Take Action by February 15th!
An unprecedented number of health and environment organizations have formed a coalition to urge the British Columbia government to pass leading-edge legislation to prohibit the sale and use of toxic lawn and garden chemicals.
The coalition has released a statement outlining four main reasons a strong ban is appropriate:
1. Cosmetic pesticide use is a public health issue, particularly for children;
2. Pesticide bans work;
3. Alternatives are available and good for business; and
4. There is broad public support for such a ban in BC
More than half of BC residents (56 percent) have no protection from scientifically proven harmful pesticide exposure, according to the non-profit organization Pesticide Free BC, because they live where there are no pesticide bylaws. Meanwhile, in Quebec only four percent of homes with a lawn or garden were using chemical pesticides one year after province-wide regulations were fully implemented in 2007.
The coalition is asking that the ban be passed in 2010 and implemented within two years of the government's current mandate.
Some of the 18 organizations that make up the coalition include Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Sierra Club BC, Toxic Free Canada, Inspire Health, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Green Peace, David Suzuki Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society.
For more information, to read the coalition statement and to take action (by February 15th deadline) go to:
http://www.pesticidefreebc.org/index.php?option=com_...