HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.194 2012-2014 Page 1 of 2
COUNTY CLERK
Murashige, Laura COUNTY r Y= 1A11
From: STEPHENIE BLAKEMORE [stephenieblakemore @sbcglobal.net] 2013 JUN 17 AN 00
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 8:05 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: GMO ban
Dear Council Members of Hawaii,
Aloha
As an educator in Hawaii I have many students who have disabilities
due to poor choices made by adults entrusted with their care and
nurturing. Nutrition and the environment have huge impacts on the
severity of their conditions and progress our children can make. The
inclusion of GMO products in our foods as well as the contamination of
our air, soil and water have negative effects on children physically,
cognitively and culturally. Help the people of Hawaii, as caretakers for
the keiki, make safe and wise choices when the issue of GMO farming
comes before you on July 2nd.
The effects of the open air experiments that are being conducted in our
state need to be documented and researched truthfully, prior to
allowing them to continue anywhere on Hawaii. The enticement of
short term economic benefit as income for landowners, including the
county and state, as well as those seeking agricultural employment
cannot compare to the preservation of our real wealth in these islands,
the rich and diverse resources that we must pass on intact to our keiki,
whose health we have protected.
The long term negative effects of the herbicide, insecticide and cross
species breeding are being realized now with peer reviewed, scientific
research. GMOs are banned in most of Europe as a result of the
dangers outweighing any benefit in growing, or using these products.
The land, fresh water, air, even the ocean are showing the negative
effects of farming as practiced by these GMO companies in our state.
The economic and agricultural practices of the major companies
involved in GMO practices are not community centered, and do not
serve the people of Hawaii. Most of their experiments are not viable as
a food source for our use, and take up valuable acreage that could be
put to use in safe and sustainable farming practices by local business
people who are committed to the present and future of our state, with a
respect and understanding of the impact of history. We the people of
Comm. No. el 7/• /0
Ref.To: P/P S M TG
Ref. Date JUL 2 2013
6/17/2013
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Hawaii deserve to have this land for local community members to use
for self sustaining agricultural practices that are environmentally,
economically and culturally responsible.
Such forward thinking decisions that result in banning GMOs on the Big Island of
Hawaii will curtail significantly our dependence on foods imported from the mainland.
Promoting land use through sustainable and safe agricultural practices of our
community members who farm will provide healthy fresh food sources, locally grown
for both the people of Hawaii and the tourists who come here to taste the fruits of
paradise. This is good for Hawaii in economic and environmental ways. This is
passing a legacy of health and prosperity onto our keiki as we have been entrusted to do
by our ancestors.
Please do not allow GMO farming practices on the beautiful Big Island
of Hawaii.
Mahalo,
Stephenie Blakemore
6/17/2013