Calendar

We know what we don’t want: dodgy trade deals like TTIP, CETA and TISA. But what might a good deal look like? Is a trade deal that’s fair for farmers, workers and citizens really possible? And what would it look like?

This event is a space for ‘blue-sky’ thinking on the ins and outs of what our ideal trade deals would look like organised by Trade Justice Scotland coalition (we used to be Scotland Against TTIP). Expert input will be from Jean Blaylock, trade policy officer for Global Justice Now.

Book your (free) place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trade-that-does-good-tickets-32089911790?ref=estw

A free workshop hosted by Pesticide Action Network UK from 12.30 – 15.30 on Saturday 1st July at the Burgh Halls, Linlithgow.

The day will focus on why we need to stop the use of all pesticides (including glyphosate) on streets, parks, playgrounds and other public areas, what the benefits are and how you can organise a successful campaign in the area that you and your children live, work and play in.

PAN UK has been running a Pesticide-Free Towns campaign since July 2015 and are already seeing success with councils turning away from the use of pesticides.

They have developed a range of materials for local activists to use freely to support your campaign. They also have experience of starting, running, growing and winning campaigns, and would like to share those experiences with you.

There will be short presentations from a range of speakers TBC and will be a participatory event for all attending – you will leave ready to make the place that you live in Pesticide-Free.

Pursuit of economic growth is the core goal of governments around the world. This is leading to unsustainable resource use, and in richer countries is increasingly disconnected from the wellbeing of people. Importantly, it’s no longer clear what the purpose of this growth is.

The Scottish Government has set out to reconnect these aims and to place equal weight on wellbeing as a goal of public policy.

But when it comes to food, growth can appear like the only sensible policy. After all, the population is growing, and we still have hundreds of millions of people with not enough to eat – in Scotland, the number of people going to food banks because they cannot afford enough food for themselves or their families continues to rise.

What would happen if we put aside the economics of endless growth – and the associated risk and damage caused to the planet – and instead focused on how to better use and share the wealth of resources we already have? What does progress look like if growth is not the final goal? What are the ‘economics of arrival’ for food?

In this public event, Dr. Katherine Trebeck, Research Director at the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and co-author of The Economics of Arrival, will discuss some key ideas from her new book – ‘arrival’ and ‘making ourselves at home’.

With more than enough food for everyone already being produced in the world, there is no more needed. Most societies collectively have enough, so how can governments address remaining inequalities to ensure that everyone ‘arrives’ in this world of prosperity? And once we have arrived, how do we ‘make ourselves at home’ when it comes to food?

Join us to find out.

Drinks and snacks will be provided from 6pm.