Tag Archive for: GMOs

Cyrus Sutton’s “Island Earth” Makes Hawaiian Debut

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Author: Justin Housman | Published: December 5, 2016

Filmmaker/pro surfer Cyrus Sutton has spent the past couple years making “Island Earth,” a documentary chronicling Hawaii’s rural communities as they push back against Big Ag’s experimentation with GMO crops and advanced pesticides, in a battle to retake control over their own food supply. “Island Earth” has its Hawaii premiere tonight at Waihuena Farm, 59-414 Kam Highway, across from OTW. There will be free food and drinks at 6:00pm HAST, the film shows at 6:30 pm, and there’s a Q&A with Sutton and Kauai’s Dustin Barca—who’s become an outspoken activist in the battle against GMOs—following the movie. If you’re on the North Shore, come on out. It’s open to the public.

I talked with Sutton a couple years back when he’d just plunged into the filmmaking process. Here’s what Sutton had to say about the motivation behind “Island Earth” when it was still in its infancy.

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JH: What drew you in about this story and motivated you to make a documentary?

CS: It all started with Korduroy.tv five or six years ago. I founded that website to promote simpler values in our surf culture. Our focuses were taking care of gear, staying healthy, helping our communities, and saving money. Around that time, my friend Loren Luyendyk introduced me to permaculture and regenerative agriculture which are basically methods of sustaining communities without fossil fuels by growing food in balance with natural systems, instead of fighting them with pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

KEEP READING ON SURFER 

Historic International Monsanto Tribunal Begins in The Hague

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Opening Press Conference, People’s Assembly Mark First of Three-Day Event to Expose Monsanto’s Crimes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2016

Contact:
U.S.: Katherine Paul, katherine@organicconsumers.org, 207-653-3090Netherlands: Tjerk Dalhuisen,, tjerk@monsanto-tribunal.org, +31614699126
Mexico, Latin America: Ercilia Sahores, ercilia@regenerationinternational.org, (55) 6257 7901  

THE HAGUE, Netherlands—The organizers of the International Monsanto Tribunal and People’s Assembly addressed international journalists today at an opening press conference preceding today’s People’s Assembly and the October 15-16 Tribunal.

“If global governments and courts won’t rein in Monsanto and hold it accountable for its crimes, the people will,” said Ronnie Cummins, international director of the Organic Consumers Association and member of the Tribunal organizing committee. “Monsanto’s toxic products, toxic commodities and toxic monocultures are destroying human health and our soils, without which life on Earth is unsustainable.”

“A patent of life and on seeds is a crime against farmers who are trapped in debt for costly patented seed,” said Vandana Shiva, founder of Navdanya and member of the Tribunal organizing committee. “It is also a crime against nature. The claim that by adding a gene Monsanto is ‘making’ life violates the self-organizing, self-renewing capacity of seed. The crime is further aggravated by destroying biodiversity, and spreading genetic pollution through the introduction of GMOs.”

The People’s Assembly will conclude on October 16, World Food Day, with a global citizens pledge to transition to a healthy and regenerative, and socially and economically just and democratic global food and farming system.

The Monsanto Tribunal, supported by more than 1000 organizations worldwide, is an international civil society initiative to examine Monsanto’s accountability for human rights violations, for crimes against humanity, and for ecocide. Eminent judges will hear testimonies from victims, and deliver an advisory opinion following procedures of the International Court of Justice. The People’s Assembly provides opportunity for social movements to rally and plan for an alternative future.

Organizing groups behind the Monsanto Tribunal include the Organic Consumers Association, Navdanya, IFOAM Organics International, the Biovision Foundation and Regeneration International.

Regeneration International, a project of the Organic Consumers Association, is building a global network of farmers, scientists, businesses, activists, educators, journalists, governments and consumers who will promote and put into practice regenerative agriculture and land-use practices that: provide abundant, nutritious food; revive local economies; rebuild soil fertility and biodiversity; and restore climate stability by returning carbon to the soil, through the natural process of photosynthesis. 

El Tribunal Internacional Monsanto Invita a Monsanto a Participar en el Tribunal Ciudadano: La carta enviada vía correo certificado fue declinada

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[ English | Español ]

PARA PUBLICACIÓN IMMEDIATA

26 de julio de 2016

Contacto:

E.E.U.U: Katherine Paul, katherine@organicconsumers.org, 207-653-3090

Países Bajos: Tjerk Dalhuisen,, tjerk@monsanto-tribunal.org, +31614699126

México, América Latina: Ercilia Sahores, ercilia@regenerationinternational.org, 52 55 6257 7901

La Haya, Países Bajos —El Tribunal Internacional Monsanto ha invitado oficialmente a Monsanto a participar del tribunal ciudadano que tendrá lugar en La Haya, Países Bajos, el 15 y 16 de octubre. La carta, enviada por correo certificado desde Amsterdam, fue declinada.

