Pubdate: Tue, 15 May 2001
Source: San Luis Obispo County Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2001 The Tribune
Contact:  http://www.thetribunenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/391
Author: Leila W. Knox, The Tribune

WOODY STUMPS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Talk Is Part Of His West Coast Bike Tour Touting Organic Living

Cal Poly  Barefoot, tanned and clad in a loose-fitting hemp shirt and 
matching pants, TV and film star Woody Harrelson sang the praises of 
renewable natural resources and earth-friendly products to an audience of 
more than 800 people at the Cal Poly Recreation Center on Monday night.

"We've got to make a connection between what we're doing and the beast," 
Harrelson told the audience.

Harrelson, who starred in movies "White Men Can't Jump" and "The People vs. 
Larry Flynt" among others, rallied the audience to think about the products 
they are using and the way they live their lives eating at McDonald's, 
drinking Coca-Cola, driving cars  and how it affects the environment.

The actor, surrounded by friends and family, stopped in San Luis Obispo as 
part of his West Coast bicycle tour to promote his message of simple 
organic living. He began the journey April 12 in Seattle, and had biked 
1,300 miles by the time he reached Cal Poly. His final destination is Los 
Angeles.

One of Harrelson's fellow bikers, Joe Hickey, spoke to the crowd about hemp 
farming in his home state of Kentucky. Hickey, who is with the Kentucky 
Hemp-growers Cooperative, became acquainted with Harrelson when the two 
fought for farmers' rights to grow the product, which can be used to make 
paper, clothing and food.

The hemp plant is a strain of cannabis as is the illegal marijuana plant, 
but it does not contain significant amounts of the active drug THC present 
in marijuana.

Hickey announced that the Kentucky legislature recently passed a bill that 
allows research of industrial hemp.

Harrelson challenged the crowd by asking if anyone thinks they live in a 
free country.

"To me freedom is absolute," Harrelson said. "To me, to live in a free 
country, you should be able to do what you want as long as you don't hurt 
anybody else or hurt their property."

Harrelson and his crew are accompanied by a bus called the Mothership, 
which runs not on gasoline but on a bio-fuel made from hemp and vegetable 
oil. The bus is equipped with an organic kitchen and solar-powered appliances.
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