HONOLULU – This Sunday in Haleiwa, over a thousand people are expected for The Aloha Aina March: Collaboration for a Better Tomorrow to raise awareness and solutions for Hawaii’s environment in response to genetic engineering (GE) agricultural experimentation and pesticide laden GE seed production in Hawaii. We will not remain idle while our citizens, lands, waters and environments are poisoned with biotech industry genetic testing and related pesticides, experimented on by companies using farmlands to genetically alter and patent food crops for exported seed, destroyed by unethical developers and ruined for future generations. Peaceful family advocates for environmental awareness, Hawaii agriculture, local farming, sustainability, local economy, tourism, government accountability and human rights will join with dozens of community organizations and the biggest names in surfing today to represent aloha for Hawaii and peacefully resist the environmental harm of massive pesticide spraying and genetically engineered field testing occurring in Hawaii. We support local farmers and safe agriculture producing non-GMO food for Hawaii residents.
The march was called for by Dustin Barca, professional surfer, MMA fighter and recipient of Surfer Magazine’s 2013 Surfer Poll Agent of Change Award for his work with Ohana O Kauai and Hawaii SEED to raise GMO awareness and stop the destruction of our agricultural land by GMO companies. World renowned surfers Kelly Slater, Dustin Barca, Shane Dorian, John John Florence, Mark Healey, Sebastian Zietz and Makua Rothman will join Uncle Walter Ritte, Babes Against Biotech, Ohana O Kauai, Hawaii SEED, Hawaii GMO Justice Coalition, The Mom Hui, Defend Hawaii, Da Hui, Food Democracy Now and Hawaii United. At the non-GMO potluck gathering after march, community organizers will speak and Hawaii singers Hawane Rios and Paul Izak will perform. We are unified in protecting what we love and must stop the poisoning and destruction of Hawaii’s farm lands and urge Kamehameha Schools to refuse to renew a lease to Monsanto for an additional ten years. Booths include voter registration by Defend Oahu Coalition, Aikea, BAB, GMO Free Oahu and The Mom Hui.
This year, Senator Donovan Dela Cruz introduced a bill (SB727) to strike County rights to protect citizen life and health with the support of the GMO industry. Therefore, we are again asserting our rights to home rule and County leadership while preparing to protect our State as a whole at the 2014 legislative session. State and County elected officials in Hawaii have received over $515,000 of campaign financing from GMO companies performing genetic experiments in the Hawaiian islands which are banned in the majority of developed countries due to health and environmental biohazards. GMO producing pesticide companies experimenting on Hawaiian soil include synthetic chemical giants Monsanto, DOW, Bayer, BASF, Pioneer/DuPont and Syngenta.
The Aloha Aina March is a family friendly, peaceful, first amendment march and will begin at 12:00 PM in Haleiwa at the 7-11 parking lot proceeding down Kamehameha Highway to Haleiwa Beach Park. One lane will be closed with HPD escort. The event is free and open to the public. Participants are encouraged to bring signs, cameras, reusable water bottles and utensils, potluck food, beach chairs and of course, aloha.
I want to know… when the surfers dispose of all their fiberglass/resin/polystyrene/epoxy boards in their efforts to jump on the anti chemical company bandwagon and support the environment…how will all that dangerous trash be disposed of properly?? Will this close down surfboard companies? Are there very many people that still use/make wood boards?
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