Information for Action Methods

A. Building an extensive health and environmental database and multimedia web site requires:

Information gathering

from a) the Internet; b) newspapers, magazines and TV; c) scientific journals; d) groups and individuals. Scientists in particular make important contributions, exposing the root of environmental problems. IFA uses the research that scientists produce to facilitate action. Where research findings are not available IFA will conduct its own academic research (hard research with numbers), which will be published on the internet and made available to the media.

B. Promoting information on the state of the earth's ecosystems and human health requires:

Information dispersal

via a) entertainment - computer based music, video, graphics, live performances; b) news releases; c) creating a spectacle of the issue (direct action); d) a half-yearly newsletter; e) web sites; f) letters, faxes, e-mails, user groups.

The problem and solution is the sum of all human activities operating at different levels. We must tackle them at the appropriate level. Target individuals or groups according to age, gender, culture, power and wealth.

 Political - targeting elected politicians and government departments nationally and internationally including the UN and EEC by: a) direct action - protests, street theatre, embarrassment; b) lobbying - letters, pledges, verbal persuasion; c) recording and publishing public statements, policy proposals and voting patterns of individuals and political parties. A chart of the ten best and worst politicians/people is published in the newsletter.

 Commercial - targeting directors, shareholders, consumers by: a) direct action - protests, street theatre; b) recording and publishing statements and activities. Actively promote the positive and negative impacts that businesses have on the environment. Expose and embarrass companies and business groups such as the Chamber of Commerce when they harm the environment or seek to undermine legislation to protect the environment.

 Personal a) just talking to people; b) street theatre.

 Media - targeting editors, company directors, newspapers, radio and TV journalists with:

a) promotion of information from scientific journals;

b) news releases and news recycling;

c) (i) IFA web site promoting the goals of IFA;

(ii) 'Eco Freako' - a multimedia entertainment package aimed at young people.

A CD-ROM version of the web site will be made available.

 Educational - targeting schools, universities and education groups by: a) lobbying; b) fund raising.

 Networking - local, national, and global levels: economic, consumer, environment, health and other lobby groups.

Change towards a sustainable society will require social adjustments such as re-training workers who may become redundant, and a loss of individual control as we move away from car ownership to public transport systems. Lobbying for social and environmental change needs to be persistent and non-aggressive. We will focus on solutions as well as problems. In the short-term we will lobby for reforms and protective environmental policies and in the long-term lobby for sustainable economic political structures.

Human Health and Wellbeing

The state of the earth’s environmental health is linked to the human condition and Wellbeing.

Our focus is on human health and the ever-decreasing quality of life associated with environmental degradation.