Green Opportunity Developments, LLC

09/05/2026

Twenty-year-old Surendra Singh Choudhry, better known online as Bittu Tabahi, has earned widespread attention for taking on the polluted Ajnar River in Biaora, Madhya Pradesh. The BSc student began removing plastic, bottles, algae and other waste after becoming disturbed by the condition of the river.

Rather than waiting for a large organised clean-up, Bittu used basic equipment and spent his own money on supplies. What began with some help from friends eventually became an effort he carried on largely by himself, with some stretches requiring months of persistent work.

The mission hasn’t been easy. Bittu has faced criticism from people who questioned whether he was cleaning for social-media attention, while prolonged exposure to the polluted river has reportedly caused him health problems, including skin issues. Despite those setbacks, he continued returning to the river.

Now, dramatic before-and-after images of his work have spread widely online, earning Bittu praise for his determination and environmental efforts. His story has even attracted the attention of industrialist Anand Mahindra, who highlighted Bittu’s work as an example of turning social-media attention into meaningful action.

08/18/2026

In 2010, approximately 10,000 marched in protest and did something unexpected: they burned piles of seeds.

Why? Because the seeds they were setting on fire were hybrids donated by .

These hybrid seeds were approved for donation by the Haitian Ministry of ; they are cross bred between two different species. Peasant farmers saw this donation as a detriment to local seed stocks and food sovereignty. If the farmers planted these hybrids, the crops grown would not produce seeds that could be saved and used for the following year’s crop. Additionally, some of the seeds were treated with dangerous fungicides called Maxim XO thiram, which make the treated seeds dangerous to handle without protective clothing.

This “Trojan gift” from Monsanto came on the heels of the massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck on January 12, 2010, killing 320,000 and displacing millions. Attempting to take advantage of the desperate situation of farmers in the country, Monsanto announced that they would donate 475 tons of hybrid corn and vegetable seeds. Peasant Farmer leader Chavannes Jean-Baptiste called the donation “a new earthquake” because of the threat these seeds posed to small-scale and and the dependence on Monsanto that would be created by this donation.

In order to express their opposition to this so-called “gift,” farmers from around the country marched with banners and straw hats with the statement “ABA MONSANTO” (Down with Monsanto).

This act of resistance to Monsanto’s influence is described in the role for Haiti’s Group of Four and the Brigade, in the lesson Food, Farming, and Justice: A Role Play on La Via Campesina. La Via Campesina is the largest social movement in the world, made up of over 200 million small farmers in 81 countries.

Whether it’s burning seeds that pose a threat to traditional agriculture in Haiti or occupying wealthy landowners’ land in Brazil, La Via Campesina is on the front lines of combating big agribusiness and climate change through food sovereignty. You won’t hear much about La Via Campesina in mainstream news or textbooks. Learn more and teach using the lesson, Food, Farming, and Justice: A Role Play on La Via Campesina, one of more than 80 lessons and articles in A People’s Curriculum for the Earth: Teaching Climate Change and the Environmental Crisis.

This post was prepared by Hannah Russell-Hunter during her Teaching for Change summer internship.

Approximately 10,000 Haitian farmers protested the donation of 475 tons of Monsanto hybrid seeds.

07/17/2026

Air Quality Index

04/17/2026

and declared America's most endangered river for 2026.

04/15/2026

Innovation in Cuba!