Food System Change Not Climate Change
December 17th, 2009
Copenhagen, 15th of December- On Tuesday in Copenhagen, 1000 people marched in a demonstration, organised by Climate Justice Action(CJA), looking to bring awareness between agriculture and climate change. Led by the message ‘Food System Change, NOT Climate Change,’ the protesters braved the wind and snow to highlight key corporations in the industrial agriculture system.
Greenwashing is Brainwashing
The agriculture march took off at Danisco, a multinational food corporation. Here an action was performed in order to highlight the rampant use of greenwashing in todays advertising. While the police confiscated the green paint planned to color a large pile of trash, the group symbolically greenwashed the trash, chanting ‘Greenwashing is Brainwashing.’
Food comes from Plants not from Corporate Hands
The protest then walked through the city center being led by 50 members of a samba band. After a long distance of dancing, an action was performed in front of a Netto supermarket. People held banners highlighting local food production and handed out hundreds of vegan burgers to the people on the streets. ‘This is what real food tastes like’ projected the sound system. Netto is owned by the shipping company Maersk, which using its large capital keeps the food prices low, hurting farmers both locally and around the world.
Food for People not for Cars
The next stop was at a Shell Gas station. This stop was used to highlight the unsustainable direction that agro-fuel production is taking. The police surrounded the gas station as to not let the protesters enter. This however, was counterproductive as it caused the closing of the gas station for over an hour.
Meat kills Animals, People and their Climate
The demonstration ended at the axeltorv plaza. Next to a building housing food industry organizations such as the Danish Pig Farmers association and the Danish Slaughterhouse Association, a film entitled ‘The Killing Fields’ was screened. The film highlights the trauma felt by indiginous farmers in South America by large agro-businesses. The companies are destroying native farm land and rainforest in order to grow soy. Much of the soy is exported to Europe in order to feed livestock. Others dressed in pig and cow suits danced on the side of the building in order to visualize the message.
All in all in was a great day.
for video click here:
http://stoorzender.tv/cop15/?p=121
