Local Action Is Essential
Our actions at a local level can bring about great positive change locally & globallyINTRODUCTION
‘We must end the merciless, relentless, senseless war on nature.’
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, February 2023
He added that this war ‘is putting our world at immediate risk of hurtling past the 1.5-degree temperature increase limit and now still moving towards a deadly 2.8 degrees.’ He called for disruption to end the destruction, an end to ‘baby steps’ and ‘excuses’, a rejection of greenwashing and an effective challenge to the ‘bottomless greed of the fossil fuel industry and its enablers.
About SpoArts WASH
For us, rejecting fossil fuel company greenwashing needs considerably greater public education, debate and action including directly challenging greenwashing initiatives in Ireland. In pursuing this agenda, we have experienced very considerable opposition to doing this – opposition from media, educational and sports bodies, non-governmental organisations and ‘celebrities’.
The time has come to challenge this and to be forthright about highlighting the agendas of the fossil fuel sector in Ireland and abroad. Specifically, we want to directly challenge two initiatives by Texaco in Ireland – the Texaco Art Competition and the Texaco Sports Grants scheme. Both are blatant examples of fossil fuel company greenwashing. Both seek to involve the public, including children and sport, in generating an aura of acceptability for the greenwash agenda.
To this end, we are organising a series of on-line and in-person events to explore, debate and promote real action on greenwashing and on these Texaco initiatives specifically.
Who are we?
This initiative is being promoted, in the first instance, by Tom Roche-Just Forests, Peadar King and Colm Regan, three individuals who have been involved with environmental and justice issues over many decades. We are supported by individuals who have a geniune interest in the work of Just Forests and come from all walks of life. We are currently working under the umbrella of Irish NGO Just Forests. If you feel you have a skill to offer to support this initiative please do get in touch with Tom.
Catherine Longworth
Patrick Abbott
Tom Roche
What’s our plan?
We are planning a series of events (see events page) involving a wide range of individuals, organisations and journalists from Ireland and abroad to explore the agenda and in particular to discuss activism in this context. As part of the agenda we are now publishing a discussion resource entitled SpoArts WASH: Exposing Ireland’s Fuel Sponsorship Culture supported by a brief schools focused resource (the first with more in the pipeline).
“This is not a campaign aimed at demonising your local shop owner who happens to provide the fuel for your vehicles.
No, this is a campaign aimed at holding the fossil fuel industry accountable for their criminal acts – in this case Texaco/Chevron.”
Tom Roche
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