Friends of the Earth Australia

Friends of the Earth believe that social and environmental issues cannot be separated from each other. As a result, FoE is a social and environmental justice organisation. It seeks to work towards a sustainable and equitable future and seeks to work in a way that empowers individuals and communities to safeguard our environment and societies.

FoE Australia focuses on campaigns that matter both locally and regionally to our members. Some of our current campaign themes include Reclaim Globalisation, which broadly seeks to ensure that globalisation meets the needs of communities and the environment. Free trade, the World Bank, and corporate crimes that harm communities and the environment all come into our sights. In 2006 we are particularly focusing on increasing awareness of the impending social impacts of climate change—both for Australians and for our Pacific Islander neighbors. Integral to this response is our focus on the growing number of Climate Refugees who will be displaced culturally and economically from their indigenous homelands due to climate shift. Secondly we will be challenging the harmful impacts of free trade on natural resources (like fish and forests) and the people who depend upon them.

FoE believes that young people play an essential part in bringing about positive social change. FoE Australia functions both through the activities of its local groups, and on the national level through appointed spokespeople, campaigns and projects, the national magazine—'Chain Reaction', and the work of the national liaison officers. FoE is a grassroots and decentralised organisation that is always looking for input from passionate, ideas-driven and community-minded citizens. As all medium-term change depends on emerging adults we welcome vital support from young people— be it assisting in a campaign, spreading our unique justice messages amongst peers, supporting us as a member or providing vital feedback and ideas. To find out how to get involved check out our website.

For more information on FoE have a look at our website: http://www.foe.org.au and http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au.
There you can also find out about all of our current campaigns and also become a member and receive free information on what you can do to help.