they take action on Ghost Gear (nets, lines and pots that have been lost or dumped by fishing boats).
Read more: https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.uk/campaigns/animals-wild/sea-change/sea-change-action

Friends of the Earth: Ditch Diesel, cut air pollution petition
It’s a shocking statistic: air pollution causes 40,000 early deaths in the UK every single year. Other health impacts of dirty air – asthma, heart disease and even lung cancer – wreak havoc on people’s lives. Children are particularly vulnerable. Today, pollution from traffic is the biggest problem, with diesel vehicles the worst of all.
That’s why we’ve got to ditch diesel. Ditching diesel won’t fix air pollution entirely, but it’s a critical step in the fight for clean air. The aim of this petition is to send a clear message: the UK must phase out diesel from vehicles by 2025 and help people access clean alternatives instead.
Read more: https://act.friendsoftheearth.uk/ditchdiesel

Greenpeace: Join us and tell companies to stop rainforests being destroyed for palm oil
Indonesian rainforests are being destroyed for palm oil – an ingredient used in almost half the products we buy in UK supermarkets. In 2010, some of the biggest brands on the planet promised us they would stop rainforests being destroyed for palm oil by 2020. It’s now 2018 and deforestation isn’t slowing down. Tell companies to stop buying palm oil from rainforest destroyers.
Read more: https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/page/s/general-palm-oil-campaign

Petition: Stop the Rot! Call on supermarkets to tackle food waste in their supply chains
UK supermarkets and businesses throw out over 7 million tonnes of food annually, before it gets to your shopping basket. That’s enough to lift all the hungry people in the UK out of food poverty. Globally, if food waste was a country, it would be the third top carbon emitter after USA and China. Follow the link below to sign the petition and show your support.
Read more: https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-rot-end-supply-chain-food-waste

Plastic Free July
This is a campaign that started out in Australia and has now spread all across the globe. It encourages you to try and give up plastic for the month of July in order to try and make a more permanent lifestyle change. The idea of going plastic free for an entire month may sound daunting, but the website for this campaign is full of helpful tips and tricks, and social media is a great place to find encouragement from fellow eco-warriors. Just search the hashtag #plasticfreejuly on Twitter or Instagram and you will be flooded with people offering support and inspiration.
Read more: http://www.plasticfreejuly.org


If you’ve come across a campaign or petition that you think deserves a mention, please let us know by emailing production@thelocalanswer.co.uk


Note: the above information was sourced in advance of publication so some campaigns/petitions may be out of date.