Page 13 - Sonoma County Gazette April 2017

PESTICIDES cont’d from page 12
EPA’s credibility. Previously unsealed court documents from an ongoing cancer lawsuit against Monsanto contain e-mails which show unsettling actions and relationships between Monsanto, EPA regulators, and academics responsible for glyphosate’s safety research and regulation.
In the end, I was convinced that if low-dose exposure to glyphosate might cause birth defects, liver and kidney disease, endocrine system disorders, microbiome disruptions, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, I didn’t want it sprayed at my park.
Taking Local Action
After my initial research, I gathered the courage to cold call my city’s parks department, determined to find another way to manage weeds at my park. My concerns were not taken seriously and I encountered my first “RoundUp® drinker”.
However, after mobilizing a handful of other neighbors, we were able to cut a deal with the department. We would weed the park and they would keep pesticides out. With just a couple “weeding parties” each year, we’ve succeeded. This has not only been easy and e ective, it has been a great opportunity for community-building.
Since then, I have made a similar arrangement at my neighborhood school, which provides me notice and an opportunity to take care of weeds before any spraying occurs.
How You Can Help
We talk a lot these days about the importance of civic engagement. If you are convinced that pesticides and your family should not mix, adopt your favorite park or school campus. Though they might be hesitant initially to change the way things are done, with persistence and a smile they will probably allow you to do their job for them.
It’s also important to contact your elected o cials to express concerns and share ideas. Sonoma County ranks #4 in California for childhood cancer incidence, so policies to limit exposure to carcinogens should be seriously considered. If enough people speak out about their priorities, our policy makers can support more permanent change.
Many schools and parks in Sonoma County are sprayed with glyphosate. However, noteworthy pesticide-free campuses include: Santa Rosa’s Hidden Valley Park, Hidden Valley Satellite Elementary, and the French-American Charter School; Sonoma Valley Unified School District; Petaluma City Schools; Cloverdale Unified School District; and most parks and schools within the city of Sebastopol. Students at Santa Rosa’s Piner High School are initiating a pilot project to kick pesticides o campus. All of these public spaces, without exception, are pesticide-free because a community member voiced concern and o ered a better way. So can you.
This story is far from over. Entrenched interests argue that glyphosate is safe, and it’s convenient to believe. Budgets are tight, glyphosate is cheap and easy to apply, and the tension may continue to increase. Low water-use landscapes can require more pesticides than turf when large uncovered areas of wood chips inevitably fill with weeds.
Glyphosate is invisible once the spray trucks are gone and it’s pleasant, as I know, to live in ignorant bliss. We can and must do better. When we work together toward the goal of beautiful parks without pesticides, our elected o cials and public land managers will listen.
To start a conversation, or for more information on how to get your park or school to pass on pesticides email me at passonpesticides@gmail.com.
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