Scientists have called for aradical rethink of our relationship with the planet to head offwhat they warn could be economic and environmental catastrophe.In a report published on Thursday by the London-based RoyalSociety, an international group of 23 scientists chaired byNobel laureate Sir John Sulston called for a rebalancing ofconsumption in favour of poor countries coupled with increasedefforts to control population growth to lift the estimated 1.3billion people living on less than $1.25 a day out of poverty.”Over the next 30-40 years the confluence of the challengesdescribed in this report provides the opportunity to movetowards a sustainable economy and a better world for themajority of humanity, or alternatively the risk of social,economic and environmental failures and catastrophes on a scalenever imagined,” the scientists said.

via Scientists call for rethink on consumption, population | Reuters.

An independent alcohol advertising body should be administered by government and be mandatory. The code should also cover the sponsorship and other promotions of sport and events as well as point of sale promotions.

An additional measure to assist with reducing exposure of alcohol is to address the loophole in the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice. Currently, alcohol advertising can be shown before 8:30pm on weekends and public holidays as an accompaniment to live sporting events. This is problematic because these are times when children and young people may be exposed to advertising and sponsorship.

In both 2011 and 2012, a vast majority of people agreed that alcohol advertising and promotion influences the behaviours of young people and supported a ban on alcohol advertising on television on weekend and weekdays before 8.30pm. This consistent finding demonstrates that Australians are largely supportive of such measures.

via Alcohol Advertising « FARE.