This year I have been designated QLD state organiser for the Miss Earth Australia pageant and I would like to try and get a good representation from QLD into the finals. You can apply at www.missearth.com.au

Also I am looking for any fundraising ideas that have a low impact on the environment. Also any donations or any sponsors that have a low impact on the environment. Sponsors will be listed on the Miss Earth website and also go in the progam at the finals.

ANY help would be much appreciated at this stage.

What things have been done in the past that you know of, as far as fundraising is concerned?

I wonder if they are going to change this rather non-inclusive set of eligibility criterian for this year’s event.

The 2009 criteria requires that Candidates:

•  Must plant a tree or trees before coming to the finals in Sydney in September 2009.
•  Are interested in environmental issues.
•  Must be between sizes 8 and 10
•  The candidate must be a citizen or a resident in Australia
•  The candidate is a person of good moral character
•  Be between 18 and 26 years of age (during reigning period)
•  Have completed High School or an equivalent course
•  Never have been married, nor been pregnant and never given birth
•  Born female
•  Willing to travel to Sydney in September 2009 for the grand final.

And the website says “These criteria are strictly enforced”.

I know they generally get a bit of sponsoship from companies and fundraising is usually chocolate drives etc but being a vegan I was trying to steer away from the chocolate drives.

Also Mikey the criteria is what it is because it's similar in idea to Miss Universe and Miss World. But Miss Earth are a little more lenient from what I can remember because they are more environmental than the other two.

Here are the current criteria:

* Single and have never been married
* Have never given birth.
* Born Female
* Between 18 and 26 years of age.
* Minimum height of 5’4” (164.6cm)
* Citizen of Australia.
* Good moral character
* Have not engaged in prostitution or any form thereof
* Have not participated in any obscene or x-rated exhibitions, whether print, stage, television or movies
* Have not worked as a Model, Hostess or any similar capacity in establishments generally reputed to be “girlie” joints
* Have not been convicted of any crime.
* Familiarity with her Australia’s culture and environmental concerns/problems

I find the criteria very problematic and discriminatory.  It's disappointing that a pageant which is trying to promote unconventional ideas (i.e. sustainability) would stick to such traditional sexist criteria for such events.

Still - good luck with the fundraising cazzamanda.

At least they dropped the size 8-10 requirement, but I agree it is discriminatory. What difference does it make if they've given birth?? They can still be a 'Miss' although it beats me why that matters either! Why not a Ms Earth? Why is it necessary to compete with Miss Universe and not do their own thing altogether?
I fail to see how an environmentalist representative for the planet has to be a single, young female.

We need a Ms Gay Earth! LOL

But I agree, good luck with fund raising.
Maybe get a gov't donation of tree seedlings and do something with that?

The conditions are actually regulated by Miss Earth International. The organiser of Miss Earth Australia is pretty lenient but the winner will always fall under those categories otherwise they would get flown to the Phillipenes and not be able to enter if they fell outside the International requirements. So at the moment I'm emailing all the companies that have advertised with any of the green magazines to see if they have anything to offer in the way of donations, sponsorship or promotions.
Thanks for your good luck wishes guys.
I'll also prob hold a Trivia night a bit later in the year with maybe like a $5 entry fee and winning team takes half the prize pool and the other half goes to Miss Earth. Would that interest anyone?

Just wondering how this helps the earth? It seems to me (but stop me if I am wrong) you are fundraising to hold a pageant not to help save the earth. Planting a couple of trees isn't going to do anything, Am genuinely interested in what this achieves.

I think "Beauty" contests achieve little more than to produce a lot of self-centred women!  And I'm curious as to whether the women qualify if they have had an abortion - or is that classed as "giving birth"?  I should imagine that a lot more would be achieved if these women were to get out and do something constructive instead of parading their wares in front of a few people who think they are qualified to judge them.

the fact that it is only 'miss' earth is sexist on that issue alone.

This is WEIRD, so are you saying that all the jewels they use, the makeup they use and the textiles are sourced ethically? Makes me mad for so many reasons - what complete rubbish and a way of taking the depth out of the movement and making it a commercial load of junk.

Sorry, but had to say it.

Thank-you, DH and Samalee, for saying it....!

Oh my ~ How totally archaic !

