By our Co-op Revolutionary Cinema Director After 28 years of arduous struggle against feudalism and imperialism, and proclamation of a People’s Republic in October 1949, Mao Zedong had emphasised that it was the beginning of an even more protracted struggle. The party of workers and peasants had come into power in 1949 but this did...
Protect the Burrup
by Winiata Puru On the 21st of October, activists from Sydney, Mittagong and Canberra gathered outside Tanya Plibersek’s (Federal Minister for the Environment) office. We gathered to represent Aunty Josie from the Burrup Peninsula, to protest the Perdaman Fertiliser and Woodside companies which threaten the erosion of the Murujuga rock art aged over 50,000 years...
Making Sense of Certifications
The lowdown on what ethical certifications actually mean in terms of social and environmental impacts Ever feel overwhelmed by the dizzying array of labels and certifications facing you while perusing the Co-op aisles? You’re not alone. The most common ones you might see are organic and biodynamic. But you may come across direct trade and...
From bowl to chooks to garden… and back to bowl again!
by Samantha Hawker & Frank Deveson We have both been around the Co-op for some years, particularly on a Saturday when we come in to town to pick-up scraps and volunteer at Cycle Jam, Repair Café and the Co-op! And in recognition of Compost Week we’d like to share with the Co-op community what happens...
A day in the (rooftop) garden!
by Lucy Ridge It’s a sunny morning when I first meet Kristina in the Rooftop Garden. The Co-op has had garden beds on the rooftop since 2012 when the Lena Karmel Unilodge building donated us the space. Though I’ve been a frequent Co-op volunteer, this is my first time visiting the garden beds I’ve heard...
Love at first sight: my Food Co-op experience
by ‘Quote’ If you’re anything like me, maybe you got lost and confused when you first tried to find The Food Co-op in Canberra?! If so, please, join me in this narrative. Yes, my wonderful I-got-a-little-lost-finding-this-place comrades. We have all been there at the starting point, haven’t we? A little disoriented, a little uncertain at...
Musings on pandemics, food sovereignty and everyday life
By Sam Hawker It started in Wuhan… Or did it? It started with the pangolin, or the bat… Or did it? Or is this virus a symptom of a much larger problem? A problem that we have created over many generations, where our Earth systems are being pushed to the edge. Squeezing the life out...