Page 21 - link magazine

RESOLUTIONS
21
What's it got to do with me?

Until afew months ago Karen Stevenson from Eastleaze described
herself as an ordinary person with a general interest in birds and
wildlife. But her conscience was thoroughly shaken after reading an GET
article on the destruction of tropical rain forest in Birds magazine.
Looking to the last year of this READY
decade, we might refresh our
memories of an area that seems
finally to be getting the attention FOR YOUR
it deserves. Late '88 saw the
Government realising that the
environment, and 'green' issues, VERY OWN
are important and not for cranks.
There has been considerable
coverage of the damage being
done to the Ozone layer, and to
the 'Greenhouse' effect. What
doesn't get covered are some of
the contributing factors.
I discovered in November, that
a consortium of commercial
banks, including some well
known high street names, are Considering the future Karen Stevenson
looking to loan $750 million of and her two year old Michael.
private money in 'co-financing charred wasteland. All this
with the world bank' to Brazil's wanton destruction only makes
power industry. So what? Well, Ecological matters worse than
this money would contribute to they already are.
staggering environmental de- The Worlds ecosystems are so
struction, by helping to finance intertwined that any miss-man-
various hydro-electric projects. If agement will ultimately affect us
these are to proceed over 20,000 all. No one wants their children
square Km of rainforest will be or grandchildren to grow up into
flooded and over 70,000 of the a world on the brink of self de-
indigenous peoples will be dis- struction. If this seems alarmist,
placed. Another real shocker was just look at how fast the Ozone
that in late '88 an area of Ama- layer is being 'eaten away'. I
zonia the size of West Germany have been convinced that it has
has been deliberately destroyed got 'something to do with me',
by fire transformed into a how about you?

Looking for Justice and Peace
by Ian Schagen
Do you ever wonder if the world Peter's church centred on the theme January is a good time for sales,
will get any better in the New Year, of 'Peace'. Friends from east Swin-
or if there's anything you can do don joined us and about 80 people especially property sales. So if
about it? Members of the West took part in a variety of activities to
Swindon Churches Justice and illustrate 'making peace with the
Peace Group try not to let all the bad planet'. you want your property SOLD,
news get them down, but to do So if your resolution is to help
something, however small, to make make the world a little better, why don't be left standing at the
it a little better. The group contains not get in touch? Contact Robert
a number of people from different Barrett (38804) or Ian Schagen
backgrounds and with varying in- (871093) and find out more about us. start, telephone 611414 and
terests, and the things we do vary a Below: A display from last year's
lot too. One World week in West Swindon. get your sale
We meet occasionally on Sunday
evenings to talk about world issues, E A
and to pray about them. Some of us >\ moving today.
meet every month to write letters
about prisoners of conscience, hop- • Telephone now
ing in this way to help to get them
released. Every other month there
is a frugal 'Third World' lunch at 611414.
one of the churches, at which we
have a good time and raise money
for the poor overseas. There is an EL I TE
'action group' which writes letters
about all kinds of issues and plans
special events. F07ESTATES
Some of these special events were
associated with One World Week.
In '87 we performed some 'street 35 HA VEL OCK STREET S WINDON SN! 7SD TEL 0793617474
theatre' and raised some eyebrows,
nd perhaps some awareness. Last
t ctober we held a celebration at St