• Stop Spraying Poison! • Mainlanders • Columnists Stop Spraying Poison! After writing the County Council, I urge others to express their opinion as testimony or as a public a statement at the Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. on May
• Stop Spraying Poison!
• Mainlanders
• Columnists
Stop Spraying Poison!
After writing the County Council, I urge others to express their opinion as testimony or as a public a statement at the Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. on May 6. The councilmembers can be emailed at council@aloha.net
The Public Works Department has made a request to continue the poison spray program. I urged the County Council to deny $82,000 in funding for pesticide and herbicide at the May 6 meeting.
I‘ve watched with distress as the county cuts (labor) costs by spraying herbicides like RoundUp along public highways. The County sprays along fences and around signs and other public features along the road. In most cases, fencess are near where the roads cross surface water that is in culverts. Consequently, there are concentrations of herbicide deposited at the one of worst possible spots, near open running water.
It is known that dogs, and other pets, have been damaged or killed by products like RoundUP; especially when they are still “fresh.” It is true that RoundUp is water soluble, but it can take some time to be washed and diluted from the place it was deposited. For a while, it could be harmful our children.
When I was a boy, I explored every culvert and bridge I could find along the roadside. It was where kids hung out. Chances are you could find a pond or waterfall if you started at a culvert.
Here’s another childhood memory. When I was a kid, DDT was considered safe enough (as a mosquito repellant) that it was sprayed on thousands of beach-goers on New York’s Long Island beaches in the 1950’s. Children my age, in bathing suits, would follow the tank-trunks in the sand, and play in the cloud of DDT spray that was so cooling on a hot sunny day.
Does Kaua‘i County have certainty of the real long term health impact of RoundUp sprayed along the public pedestrian way in into our freah water streams? Any more than the New York Public Works Department had in the 50’s about the effect DDT on people?
One thing is not disputable: Spraying RoundUp for miles alongside our beautiful roads is very ugly landscaping. It probably has more affect on the tourist impressions of our island than most suspect. I find it depressing to see these swaths of death and destruction when I’m showing off Kaua‘i to visitors.
Please work to bring about a poison free landscaping of our island.
Juan Wilson
Hanapepe
Mainlanders
Regarding Gary Matola’s suggestion that the mainlanders be taxed so that they would find Kaua‘i unaffordable. Let’s back up. Most mainlanders come with their hearts full of love for the privilege to be on this beautiful part of paradise. I have made many trips to the Kaua‘i and every time I thought this was the best! And I have contributed to the economy big time. People such Mr. Matola who resent the mainlanders are not going to spoil my love for the Islands and the people who have returned my love.
As far as the mainlanders not know what it is like to “cover the nut,” I have worked for 50 years with very little time off. I think I know poverty as well as the next person. I have experienced many times with little or no money, but I was working every day and even worked two jobs at times. Some of us mainlanders have earned every penny they have, the hard way.
A suggestion for those who want to be productive and take pride in their Island, try picking up the rubbish along the highways. Put some effort into suggesting a big fine for those caught trashing the landscape. Have a contest with anice prize for those collecting the most trash. End the contest with a barbeque. Just a few suggestions.
Nancy E. Long
Peoria, AZ
Columnists
Compliments to The Garden Island for continuing to publish guest editorials from columnists generally having opposing political views. For example, the 5/3/2004 issue featured Joseph Perkins (The San Diego Union-Tribune) and Gene Lyons (the Arimneas Democrat-Gazette) whose viewpoints are expressed frequently.
It’s also a “plus” that The Gonlen Island occasionally accepts letters from out-of-state readers for publication; which evidently is not the case for all newspapers! For example, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette will not accept letters from out-of-state individuals! This discovery came about when trying to respond to a statement made by Mr. Lyons, more than once in the past, that George Bush was “elected President by the Supreme Court”I Indirectly, however, it was the people that knew Mr. Gore the beat (the people of his home state of Tennes”e) that did the trick!
Under The Constitution of the United States, the President is elected by the various states “electoral” votes and not “popular votes. In the 2000 election, the tally was: 271 for Bush and 267 for Gore. Had Tennessee’s 11 electoral votes been for their native son, the final count would have been: 260 for Bush and 278 for Gore! Thus, the punch card circus in Florida would have been meaningless!
Oh yes, the home state of one Bill Clinton also cast their 6 electoral votes for Mr. Bush rather than Mr. Gorel But, alas, the good people of Arkansas may never be able to read my letter as The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette doesn’t approve of outsiders!
Joe Stoddard
Kapa‘a