At least this year's rules don't include "Must Be Born Female" ...

What amazes me, after looking at about a dozen statements by the candidates and a number of press clippings, not one single mention of the environmental impacts the consumption of meat and animal products has on the planet.  Either this is a topic that is discouraged by the organisers, or worse, the message about this has not even reached a group of people who are claiming to be interested in environmental issues.

I would like to see something like 'go vegan for a day' in the list of entry requirements, instead of planting a tree.

pfd said: "At least this year's rules don't include "Must Be Born Female" ..."

Personally, I reckon any person born male who looks good enough to win a female beauty contest deserves to win!

That said, and on another note, I'm a bit disappointed that a competition that appears to be dedicated to making a difference would include a rule such as "must be between sizes 8 and 10". Why on earth should that matter? Apart from many other points that could be made, more and more people are waking up to the fact that some of the best models are actually the ones who are a bit larger compared to traditional models, if only because they actually look like real women to start with! Why not just set criteria that really mean something, and let the candidates compete on their merits? That'd be a pageant I could support.

EDIT: I missed the later post that the 8-10 requirement had been dropped, but even so it seems the spirit of that rule has nevertheless been not only kept, but also beefed up considerably - after all, by whose standards do they define how "moral" a candidate is, and whether that's good enough? Pass.

*urgh*, is it just me, or is there a bit of a mismatch between the sexist, shallow vanity of beauty contests and the environmental cause?

It just doesn't gel for me sorry. But then, I'd look truly terrible in a bikini, fake tan and a tiara...

LOL Cazz, you are probably sorry you asked here!

Ha ha NG I am a little.

Okay for me it's more about doing SOMEHTING. Yes it's a bit weird and the requirements are sexist or whatever you think they may be. And tree planting is a very big part of it. And planting trees is important to the environment.

Also now that I have been selected for the finals there WILL be quotes next year about the impact of meat on the environment. Also being the Queensland state organiser does give me a little power with the candidates that will be going down from QLD and I am trying to source as many vegetarians and vegans as I can to help get the word out there that not eating meat is the best way to reduce our impact on the environment.

And over the last few months of my life I have come to the conclussion that every little bit helps. If I can convince one person to start planting trees and stop eating meat than all the work and fundraising I put into the pageant will be worth it. I know that I could easy convince people to do that stuff without the pageant but it gets more media coverage.

Ok that's all I have to say.

Good onya Cazz, and I agree..it all helps.

Do they need a doctors certificate to prove they have not given birth? Seems quite ludicrous! And why should height matter?

Everywhere you turn these days there seems to be a "beauty" pageant of some sort. I agree our society is very good at producing self-absorbed, seemingly sexually available young women in bikinis that look like they have just stepped out of a porn movie. Maybe I'm just a prude, but I hate women being portrayed as sex objects. Even our local "newspaper" has to regularly plaster bikini-clad women on the front page, the latest contestant for the Miss Indy or whatever. Women are conditioned from a young age to think the main way they can receive attention is through their appearance.

Sorry, I am ranting....

I wish you the best cazza, hopefully it is a good forum to promote your ideals to a mainstream audience, no preaching to the converted at least.

Hi cazzamanda,

I can't speak for others, but I wasn't saying that it's wrong for you to be involved or that you shouldn't do it. I was just saying what my reasons were for not supporting events like this, and despite the environmental angle I don't really see much difference between any of them. But if you think you can achieve something positive through your involvement, then that's a great thing for you, and don't what we say stop you (I don't think you will anyway, but you know what I mean).

i see  that one of the sponsors of Miss Earth Australia, listed on the website, is a dairy farm

Now that's *really* good for the environment!!  Why don't you go leafletting with some of our people instead, cazzamanda?

She is being paid as an organizer..its a job. And as she said maybe she can reach some people from within it.

I think it is time to stop hassling her about this.

Sorry, thought it was a voluntary thing.  I thought she already had a paid job.

Noosagranny

given the forum is being used for promotion, recruitment and fundraising activities related to Miss Earth Australia i assumed that any questions would be welcomed

i am wondering if it’s ok to ask if any environmental groups in australia have a history of sponsorship/partnership of Miss Earth Australia and if any australian environmental groups have received any financial benefit from fundraising activities

Mike