Monsanto’s Greenwashing More Outrageous than Ever
September 8, 2009 · Print This Article
It’s a dubious honor, but one that Monsanto doesn’t seem too eager to refuse. The world’s most hated corporation has been aggressively greenwashing its reputation for years and has recently stepped up its efforts to claim that its earth- and people-unfriendly practices are “sustainable”.
In fact, Monsanto’s website is packed full of sickeningly misleading claims about how their iron grip on the world’s food supply is actually good for us and for the environment. There are dozens of different ways in which this is just plain wrong – but The Guardian has focused on one in particular: Monsanto’s thirst for water.
Monsanto trumpets its patented water-efficient seeds, so one would expect the company to be sensitive about its own water usage. However, on the Hawaiian island of Molokai – where Monsanto is the largest employer and does a lot of reseach into genetically modified crops – this corporate giant has caused water shortages.
From The Guardian:
Nature on Molokai has suffered badly from the invasion of Monsanto and other big-farm companies. In recompense, Monsanto puts money into a Nature Conservancy programme on the island to “preserve biodiversity and protect water sources”.
The company has nonetheless gained a bad reputation there as a water bully. As a local journalist wrote there last year in the Molokai Dispatch, “Monsanto’s thirst for more water” threatens its future on the island. “Like most large corporations, Monsanto’s number one priority is to maximise profits. In this case it means planting as many acres as possible, and using a lot of water,” wrote Todd Yamashita.
Recently, during a drought that emptied reservoirs and forced the local irrigation company to demand 20% water cutbacks from local farmers, Monsanto insisted on the right to take more water and lobbied for a new aquifer to be tapped.
Of course, this is only one small example of Monsanto’s jaw-dropping offenses. The capacity for evil that this company has is seemingly endless. Learn more:
Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear
Millions Against Monsanto Campaign
Monsanto – SourceWatch
MonsantoWatch
The World According to Monsanto (Documentary)
Link [The Guardian]
Photo credit: Greenpeace
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The World According to Monsanto
Am I the first to comment? I don’t see where comments are shown.
The 20% cutback was not from local farmers, it was from non-homesteaders, in other words, the non-locals, including Monsanto! The homesteaders have not had the Molokai Irrigation System put any mandatory restrictions on them in spite of the current drought.
If you are going to build an argument against Monsanto at least use real facts. There are plenty of real incriminating facts that are documented, as opposed to what Mr. Pearce is spewing in The Guardian.
Monsanto has done much to set back the cause it purports to support, the one that biotech seeds can be drought resistant and end world hunger. Their predatory practices used in obtaining licenses and patents ultimately hurts the science and is evidence of a corporation looking at profits more than sharing real breakthroughs.
To get a more balanced and well-researched point of view, read http://molokainews.wordpress.com/food-fight/.
Leave comments on the blog and I will answer any specific questions about Monsanto, water and MolokaI.
U guys are extreme in a bad way okay i’m for helping the earth but you guys take it to far. Tone it Down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!