HARRELSON STUMPS FOR ECO-ACTIVISM

His San Francisco State Talk Seeks A Range Of Targets, From
Gene-Spliced Food To The Gap

SAN FRANCISCO -- Actor Woody Harrelson was back in San Francisco on
Monday, barefoot and promoting his eco-activism agenda. But instead
of being fined for scaling the Golden Gate Bridge, this time he was
stopped by police for running a stop sign on his bicycle.

"It was so silly," he said while standing aboard the Mothership, a
hemp-and-vegetable-oil powered bus. "The only thing that interfered
with us was the cop."

Harrelson and about eight friends are riding their bicycles from
Seattle to Santa Barbara spreading the message of Simple Organic
Living, otherwise known as the SOL Tour. The 1,500-mile trek started
April 12 and is expected to end May 18.

"Me and my brothers, we're like, 'Hey let's take a long, long bike
ride,'" he said to an auditorium packed with students at San
Francisco State University. "Then we thought we'd stop and talk to
people along the way."

Harrelson, who lives in a solar community in Maui, also got the idea
to add an old Chicago transit bus to the tour. Painted with mermaids,
rainbows, eagles, oceans and mountains, the bus has cork floors, a
hemp fabric roof and a solar-powered kitchen. No engine conversion
was needed for the diesel engine to run on the bio-fuel, and it has
bunks and roll out beds where the crew sleeps in state and national
parks along the route.

During his speech, Harrelson denounced the government for depleting
oil reserves, using pesticides and backing the destruction of natural
resources such as forests, while fighting farmers who want to grow
hemp.

"They grow hemp in 30 other countries, but we can't grow it here in
America," he said. "This little agency called the (Drug Enforcement
Agency). They say it looks just like this other plant that makes you
euphoric. I don't know about you, but I don't trust a government that
doesn't want me to be euphoric."

In November 1996, Harrelson and several other activists took their
preservation message to another level by climbing the Golden Gate's
north tower to hang a banner, demanding the government protect the
60,000-acre Headwaters redwood grove. The protest caused a five-hour
traffic jam, and he was eventually fined $1,000 and forced to perform
25 hours of community service to settle the misdemeanor.

On Monday, Harrelson said police tried to ticket him for running the
stop sign, but he gave his name as William Poindexter and told the
cop to arrest him or let him go. He and his friend then pedaled away.

Two San Francisco police stations near the Presidio, where Harrelson
said the incident occurred, said they were unaware of such an
incident involving the actor. Officials at the Presidio did not
return a call Monday.

Harrelson used the incident as an example of authority figures
exerting too much power in society.

"I should be able to do whatever the hell I want to do as long as I
don't hurt anybody or anybody's property," he said. "What kind of a
government is this anyway? If I want to smoke pot to get high, I'll
smoke it."

Introduced as one of Harrelson's heroes, author John Robbins spoke
about the importance of eating organic foods and forcing the
government to disclose genetically engineered goods sold in
supermarkets.

"I don't want to eat food that's produced from brutal cruelty to
animals," said Robbins, who wrote "Diet for a New America: How Your
Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness and the Future of Life on
Earth."

"The four food groups put out by the USDA on how to eat right. It's
such crap," he said.

As part of his message, Harrelson denounced everything from Coca-Cola
to the Gap and Crest toothpaste, calling them the "mark of the beast."

Harrelson starred as a naive hayseed in the TV series "Cheers" and
later acted in the movies "White Men Can't Jump," "Natural Born
Killers," and "The People vs. Larry Flynt."

After receiving a standing ovation and chants for "Woody, Woody,
Woody," the actor left the stage Monday hoping those attending would
live by his words and spread his message.

"If we could all get together we could change things," he said. "I
feel as though there's a substantial group of people in here that
wouldn't mind going to jail with me."