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It's Time!
Love local Hawaiian food & agriculture? Here's your opportunity to voice your support for a historic, groundbreaking new law that would ban GMO (genetically modified) Taro and Coffee on Hawai'i Island!
Click Here, it's easy to submit testimony of support, no matter where you live!
MUST Submit Testimony by TUESDAY October 7th
This Oct. 8th will be the final Hawai'i County Council vote on Bill 361
Public hearing in HILO- Ben Franklin Building, 2nd Floor. County Council Office
So Much Support So Far!
- Introduced by Council Member Angel Pilago, Bill 361 would ban the growing of genetically modified Taro and Coffee on the Big Island.
- This bill has received overwhelming public & political support, and has already successfully passed through two Council votes to make it to this FINAL VOTE.
- If the bill passes this last vote it will go on for final approval by Mayor Harry Kim of Hawaii County.
- At this critical moment this effort needs massive support more than ever- the local farmers and consumers need help standing up against the strong-arming by huge multinational corporations.
Art kindly donated by Solomon Enos, Hawaiian Artist/Farmer.
Support Native Art- www.HawaiianArtPlaza.com!
Kalo & Kona Coffee are perfect as they are!
If allowed, GMO taro could threaten taro's important status as the world's only hypoallergenic carbohydrate source!
Taro farming in Hawaii is an unique local tradition. There are now innovative and successful agricultural efforts underway to improve the local taro industry and perpetuate valuable Hawaiian taro varieties.
Long-term experiments have proven that the best way to comprehensively protect taro from disease blights is to grow many different varieties, improve soil quality and provide adequate water. There is no need or demand for GMO interference and industry control of local taro farming.
Genetic modification of this indigenous plant is also extremely disrespectful to the sacred genealogy of taro to Hawaiians, who view taro as an ancestral family member, Haloa.
If allowed, GMO coffee would erode the demand, drop prices, and destroy the local economy for pure Kona coffee. It would also make organic coffee growing virtually impossible.
Lessons learned: The local papaya industry was economically devastated by the introduction of GMO-papaya. Rejection of Hawaiian grown GMO-papaya by Japan dropped the value of the local papaya industry by over 50%. Sadly, about 40% of papaya farmers were forced out of business. Meanwhile, the value of the organic & conventional (non-GMO) papaya industry has increased.
What is a GMO?
GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) are plant mutants created by inserting genes from one species into another unrelated species, using virus & bacteria to transfer the genes. For example, forcing wheat genes into taro, or bacteria genes into corn. These man-made organisms can be patented and owned. Organic food growers have rejected GMO, and GMO food cannot be certified organic. This experimental technique is crude and imprecise, unsafe, unnatural and rejected by the governments of most nations and the majority of the world's population.
Click here to find out more about the GMO problems, read the Bill 361, and easily submit testimony.
If you are on the Big Island, please read:
Please attend this crucial hearing. While multi-national corporations seeking GMO patents and profits have deep pockets and resources, local communities depend on committed citizens to defend our rights to a clean environment and safe food. It is the dedication of those who care deeply about the future of food, culture and agriculture in Hawaii that makes the difference!
Let us learn from the economic & environmental destruction already caused by the GMO industry in the Philippines, Mexico, India, South America and farming communities all across America! Let's make sure it doesn't happen in Hawaii! We can and must show that Hawaii Island wants sustainable, pono, non-GMO agricultural job opportunities and will stand-up to protect our local agricultural economy & environment!
Wednesday October 8th
HILO- Ben Franklin Building, 2nd Floor. County Council Office.
We Know Better, So Let's Tell 'Em!
Bill 361 is a very important step to maintaining local control over our island food resources, consumer safety, environmental protections and economic opportunity. We have a real chance to create meaningful reform, to protect taro, and our heritage coffee for all future generations that are to come. Pests and disease in agriculture can be solved by ecological and sustainable means; we need to move in that direction. It is time for everyone to speak for community food self-reliance, and GMO coffee and taro does not move us in that direction. We need the Council to send a strong and unanimous message on this bill to the Mayor: Hawai'i Island wants protection and preservation for our unique heritage crops, that sustain our life, our families, and our communities.
Mahalo nui for your support at this unique time in history.
Please send this message on to all in your ohana and communities, that would want to know of this unique and powerful opportunity.
Malama Haloa!
Us Guys at KAHEA
The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance
www.kahea.org
blog.kahea.org
toll free phone/fax 1-888-528-6288
Mahalo piha Pono,
The East Maui taro farmers have expressed their deep gratitude to you folks, for caring enough to speak up in support of water rights for the farmers and native stream ecosystems. Read on to find out what happened...
Art kindly donated by Solomon Enos, Hawaiian artist/farmer.
