GAIA is an expanding international alliance of individuals, non-governmental organization, community-based organizations, academics and others working to end the incineration of all forms of waste and to promote sustainable waste prevention and discard management practices. Since GAIA members are committed both to ending incineration and to promoting alternative safe, economical and just discard management systems, the name GAIA represents both a Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance and a Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives.

GAIA is the culmination of a series of gatherings about incineration and alternatives held around the world in recent years. The Global Alliance was initially conceived by participants from Africa, Asia, North and South America and the Middle East at an International Clean Production Training at the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production in June 2000. Two months later, a number of the Lowell participants joined a larger group of civil society representatives in Bangkok to launch Waste Not Asia, a platform linking incineration to broader issues of material policy and citizen participation in governance. In December 2000, over 75 individuals from 23 countries met in South Africa to develop GAIA's initial structure and goals.

GAIA members work both through regional networks and through issue workgroups which provide the opportunity to transcend national and regional borders to collaborate with others around the world. The initial three GAIA workgroups are focused on specific waste streams: Municipal Discards/Zero Waste, Hazardous Waste, and Medical Waste (GAIA's medical waste work is implemented in conjunction with Health Care Without Harm). Each workgroup undertakes projects to prevent incineration and to promote alternatives. In addition, GAIA has identified its first global campaign goal to stop the World Bank from funding incinerators around the world and to support local communities targeted by the Bank for incineration to instead promote alternatives.

GAIA is co-coordinated by a Northern and Southern coordinator and an international Steering Committee. To join any workgroup, or for more information, please email gaia@essential.org.

GAIA MISSION STATEMENT

GAIA is a worldwide alliance of non-profit organizations and individuals who recognize that our planet's finite resources, fragile biosphere and the health of people and other living beings are endangered by polluting and inefficient production practices and health-threatening disposal methods.

We oppose incinerators, landfills, and other end-of-pipe interventions. Our ultimate vision is a just, toxic-free world without incineration. Our goal is the implementation of clean production, and the creation of a closed-loop, materials-efficient economy where all products are reused, repaired or recycled back into the marketplace or nature.

GAIA MEMBERSHIP STATEMENT

We welcome any non-profit organization or individual who shares the goal of ending waste incineration, promoting clean production and supporting the move from waste disposal to sustainable resource use systems, which respect the environment and public health, promote local economies and are socially just.

Members of GAIA are diverse and may have divergent views on other issues. However, we are united in our work towards these shared goals. GAIA members may not use their membership to further commercial interests.

To join GAIA, please mail or fax a letter on your organization's letterhead which confirms your commitment to GAIA's goals and your intent to join this alliance to one of the GAIA members below. Individuals may send a similar letter with their full contact details. Your letter does not need to be in English.

GAIA website: www.no-burn.org

GAIA c/o Essential Action, PO Box 19405, Washington, DC 20036 USA, Fax1-202-234-5176, or

GAIA c/o Toxics Link, H-2 Jungpura Extension, New Delhi-110014 INDIA, Fax91-11-463-2727

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