(Kelly Benjamin is seeking funding for his latest investigative report and I asked if I could re-print his pitch here. You can also help fund the story by simply clicking “” and taking a quick survey.)
Hi folks,
I’m currently working on a story dealing with the push to save the last remaining living forest in Palm Beach County, Florida from development by Scripps, a Biotech company that was given hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Scripps intends to build a Biotech Research Labortatory in the Briger Forest but has been opposed by environmental activists, some of whom were arrested last week for staging Florida’s first “tree sit” in an effort to stop development in the forest. Scripps is also being opposed by activists for several practices they deem deplorable such as animal testing, development of bio-weapons, and patenting the production of natural antibodies in plants. However, the State of Florida officially sees Scripps as a vital economic engine and has allocated over $310 million in taxpayer money to the company since 2003 going as far as to create a joint non-profit to distribute funds to Scripps Florida.
I’m trying a new experiment in “community powered reporting” in order to fund this story. I’ve posted a story pitch at Spot.us, a website that the public can commission and participate with journalists to do reporting on important and perhaps overlooked topics. If I can get 25 people to donate $15.00 (or 30 people to donate $12.50, etc), I can produce this important story next week.
Please check out the story pitch below and if you feel it’s worth $10.00 or $15.00, (or $5.00 if you’re low on cash) please click the “FUND THIS STORY” button at the Spot.us site. The story will be available online with photos and video and heard locally in Tampa on the WMNF News (and possibly nationally on Free Speech Radio News).
Here’s the link:
Contributions are tax deductible and Spot.us partners with news organizations to distribute the content.
THANK YOU! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email or my cell 813-300-1434.
Sincerely,
Kelly
“Scripps Florida located on the Jupiter Campus of Florida Atlantic University is planning to expand its facilities into a Biotech City. The new development, if not defeated, will be placed on what is now the Briger Tract, a 683 acre pine flatwoods ecosystem in Palm Beach Gardens Florida. The Scripps corporation, affiliated with Novartis and Monsanto, is involved in animal experimentation, bio-pharmaceuticals, genetically engineered food crops, and Department of Defense projects. It can be stopped. Contact Evergladesearthfirst@gmail.com for more info.”
“Beginning on Valentine’s Day 2011, two Earth First activists spent a month suspended 30 feet up in the air near Interstate 95 to protest the plans for development of the “FAU/Scripps Bio-tech City” on the Briger Forest Tract- the last living forest in Palm Beach County. On Monday, March 21, two activists involved with the treesit were arrested for trespassing. This story will provide an in-depth analysis of the battle between environmental activists and FAU/Scripps over the last 680 acres of forest land in Palm Beach County.”
A FEW PAST STORIES I’VE REPORTED:
UN Climate Conference Begins in Cancun
Class Warfare Evident in and outside UN Climate Talks
Poor People’s Campaign fights racism in Benton Harbor
Battle Rages over Indigenous Rights and REDD
Homeless Coalition tries to get accurate picture of very big problem
US Social Forum and March to Fulfill the Dream (for Tavis Smiley Show)
In Seminole Heights, Garden Activists Call for Food Not Lawns
Derrick Jensen on Tea Party victories
East Tampa Residents Critical of Police Response
Richard Heinberg on BP Oil Leak and a Post-Carbon world
FWC holds Emergency Meeting on Gulf Oil Spill
Homeless Heroes in Hillsborough County
Local Sustainability Discussed at Green Business Summit
Naomi Klein on non-violence and climate justice in Copenhagen
Poor People’s March hits Detroit
Immokalee Workers March on Publix
Cuban Environmentalist Roberto Perez Rivero on Climate Change
Backward Step on Climate (St. Petersburg Times)
2010-06-25
2010-06-24
2010-08-16
2010-08-13
2010-08-05
2010-10-14
