Brazilian women destroy Monsanto GMO corn and trees.

Companies such as Monsanto are at the forefront of pushing the destructive biofuels industry. Capitalizing on the fear of climate change, giant agribusiness companies are making big bucks on the biofuel craze. Unfortunately biofuels do nothing to reduce emissions, and in many cases actually increase emissions above those created by burning gasoline. To add insult to injury, massive biofuel plantations destroy native forests and undermine the food sovereignty of local communities.  

Women Invade Monsanto Fields in Brazil
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Hundreds of Brazilian women activists from the group Via Campesina today raided a research unit of U.S. agricultural biotech company Monsanto destroying a tree nursery and an experimental field of genetically modified corn.

Just how much of those fields were destroyed, and how, was still unknown, a Monsanto press agent said Friday.

There were no immediate reports of injuries in the invasion of the Monsanto farm about 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city.

The women were angry over the Brazilian government’s decision last month to give clearance for two varieties of GMO corn for commercial use. Continue reading

UK CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 77, MARCH 2008

CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 77, MARCH 2008
Compiled and sent out by Rising Tide UK: info at risingtide.org.uk
To receive this News Sheet monthly, email news-subscribe at risingtide.org.uk
with the subject line ‘subscribe’ (without the quotes).CONTENTS:

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UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS:
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1) FOSSIL FOOLS DAY – INTERNATIONAL, 1.4.08
2) MAYDAY! MAYDAY! INVASION OF THE CLIMATE SNATCHERS – INT’L, 1.5.08
3) CLIMATE ACTION WITH A BITE! – INTERNATIONAL, 3.6.08
4) “PEOPLE ARE STILL THE SAME” – BRECON, 8.3.08
5) PADDY’S DAY OF ACTION AGAINST SHELL – IRELAND AND BEYOND, 17.3.08
6) BIKES NOT BOMBS TOUR – LONDON TO ALDERMASTON, 22-24.3.08
7) TERMINAL 5 FLASHMOB – HEATHROW, 27.3.08
8) CLIMATE BILL PUBLIC MEETING – LONDON, 22.4.08
9) COIN WORKSHOPS – NATIONAL, MARCH-APRIL 2008
10) NATIONAL CLIMATE FORUM – LONDON, 14-15.6.08
11) EARTH ACTIVIST TRAINING – GLOUCESTERSHIRE, 12-26.7.08
12) ENVIRONMENT CAMPAIGNER AWARD – 2008
13) LILI COURSES IN APRIL – BUCKS/LONDON/SHEFFIELD Continue reading

No War No Warming: Washington, DC March 15-19

Take to the street March 18-19There will be a lot of protest activity and organizing in DC in March, and our goal is to support and compliment other organizing strategies.

Iraq Veterans Against the War is organizing veterans to come to D.C. to give testimony on March 15-16 about the U.S. role in Iraq in an event called Winter Soldier. While many other organizations are discussing their plans and various coalition efforts are underway, a network of individuals and groups is emerging around a common vision of a massive intervention, using nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience on Capitol Hill and elsewhere, to intervene and interrupt the power holders in Washington, D.C. and Corporate America. Continue reading

2008 Southeast Convergence for Climate Action to be held in Virginia

This summer, join people from throughout the southeast and beyond for the second annual Southeast Convergence for Climate Action. After the resounding success of last year’s convergence we are excited to continue the struggle for climate justice in the southeast with an engaging week of workshops, strategizing, and direct action! This year’s convergence will be hosted in Virginia where communities are fighting uranium mining, nuclear power, mountaintop removal coal mining, and new (as well as old) coal plants. Once again we will unite to fight the coal industry’s stranglehold on our region while rejecting the deadly nuke industry’s attempt to position themselves as the solution to the climate crisis.The convergence is a place to strengthen our movement, network with new allies, and take action against dirty energy while working to build a sustainable world. Workshops will include: community organizing, direct action 101, debunking false solutions to climate change, blockades, sustainable living systems, media, disaster response, fighting nukes and coal, and much more. The convergence will culminate in an empowering action to show that the southeast is serious about tackling climate change.

For more information check out: www.climateconvergence.org
Email: risingtide@mountainrebel.net