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Based in Delhi, Vandana Shiva promotes the use of indigenous seeds and the diversification of crops. She discourages seeding genetically modified plants. Her work has advocated a major shift in the agricultural system and given her a huge fan base around the world.
"The funny thing is you can eat your way to conservation."
Please support the following organizations that Vandana is affiliated with:
www.navdanya.com
Biodiversity, a variation in species and ecosystems, is the spice of life. The necessity of this constant difference and change is what maintains resiliency on our planet, and ensures earth’s life forms can survive even disasters.
But as the world continues to expand, and the number of mouths to feed multiplies every day, the threat of declining biodiversity grows. The United Nations (UN) estimates that between 1970 and 2000, the abundance of species dropped by 40%, and continues to decline.
For GreenHero Dr. Vandana Shiva, a disappearance of forests near her hometown in India was her call to wake up. Back in 1991, Vandana founded Navdanya to promote small farmers, to rejuvenate indigenous knowledge and culture, and ultimately to support, protect and grow biodiversity.
With over 34,000 species of plant currently in danger of extinction, Vandana continues to work tirelessly to conserve seeds and to fight against the loss of species in the face of globalization. She’s planting the seed by inspiring others to consider a healthier, more sustainable and bio-diverse food system. You can plant the seed in others too.
“[What] motivates me is the deep love for the earth and her biodiversity and her life processes. I have a passion for life, I don’t take it for granted and every time there is a threat to life I am compelled to act”
- Vandana Shiva
Remember – in the battle to save the planet, you can plant the first seed: Share your story of how you’re planting seeds for change in your community, by entering our contest, and you’ll be eligible to win a prize, including being featured on TV as our next GreenHero! Contest details and more information can be found .
• Organize a screening of the documentary Dirt! In your community
• Sow a seed in your Environment Minister, and share it’s progress with your network of friends
• Petition to ban terminator seeds in Canada
• Think about your food choices; buy food that is organic and sustainable
• Follow Dr. Vandana Shiva on Twitter
• Become a fan of the Navdanya on Facebook
• Donate to Navdanya to continue supporting the fight for the protection of global plant biodiversity
• to Seeds of Survival to help farmers in developing countries
• Write to your Member of Parliament to support Bill C-474 to bring genetic engineering and farms to the political spotlight
• Photograph your hand to petition against geo-engineering experiments
Leave a comment below with your thoughts and ideas on youth action for positive change!
• Tell 10 friends that between 1970 and 2000, the abundance of species dropped by 40%, and continues to decline, and that over 34,000 species of plant are currently in danger of extinction
• Share Wangari Maathai’s GreenHeroes webisode using our neat Sharelizer widget. You can post GreenHeroes.tv videos on your blog or website by simply following the directions on our site.
You can either register for a contest profile, enter your personal information to the left, or sign in with your Facebook account by clicking the button below.
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Feed Your City Organization is carrying on the good work of saving seeds, and promoting local biodiversity. Zell Artan, and Matthew Krist, Co-Founders of FeedYourCity.org have been working in permaculture farming since 2008 when they met on Zell's parents hobby farm in North Bay. The seeds that her Mother saves and plants every year are heirloom seeds of different varieties than what you might find at a grocery store. By natural soil building and water retention techniques, the land is healthy and fruitful and they deliver over 10000 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables to the North Bay Farmers market every season for over 11 years.
Feed Your City has combined the Artan Gardens seed bank with seed swapping at Seedy Saturday and among other community gardeners to develop a line of seeds that can't be found just anywhere. The Artan's propogate their seeds from strains from the Caucaus' which is the birthplace of agriculture in the world.
Help Feed your City develop their rooftop urban farms for local heirloom seeds in Toronto. Our current project is to build a greenhouse for seed germination on the Carrot Green Roof. This small greenhouse is a micro-cosm of what could be built throughout the city. Imagine glowing urban farms on the roofs all around Toronto's neighborhoods, supporting the restaurants, the grocery stores and the herbal medicine and tincture shops with fresh local products.
Feed Your City Plants the Seed to Feed Your Schools, your hospitals, your homes and your community.
Cultivate Creative Culture!