[SGRupdate] SGR Appeal 2009

[Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR)]

Dear Friend

We realise that, in the current economic climate, this is not the best
time to ask for a donation. But with the UK government making crucial
choices about its spending priorities over the coming months, we need to
maximise the pressure to cut needless expenses like Trident replacement
and the super-carriers programme, so that areas such as energy efficiency,
renewable energy and cleaner technology transfer to poorer countries get
the resources they urgently need. With crucial international negotiations
coming up on climate change and nuclear weapons, this is the least we
should demand.

As professionals in key sectors, it is essential we continue to add our
voice to campaigns that push for this change - and with your help, we can
do this.

The economic downturn has resulted in a consequent drop in our income, but
SGR has still managed to be very active. For example, in the last month,
we:

* published a new in-depth report, "Science and the Corporate Agenda",
which highlights serious problems in five sectors: oil and gas;
military/defence; biotechnology; tobacco; and pharmaceuticals. It has
received excellent media coverage including in The Guardian, New
Scientist, Times Higher Education and Independent.

* held a conference, on the theme "Building a Low Carbon Economy".
Speakers highlighted the huge potential for job creation through a much
needed step-change in government action on climate change and arms
conversion.

Please make a donation to help us keep up and develop this level of activity.

We plan to:

* expand our much valued and highly acclaimed work on ethical careers in
science, design and technology. Our briefings are much sought after by
young scientists and engineers looking for an ethical alternative, and we
will update and expand our material to reach much larger and more
diverse audiences.

* redesign and develop the SGR website to help get our message across to a
much wider range of people. We want the website to provide more material
on controversial issues in science and technology, be more visually
exciting to attract younger audiences, and to be more
user-friendly so that people can join and get more involved on-line.

* continue our existing campaign work on issues such as climate change,
nuclear weapons, cleaner and more secure energy, militarisation of
science, GM crops and a more ethical agenda right across science,
design and technology.

You can donate online by credit card (via our PayPal
account) http://www.sgr.org.uk/donations.html or by cheque to the SGR Office.

We look forward to hearing from you soon - your help will be vital in
keeping up our good work and any donation you make will be gratefully
received.

Yours sincerely


Philip Webber
SGR Chair.
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Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) is an independent UK-based
organisation of scientists, architects, engineers, and technologists
promoting ethical science, design and technology.

Scientists for Global Responsibility
Ingles Manor
Castle Hill Avenue
Folkestone
CT20 2RD
UK
Tel: 01303 851965
Mobile: 07771 883696
E-mail: info at sgr.org.uk
Web: http://www.sgr.org.uk

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