Adirondack State Park, NY Photo: photolangelle.org
This coming year holds great promise for GJEP’s programs. We have a ton of great work planned with the work to stop genetically engineered trees; our Global Justice Media Program continues its key work of raising up grassroots voices on timely environmental issues; and the Langelle Photography Program is taking Orin Langelle’s new photo exhibit Portraits of Struggle on the road.
Consider a gift today to support this important work. As always, your support is crucial to our success.
Campaign to STOP GE Trees
GJEP hired a Press Secretary in February to raise media interest about GE trees and Orin Langelle’s movement photos. Steve Taylor is an experienced press officer and we are excited to have him on board.
Steve’s media outreach work paid off almost immediately when The Hill, Washington, DC’s most read news outlet, invited us to write an Op-ed on GE trees titled “The Forests Are in Crisis, But Biotechnology is Not the Solution.” It was shared 222 times from The Hill’s website.
The Op-ed was co-written by Biofuelwatch Coordinator Rachel Smolker, Ruddy Turnstone of GJEP and me, the day before we presented the risks of using GE trees for forest health restoration before the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. You can watch it online here: https://bit.ly/2r1WjOQ
Earth Day Youth Event: On April 22, I spoke about the threats and dangers of GE trees at Gen-Earth, a youth mobilization in Toronto, Canada organized by anti-GMO youth superstar Rachel Parent, founder of Kids Right to Know. This was a great opportunity for raising awareness in Ontario, where GE tree threats are emerging.
GE American chestnut trees: Wild American chestnut trees from Ontario to the southern Appalachians are threatened by plans to plant fertile GE chestnut trees throughout the forests. If legalized, these GE chestnuts would be the first ever GMO designed to be self-replicating in the wild. Experts project that in 100 years or so wild American chestnuts would be eradicated from the forests, and they would all be genetically engineered.
Researchers are launching the process to get these GE American chestnut trees legalized. This would be a major precedent setting event that would open the door to other self-replicating GMO plants and crops, as well as other GE forest trees like poplar or pine. The risks posed by GE trees, which can live decades or centuries, are impossible to assess over the long term. If planted in the forest, any problems that arise would be irreversible.
Ironically, GE American chestnuts are being used in a concerted PR effort to convince the public that GE trees are the cure to forest health crises. They are using people’s love for forests to promote and legalize dangerous GE trees. Considerable resources are being amassed.
Countering this scheme is going to take considerable effort. We need your help. Please send a gift today to help us derail this unprecedented threat to our forests.
Langelle Photography/Portraits of Struggle Photo Exhibit:
Orin Langelle’s newest exhibit opened in January at the CEPA Gallery in Buffalo, and was viewed by hundreds of people and numerous school groups. Now the exhibit is going on the road. Already a showing is lined up at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale for next spring and Orin is also talking with several other universities. View it at: https://bit.ly/2HFeRKJ
Earth Radio: We continue our partnership with the Sojourner Truth show on KPFK Pacifica Radio in Los Angeles, producing weekly Earth Minutes and Earth Watch interviews. You can listen at: https://globaljusticeecology.org/category/earth-radio/
None of this is possible without your support. Please give generously and remember that you’re supporting a group with a small budget, but a huge impact.
Thank you!
The GJEP Team
