Tate & Bile For Charidee

Following on from earlier, it's interesting that upon checking my inbox, another of the Guardian's letter-writing hand-wringers has spam e-mailed me.

The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)has embarked on a campaign to persuade the Government and cultural institutions to reject money from oil and gas companies that use sponsorship as a way to launder their reputations and mask their environmentally destructive nature.

CIWEM deplores the continuing acceptance of guilt monies and influence from the petro-carbon industries, as this sullies the arts, and undermines our cultural institutions. At times of economic recession, there are debates about replacement funding for the arts, but crimes against the environment are crimes against humanity. Oil money is an expedient too far.

I do believe this stands as proof of my earlier musing. Namely, "Who is then supposed to pick up the tab, they don't say. Not their problem, that. And besides, there's always the magic money tree in Whitehall ever ready to produce another harvest at will, eh?"

The burbling continued [emphasis mine].

As the world and indeed Tate have learned to flourish without support from slavery, tobacco and alcohol, we and they must learn to emerge from the culture of fossil fuels and the insidious oil industry. BP, Shell and all other petro-chemical corporations must be denied control of our arts and cultural institutions, right now.

Now, while it is mildly flattering that CIWEM has somehow picked me out as a blogger who may be useful, at the same time, on this evidence it's clear that they've never bothered to read the bloody thing.

I just had to go have a look see at what type of organisation these trolls are.

CIWEM's members are employed throughout the environment sector, including senior management, engineering and scientific posts in local authorities, water companies, regulatory bodies, consultants, contractors, government departments, universities, the private sector of industry and environmental and conservation organisations.

Quite a professional outfit, then. In fact, more than that, they are, indeed, a professional body who sell qualifications and training which accounts for £1.5m+ of their £2.2m income.

•Corporate Members and Fellows are entitled to use the designation 'Chartered Water and Environmental Manager';
•Corporate Members may use the post nominal designation - MCIWEM and Fellows may use the post nominal designation - FCIWEM ;
•Training and professional development opportunities through CIWEM 's own postgraduate Certificate and Diploma .These are unique and highly respected environmental qualifications;
•A range of professional and non-professional grades of membership, including Environmental Partner and Industry Affiliate;
•Registration for suitably qualified members with EC (UK), as Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Engineering Technician (EngTech);
•Registration for suitably qualified members as Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv);

That's quite a flourishing business they have there, and no mistake.

But hold on, they're also a lobbying firm.

Our relationship with the UK Government has developed strongly; many of our conferences and events are run jointly with government departments and agencies. We are able to work with Government as an honest broker and facilitator, yet at the same time lobby with great strength over issues where we feel Government is weak or misdirected. We have implemented many actions from our Parliamentary Action Plan, which was produced during the year, giving us greater access to parliamentarians in terms of profile raising and lobbying.

Superb. Fingers in many pies can make for a very successful business ... especially if there was some way of being exempt from taxes and VAT.

Oh, but there is!

You may have noticed that they are registered charity number 1043409 (England & Wales) and SC038212 (Scotland).

And their latest accounts, produced in PDF format, tell us that they recently bought a £380,000 computer system at the WC1 registered office address which, presumably, they all cycle in to. So much for "emerg[ing] from the culture of fossil fuels and the insidious oil industry [and] petro-chemical corporations", then.