“No nos sorprende que el Sr. Grant declinara recibir la carta”, afirmó Vandana Shiva, integrante del comité organizativo del Tribunal. “Monsanto tiene una larga historia de esconder el daño, el dolor y el sufrimiento causados por sus productos en la salud humana y el medio ambiente. De la misma manera en que Monsanto esconde los ingredientes OGM a través de leyes que niegan el derecho al etiquetado de productos transgénicos en los Estados Unidos, se está escondiendo del juicio de la gente. Esto no significa que no los vayamos a llevar a juicio”.

En la carta, dirigida a Hugh Grant, Presidente y Director Ejecutivo General de Monsanto, dos de los jueces del Tribunal Internacional Monsanto escribieron:

“La Fundación (Stichting) Monsanto Tribunal cree que es de suma importancia que Monsanto cuente con todas las oportunidades posibles para presentar su postura ante el Tribunal, de modo de asegurar que el Tribunal cuente con la mayor cantidad de información posible a la hora de brindar una evaluación”.

Se ha dado a Monsanto hasta el 1 de octubre de 2016 para enviar un breve informe por escrito y/o una respuesta a la invitación efectuada por el Tribunal para enviar representantes legales a La Haya.

Antecedentes de los jueces y abogados del Tribunal Alemán

Inglés

Francés

Más sobre el Tribunal Internacional Monsanto

El Tribunal Internacional Monsanto es una iniciativa de la sociedad civil para que Monsanto se responsabilice por violaciones a derechos humanos, crímenes contra la humanidad y ecocidio. Prestigiosos jueces escucharán testimonios de víctimas y brindarán una opinión consultiva siguiendo los procedimientos de la Corte Penal Internacional de Justicia. Una asamblea popular paralela brindará el espacio para que los movimientos sociales puedan congregarse y planear el futuro que queremos. El Tribunal y la Asamblea Popular se llevarán a cabo entre el 14 y el 16 de octubre de 2016 en La Haya, Países Bajos.

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Monsanto Tribunal Invites Monsanto to Participate in Citizens’ Tribunal: Letter sent via registered mail was declined

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[ English | Español ]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 21, 2016

Contact:

U.S.: Katherine Paul, katherine@organicconsumers.org, 207-653-3090

Netherlands: Tjerk Dalhuisen,, tjerk@monsanto-tribunal.org, +31614699126

Mexico, Latin America: Ercilia Sahores, ercilia@regenerationinternational.org, 52 55 6257 7901

THE HAGUE, Netherlands—The International Monsanto Tribunal has officially invited Monsanto to participate in the citizens’ tribunal which will be held October 15-16 in The Hague, Netherlands. The letter, sent via registered mail from Amsterdam, was declined.

“We are not surprised that Mr. Grant declined to receive this letter,” said Vandana Shiva, a member of the Tribunal organizing committee. “Monsanto has a long history of hiding the damage and pain and suffering inflicted by its products on human health and the environment. Just like Monsanto hides its GMO ingredients through the DARK Act, through denying labeling in the United States, it is hiding from a people’s trial. This does not mean we will not put them on trial.”

In the letter, addressed to Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant, two of the Monsanto Tribunal judges wrote:

“The Foundation Stichting Monsanto Tribunal believes it to be of the highest importance that Monsanto itself is given ample opportunity to present its views to the Tribunal, in order to ensure that the Tribunal is fully informed and equipped to provide an assessment that is based on the fullest range of information possible.”

Monsanto was given until October 1, 2016 to submit a written brief and/or to respond to the Tribunal’s invitation to send legal representation to The Hague.

Background on Tribunal judges and lawyers: https://www.monsanto-tribunal.org/why-a-tribunal/media/

Deutsch: https://www.monsanto-tribunald.org/home/medien/

Español: https://www.monsanto-tribunale.org/inicio/m%C3%A9dios/

Français: https://www.monsanto-tribunalf.org/medias/

More on the Monsanto Tribunal

The Monsanto Tribunal is an international civil society initiative to hold Monsanto accountable for human rights violations, for crimes against humanity, and for ecocide. Eminent judges will hear testimonies from victims, and deliver an advisory opinion following procedures of the International Court of Justice. A parallel People’s Assembly provides the opportunity for social movements to rally and plan for the future we want. The Tribunal and People’s Assembly will take place between 14 and 16 October 2016 in The Hague, Netherlands.

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