Support Native Art- www.HawaiianArtPlaza.com!
Your voice helped make a historic decision last week. By taking the time to submit testimony to the Water Commission, you helped East Maui taro farmers, and taro farmers across the Hawaiian Islands, take a major step towards restoring desperately needed water to their streams.
- Partial stream flow was restored to 8 of the streams in East Maui. While not yet a comprehensive solution, it is an important beginning.
-This water will begin to help rehabilitate unique and endangered Hawaiian ecosystems and watershed resources that can benefit the entire community, not just one corporation.
Over 400 people submitted written testimony to the Water Commission and several hundred showed up to testify. Together, you successfully pushed the Water Commission to begin to uphold the water protections outlined in the Hawaii State Constitution and Water Code. Finally!
For over five years, the Water Commission (CWRM) and the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) have delayed enforcing the water rights of taro farmers and protecting the natural ecosystem & watershed, despite court rulings upholding those protections against corporate water diverters like East Maui Irrigation Company (EMI). EMI and its parent company, Alexander & Baldwin, have dominated politics and profitted from selling stolen public water since the days of big sugar plantations. You have helped to finally tip the balance in favor of the public, the environment, and the rule of law by demonstrating the overwhelming support for restoring the natural flows of Hawaii's vital freshwater streams over the profit interests of corporations.
Life is where the water is.
As the Hawaiian kupuna and natural resource experts had foretold- just one month after restoring stream flow to Waikane stream, in Wailuanui East Maui, native marine life has already re-inhabited the stream, estuary (muliwai) and bay. The local community can finally return to their traditional practices such as farming, fishing, and enjoying the cool water recreationally. It had been 30 years since the Waikane native ecosystem existed in its natural healthy state. It is hoped that coming generations will not have to experience the environmental devastation that the community has suffered without water.
Thank you very much for being a part of this historic restoration of justice and life to the communities and ecosystems of East Maui. Much more must still be done to fully enforce the water rights of taro farmers, so stay tuned for more updates. For now, click here to read the mahalo & detailed update from the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, the attorneys for the taro farmers hui, Na Moku Aupuni O Koolau Hui.
Aloha Aina,
Us Guys at KAHEA
The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance
www.kahea.org
blog.kahea.org
toll free phone/fax 1-888-528-6288
The 113-meter high-speed ferry is the second of two vessels built in a $190 million deal with commercial client Hawaii Superferry Inc., which operates the first Austal-built vessel in the Hawaiian Islands.
Like the original vessel, it is designed to carry 866 passengers and 282 cars. It is six meters longer than the first vessel, thanks to a ramp that makes it suitable for military use.Hawai`i Supferry Inc. has said it plans to operate the vessel commercially.It is scheduled to start service in May 2009.We remember the life of Kanka Maoli warrior Kanalu Young on our Free Hawai`i blog.
Here’s this week’s schedule for Voices Of Truth – One-On-One With Hawai`i’s Future.
MONDAY, August 29th At 6:30 PM – Maui – Akaku, Channel 53
MONDAY, August 29th At 7:00 PM & FRIDAY, September 3rd At 5:30 PM - Hawai`i Island – Na Leo, Channel 53
“Kawainui Magic – A Visit With Chuck “Doc” Burrows”
What is it about Kawainui marsh that’s so irresistible? Certainly the unparalleled beauty and ecological importance, but there’s something else. Join us as we visit with long time Kawainui caretaker Chuck “Doc” Burrows as he explains the marsh’s deep cultural history and reveals why it’s a special place like no other. Watch It Here.
THURSDAY, September 2nd At 8:30 PM & FRIDAY, September 3rd At 8:30 AM – Kaua`i – Ho`ike, Channel 52
“Coming Full Circle – A Visit With Sam Ka`ai”
A Kanaka Maoli practitioner extraordinaire, Sam Ka`ai is a Pacific voyager and cultural ambassador, who’s devotion to keeping alive the ancient ways of old Hawai`i is truly beyond compare, who, when in his presence, time seems to stand still and the ancestors come forth and speak. Watch It Here.
SATURDAY, September 4th At 8:00 PM – O`ahu, `Olelo, Channel 53
“Hawaiian Superman – Remembering Kanalu Young”
Superman really does exist. Kanalu was not only quadriplegic, but professor of Hawaiian history at the University of Hawai`i and Director of the Masters Program at the Center For Hawaiian Studies, See for yourself why this remarkable Kanaka Maoli warrior was Hawai`i’s Superman. http://voicesoftruthtv.com/?ep=remembering-kanalu-young&from=1&sec=episode
Voices Of Truth interviews those creating a better future for Hawai`i to discover what made them go from armchair observers to active participants. We hope you’ll be inspired to do the same.
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