Taranaki Regional Council Enviro Awards a Farce

"Dow AgroSciences, Fonterra and Methanex are three named sponsors of Taranaki Regional Council's Environmental Awards. Their sponsorships makes a total mockery of these awards. This is akin to a weapons manufacturer sponsoring a peace scholarship" says Climate Justice Taranaki spokesperson Emily Bailey.

"Dow AgroSciences, a subsidiary of the Dow Chemical Company, manufactures and distributes herbicides, fungicides and insecticides which destroy soils, create super bugs and poison our environment. The company makes chemical warfare in industrial farming a reality. Ivon Waktins-Dow's history as producer of Agent Orange ingredients and dioxins in New Plymouth resulted in horrific destruction in Vietnam, but also in the poisoning of Paritutu."

"Methanex, a Canadian company that supplies, distributes and markets methanol worldwide. Methanol comes from offshore petroleum drilling and onshore processing in Taranaki. The industry contributes to climate change, air pollution, marine and freshwater pollution and will leave a legacy of soil pollution around its processing plants. Methanol is widely used to manufacture plastics which eventually become dangerous, toxic waste onland and at sea."

"Fonterra, New Zealand's largest company, has been pushing a farming model that results in over-stocking and industrialisation with devastating effects on fresh-water ecology, soils, the climate and rural communities. While Fonterra can be congratulated at beating our own regional council to riparian protection, it is possibly too late for native fish species such as piharau, kokopu, longfin tuna and many galaxiid species."

" Climate Justice Taranaki is in full support of recognising those who make an effort to protect the natural environment. But by sponsoring the awards, polluting companies are using environmentalists to make themselves look good, and comprising the integrity and good reputation of the awards."

ENDS

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