Greenpeace New Zealand Weblog

IN the heat of the fight against GE, Mothers Against Genetic Engineering ( Madge ) displayed seven billboards in Wellington and Auckland showing a naked woman with four breasts and GE branded on her backside.

 We’ve been so focused on climate change that this one nearly slipped by me. You’ll remember the nationwide fight to keep New Zealand GE free. Tens of thousands of us marched, not once but three times, to stop GE crops and food from entering our food-chain. And even though the Government lifted the moratorium on GE release in 2003 New Zealand has been effectively GE Free ever since.

This is now under threat from AgResearch, a Government research institute, which has applied to ‘field test’ GE organisms with

“a range of genetic modifications and maintain these organisms in containment for research, breeding and for the production of products with potential commercial applications”.

Ge Free New Zealand March Up Queen Street, Auckland - September 01, 2001

If it gets approval AgResearch will be able to conduct broad-ranging genetic experiments on a vast range of animals including cows, goats, sheep, pigs, rats, rabbits, possums and chickens. They even want to alter milk composition and have the right to release GE milk onto the market and intend using cells taken from ‘non-Maori humans’ mixing genes from different species to make transgenic animals.  The application is so broad it lists humans as “host organisms” to modify!

It’s really important that as many people as possible oppose this monstrous application. NZ’s GE Free status, food, environment, economic wellbeing and clean green image are at stake.

Please take a moment to make an online submission to help keep New Zealand GE free. Read more »

The Climate Challenge welcomes two new schools this month with Auckland Girls Grammar and Rangi Ruru Intermediate in Christhurch joining the challenge. There are some wonderful examples of kids getting involved and it’s great to see people sponsoring them but we need more! This kind of dedication needs support and recognition.

We also need more schools on board. I understand that teachers and students alike have very busy schedules, with many topics to cover and extra curriculum activities/sports etc, but a shift in consciousness is still necessary, and its important to highlight it and promote it where it is happening.

That’s why I like the Climate Challenge project. The kids I meet are tomorrow’s MP’s, business leaders, farmers, councilors etc, an understanding of our planet’s limitations and solutions to how we can live sustainably needs to become second nature to the way we live, the way we do business, the way we grow food and produce materials and the way we raise our children.
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