A grassroots community effort born as a way of “agreeing to agree” on issues important to Kaua‘i is about to take its second step. After the first get together two weeks ago at “Uncle Jimmy’s Big Tent Kukakuka” at Hanama‘ulu
A grassroots community effort born as a way of “agreeing to agree” on issues important to Kaua‘i is about to take its second step.
After the first get together two weeks ago at “Uncle Jimmy’s Big Tent Kukakuka” at Hanama‘ulu Beach Park, event organizers are taking the red-and-white-striped mobile meeting hall west. A Big Tent gathering will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center Park.
According to the tent’s namesake, Jimmy Torio of Anahola, the philosophy behind the tent is that the meetings are not confined to one issue.
The idea behind the meeting is to benefit those who speak about the issues and a benefit to those who listen to the issues expressed.
At the last Big Tent event in Hanama‘ulu, issues including sustainability, food security, quality of life, the military and the militarism of police departments were discussed.
Torio said the meeting will offer open dialogue about issues currently developing in Westside communities, including the landfill situation, sustainability, sovereignty and GMO.
One of the issues set to be discussed at Wednesday’s event is that of pesticide spraying near schools in Waimea and Kekaha.
“The most important issues are around the safety for children,” said Diana LaBedz, one of the event organizers. “Creating a toxic chemical-free future for our children’s children is our shared goal.”
LaBedz feels Westside agricultural creates health issues for children and families, yet information on the topic is scarce.
“The Big Tent event is an open space to educate our community about the potential risks they face from the chemical companies that experiment with and grow genetically modified foods.”
To help address these issues, LaBedz has enlisted the help of Lorrin Pang, a public health specialist on Maui, and Hector Valenzuela, a vegetable crops extension specialist at the University of Hawai‘i’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.
LaBedz said Pang will speak about the dangers of agricultural chemicals while Valenzuela will “educate about the potential hazards of GMO crops and foods.”
Valenzuela said the main concern is the effects of intensive uses of fertilizers and pesticides.
“The health and environmental risks from the use of all these products in our islands is unknown,” Valenzuela said in an e-mail. “We don’t know what the risks are, because the studies/research hasn’t been conducted.”
Valenzuela added that there are proper scientific protocols that can be used to track health problems associated with exposure to pesticides.
“The community should demand that these protocols be followed,” Valenzuela said. “The seed companies should also provide data on what have been the health effects on field workers (and nearby communities, including children) from the exposure to pesticides and GMO pollen over the last 10 to 12 years.”
Valenzuela said the situation with the schools in Waimea and Kekaha “does point out that children are indeed more vulnerable,” and the studies of the effects of pesticides should also include other “vulnerable sectors of the population.”
Pang, a public health educator from Maui, said he will be at the Big Tent to “find out first-hand what was, or was not done,” in reference to recent chemical smell incidents on the island’s Westside.
Pang added that he would be willing to serve as a resource person on the issue.
“There are many issues at play on the Westside (as on the rest of the island) and the best thing the rest of the island can do for the Westside is to first listen to the locals,” said event organizer Jonathan Jay. “It is through listening that alliances and coalitions can be built, followed by progress made on the challenges we face.”
Both doctors will have a chance to speak during the first half of the meeting, the same as community members. Then they will have the chance to address the concerns of the residents during the second half, Jay said.
The Big Tent will be at Kekaha Neighborhood Center, Wednesday at 6 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring food, chairs and keiki.
For more information, visit www.ponokauai.org
• Rachel Gehrlein, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or rgehrlein@kauaipubco.com.
