The OregonToxics Blog |
|||||||||||
User Login |
One of OTA's major campaigns is to ban the practice of field burning in the state of Oregon. Since the Olympic Trials are going to be in Eugene starting next week on June 27th, grass seed farmers have agreed to not burn for the sake of the elite athletes that will be in town. However, the Oregonian reported today that "The Eugene-based Western Environmental Law Center has asked Gov. Ted Kulongoski for a broader burning ban, using the logic that if it's good for athletes, why isn't it good for regular folk too?" "It's not fair to protect only elite athletes," said Charlie Tebbutt, staff attorney at the law center. "Those of us who live here the rest of the time deserve the same protection." MoreLast Updated on: Sat, 06/21/2008 - 00:15.
Oregon Toxics Alliance and its partners are claiming a victory with the Wednesday unanimous decision made by Lane County commissioners to ban indefinitely the use of roadside herbicide spray on county roads. OTA has played a large role in urging the public to write their commissioners in support of the ban. The commissioners, acting as the Lane County Board of Health, will hire two workers to battle weeds and other destructive plants. MoreLast Updated on: Fri, 06/20/2008 - 23:38.
This is a huge victory for Santa Cruz and Monterey counties in the southern part of the bay area in California. Residents from those counties protested and fought the state of California through law suits after they were aerially sprayed last year with the chemical called CheckMate LBAM-F. Health advocates that ration on the side of the precautionary principal argue that the health effects of the spray are not known. Hundreds of people last year complained of respiratory problems as well as other ailments after the spraying in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Instead, the chemical CheckMate LBAM-F, which is a chemical phermone to distract male moths from mating, will be aerially sprayed over agricultural or undeveloped land only. A paste containing the same pheromone will be applied to trees and telephone poles, also to confuse male moths. MoreLast Updated on: on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 19:24.
Here in Oregon, beekeepers have not experienced significant losses as the some on the east coast; however, Oregon beekeepers have noticed fewer bees throughout the state. The problem is dire enough that Oregon State University has requested $250,000 in emergency funds from the state to study the problem. Honeybees are key pollinators for crops such as blueberries, cherries, and pears. If there are too few bees to pollinate these key crops, then yield losses can be seen as high as 25% to 100% in a single season according to OSU. MoreLast Updated on: Wed, 06/18/2008 - 00:53.
Did you know that driving on our state highways can expose you to pesticides? Please write to the Oregon Transportation Commission and ODOT by May 9th to urge their support (and funding) for more “no-spray” highways. Contact information below. The Oregon Department of Transportation and many counties routinely spray the sides of highways, roads, streets and right-of-ways with toxic herbicides throughout the spring and summer. Many of these chemicals are known or suspected carcinogens and also harm our internal hormone systems. When you drive, bike or walk on these roads, you can be exposed to pesticides from soil contamination, eating sprayed wild berries, and drifting vapors. Some herbicides are toxic to aquatic plants, fish and other organisms, so any application near ditches or streams behind guardrails can harm environment and contaminate our water. MoreLast Updated on: Wed, 04/30/2008 - 18:24.
A story that came out of Ontario Canada says that by next spring all lawn and garden pesticides will be banned. There is also a ban on the sales of lawn and garden products. The ban will prohibit 80 different chemicals and over 300 products that are considered compromising to health. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty hopes that the new ban will allow children to play in grass without getting skin irritations and to eliminate chronic exposure which could lead to cancers later in life. The new ban does not apply to farms, golf courses, or managed forests. Nonetheless this is a big win that models after the Precautionary Principal in terms of children's health. Places like Home Depot in Canada have promised to stop selling pesticides by the end of 2008, before the law takes effect. MoreLast Updated on: Tue, 04/29/2008 - 21:22.
Candy Neville stopped by the Oregon Toxics Alliance for an interview on her position as a candidate and her views on environmental toxics. She touched on a few issues regarding her feelings on a carbon tax to help fund technologies for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. Check it all out and more in the 4 part video below: MoreLast Updated on: Mon, 04/21/2008 - 20:20.
Lisa Arkin, our executive director, and I attended the Sustainability Town Hall in Corvallis that took place at OSU's CHM2 Hill building on Monday, March 31st. According to the Corvallis Gazette Times, there were an estimated 600 people that attended. Everyone varied in age, expertise, and interest. It was nice seeing younger people involved with brainstorming ideas on their vision for a sustainable Corvallis. The city invested $30,000 to organize the meeting (with two more planned) and plans to shape city policy with it. MoreLast Updated on: Wed, 04/02/2008 - 20:55.
One of the major fines included in the $12,955 total was a $5,994 fine to Woodburn Fertilizer, a branch of Wilbur-Ellis Co., for selling and distributing a restricted use pesticide to unlicensed applicators. There were actually a total of nine incidents that occurred between 2003 and 2005. Also, included in the fine was a failure to maintain proper pesticide records. Marion Ag Service in St. Paul, Oregon also received a fine for $4,403 for the same thing as Woodburn Fertilizer for seven incidents. MoreLast Updated on: Wed, 04/02/2008 - 20:02. |
Recent blog posts
SyndicateWho's new
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||