The first meeting of Pesticide Free Ojai took place on July 28th, with a large, enthusiastic group of people attending.  Committees are being formed and all community members are welcome.

Many people in Ojai are deeply concerned about the negative environmental and health impacts of the use of pesticides and herbicides. We are coming together to create a Pesticide Free Ojai, to bring about public awareness and to work with the city and county to go pesticide free.

We can follow the example of Fairfax, California. The Fairfax Town Council has formalized an official policy of not using pesticides on town property by prohibiting the use of pesticides on Fairfax parks, open space parcels and public rights of way including both aerial spraying and ground applications; and, requiring public notice entitled "neighbor notification" prior to pesticide use on private property.

We have a right to know when pesticides are being used in our neighborhood on private property in order to allow time to take precautions to protect ourselves, our family, pets and property from the hazards of pesticide exposure.

Also, we can learn from the efforts of the Pesticide Awareness and Alternatives Coalition, (PAAC, a non-profit organization), which promotes organic and pesticide free living and awareness of the dangers of, and safe alternatives to toxic pesticide use.  Under the guidance of Executive Director, Estelle Foster, PAAC has worked with the Santa Barbara City Council and parks department, and now 40 parks in Santa Barbara are pesticide free.

Deadly chemicals are sold freely at every garden center, every hardware store, and even at supermarkets.  Roundup, the most commonly used and supposedly the safest herbicide, has been linked to Attention Deficit Disorder, hyperactivity, & respiratory and flu like symptoms in children. Pesticides are designed to kill, and they do. But while the world is waking up to the advantages of organically produced food, the ever present dangers of pesticides in our water and air remain largely unacknowledged.

Regarding RoundUp, NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) states: "Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment."   Also: " This substance is toxic to aquatic organisms." NIOSH is the U.S. Federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness.  NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.)

Symptoms following exposure to glyphosate formulations include: swollen eyes, face and joints; facial numbness; burning and/or itching skin; blisters; rapid heart rate; elevated blood pressure; chest pains, congestion; coughing; headache; and nausea.  It is also linked to chronic health effects.

A 1999 study, A Case-Control Study of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Exposure to Pesticides, (American Cancer Society, 1999), found that people exposed to glyphosate are 2.7 times more likely to contract non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Dr. Bernhoft, an Environmental Health Specialist in Ojai, says his office is filled with patients that are suffering from negative health impacts of exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment, including pesticides and herbicides.

The East End of Ojai has an alarming rate of cancer, and it is thought to be linked to the spraying of pesticide and herbicides in the orchards.  There are alternatives to toxics.  Successful, non-toxic, organic methods of dealing with pests in orchards include using a mixture of biodegradable soap and water.  (It has been reported that Shaklee "Basic H" soap diluted with water has been used successfully in orchards to deal with pests.)

Everyone is affected by pesticides and herbicides.  While some people may not feel immediate effects from pesticide/herbicide exposure, the build-up of toxins in the body will have long-term effects on everyone.  Women, the elderly, and especially children, are most susceptible to toxic chemical exposures. Toxic chemicals can interfere with the development of fetuses. Damage may be permanent. Fifty percent of the population does not have the liver enzymes to handle and process the toxic chemicals that we are all exposed to on a daily basis.  The cumulative effects on our children's immune systems can be devastating.  The epidemic of asthma is also traced to the overload of toxins in our environment.

Please join us in creating a healthy, loving community.

Meetings will be ongoing, most Monday evenings. (There will be vacation times, so please e-mail to confirm that meetings will be taking place.)

Patty Pagaling
E-mail: protectmatilija@gmail.com
ph: 805-639-3764