From the Editors of E - The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: Why do environmentalists consider Hawaii “ground zero” in the fight against genetically engineered crops? -- Michael Van, Poughkeepsie, NY

July 24, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - Most of us think of beaches, surfing and luaus when we think of Hawaii. But the constantly warm and moist climate actually provides some of the most productive land in the world with a never-ending growing season. As a result, Hawaii has become a major player in commercial agriculture, and is frequently used to test new farming techniques.

Rally today in San Diego and nationwide seeks to stop “Monsanto Protection Act 2.0”

By Miriam Raftery

May 25, 2013 (San Diego)—Food safety activists will  hold a “March Against Monsanto” today at 11 a.m. in San Diego. (Details on their Facebook page.)  Among other things, protesters oppose stealth language slipped into the 2013 Farm Bill approved by the House Agricutlrual Committee. The language revokes rights of states to pass laws requiring labeling of foods with genetically labeled ingredients.

“Monsanto is trying to manipulate Congress to pass a Far Bill that will wipe out citizens’ rights to state laws intended to protect their health and safety,” the Organic Consumers Association said, International Business Times reported.

“Pattern Energy is going to pollute what it couldn't destroy… Monsanto’s Roundup is an herbicde cousin  to Agent Orange--the defoliant sprayed in Viet Nam that harmed a generation of veterans and their children… This herbicide—a neurotoxin--is going to get carried downwind. Did Pattern fail to notice that there is still a community with children here in spite of its industrialization of the area with 112 turbines and a substation?”

By Linda Ewing, Ocotillo resident

Photo: Sahara mustard, a “weed” the BLM wants to eradicate with toxic herbicides

May 14, 2013 (Ocotillo) -- Herbicide Mitigation? What is that? I heard these two disturbing words and felt panic.

I knew instinctively that it was going to have something to do with this Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility because nothing good has come from this controversial project since the day Pattern Energy uttered its first words of deception to the town of Ocotillo. Since the day the company first tried to convince us that its massive 438 foot-tall industrial-sized wind turbines were good for the economy.  And yes, the very same day we realized that human lives were disposable and irrelevant in the statistical world of giant wind turbine developers.

• Padres sold to group headed by O’Malley heirs (UT San Diego)
• Aquifers shrink as nation digs deeper for water (UT San Diego)
• Why a Major Food Organization Is Teaming Up With Monsanto and Friends to Block Your Right to Know What’s in Your Food (San Diego Free Press)
• Local casino’s past, present and future—impacts of Santa Ysabel potential closure( Ramona Journal)
• Helix extends employee contract, draws criticism (UT San Diego)
• Dead, sick animals found at Lemon Grove store (UT San Diego)
• Crime up 6% in county for first half of year (UT San Diego)
• Democratic Super PAC going after Bilbray with $1.2 million ad buy (La Jolla Patch)

• California reaches deep into special funds to pay for schools, social services and prisons (Sacramento Bee)
• State finds $230 million more in unreported reserves (UT San Diego)
• Real estate license revocations set record in California (Sacramento Bee)
• Judge says Riverside County can’t close pot shops (Sacramento Bee)
• Top California Democrats rally around new assault weapons bill (Sacramento Bee)
• Two California projects selected for transformational energy storage research to advance electric vehicle and grid research (Scoop San Diego)