[NatureNS] NS Provincial Pesticide Ban

From: "David & Alison Webster" <dwebster@glinx.com>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
References: <BLU144-W36A358FE0B9185306EB8D9DD3C0@phx.gbl> <46efb8bd1003010755o62c9537bm33f82b71a9c35064@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 12:06:06 -0400
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Hi Suzanne & All,                Mar 2, 2010
    While I have, from the first, maintained that use of pesticides for =
cosmetic purposes is an obsene misuse of technology I think a ban is =
undesirable for a host of reasons.

    Foremost among these is validation, by a ban, of the entirely false =
premise that pesticides are hazardous to human health even if used as =
directed.=20

    Establishing policy on the basis of falsehood is a slippery slope =
that could lead in time e.g. to banning of pesticide for all uses; =
starvation is detrimental to health. [See Irish Potato Famine and social =
history up to mid 19th century.]

    Figure 8 in Baxter & Ramlo ( 1998, What can you expect ? Life =
expectancy in Canada, 1921-2021) shows a continuous increase in life =
expectancy from 1831 (39 years) onward. Since pesticides were introduced =
in the early 40s L.E. has increased from 64.6 years in 1941 to 77.6 =
years in 1991. More recent figures from a World Life Expectancy Chart
http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa042000b.htm
show L.E. to be 79.2 and 79.4 years in 1998 and 2000 respectively.

    If pesticides are detrimental to human health then why has L.E. =
increased by 23% over the last 6 decades ?

    Clearly pesticides are detrimental to the targets; weeds or insects. =
But a mania for frequently mowed grass monoculture also detracts from =
spatial biodiversity. A shift in values will in the long run be more =
effective than a ban that addresses only one aspect of the overmanaged =
yard.
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Suzanne Townsend=20
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 11:55 AM
  Subject: [NatureNS] NS Provincial Pesticide Ban


  NS Provincial Pesticide Ban - TAKE ACTION NOW to make it happen!=20


  If you haven't yet responded to the consultation on whether to ban =
lawn pesticides throughout NS, there is just two weeks left to let the =
government know --


  YES, WE WANT A BAN ON SALE AND USE OF UNNECESSARY LAWN PESTICIDES.


  The government's consultation on whether to ban lawn pesticides ends =
March 7. The Landscape Industry is hard at work spreading misinformation =
to oppose the ban. You may have seen the article from Landscape Nova =
Scotia in the Chronicle Herald with the claim that vinegar is twice as =
toxic as Roundup.


  We need everyone who supports a ban to respond to the consultation. =
NUMBERS COUNT!


  PLEASE, take a minute right now to reply to the consultation with this =
core message:


   "I agree that NS should ban the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides. =
Cosmetic pesticides pose an unnecessary risk to our health and our =
environment."


  Then add a sentence (or more) that reflects why YOU care about this =
issue. Are you a parent, a grandparent, a health professional, a person =
with chemical sensitivities or asthma, a cancer survivor, a person who =
wants a healthier planet - maybe all of the above.

  Send your message to=20
  Email to Policy@gov.ns.ca
  Phone: 1-888-320-0555   =20
  Fax: (902) 424-0644=20
   or respond on line at https://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/pests/comments.asp

  The government's position paper is available on line at =
http://www.gov.ns.ca/nse/pests/discussing.pesticides.asp.


  Check out the Cancer Society's Pesticide Free video on YouTube =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DLU24HbMxwcE .


  But first, SEND YOUR EMAIL TO THE GOVERNMENT! If you have responded =
already, thanks. =20


  Please pass this on to anyone you know who wants a healthier =
environment in Nova Scotia.







-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----



  Internal Virus Database is out of date.
  Checked by AVG - www.avg.com=20
  Version: 8.5.435 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2701 - Release Date: =
02/21/10 07:34:00

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<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Hi Suzanne &amp; All,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mar 2,=20
2010</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; While I have, from =
the first,=20
maintained that use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes is an =
obsene&nbsp;misuse=20
of technology I&nbsp;think a ban is undesirable for a host of=20
reasons.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Foremost among these =

is&nbsp;validation, by a ban,&nbsp;of the entirely false premise that =
pesticides=20
are&nbsp;hazardous to human health even if used as directed. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Establishing policy =
on the basis=20
of falsehood is a slippery slope that could lead in time e.g. to banning =
of=20
pesticide for all&nbsp;uses; starvation is detrimental to health. [See =
Irish=20
Potato Famine and social history up to mid 19th century.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Figure 8 in Baxter =
&amp; Ramlo=20
(&nbsp;1998, What can you expect ? Life expectancy in Canada, 1921-2021) =
shows a=20
continuous increase in life expectancy&nbsp;from 1831 (39 years)=20
onward.&nbsp;Since pesticides were introduced in the early 40s&nbsp;L.E. =
has=20
increased from&nbsp;64.6 years in 1941 to&nbsp;77.6 years in 1991. More =
recent=20
figures from a World Life Expectancy Chart</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial><A=20
href=3D"http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa042000b.htm">http://g=
eography.about.com/library/weekly/aa042000b.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>show L.E. to be 79.2 and 79.4 years in =
1998 and=20
2000 respectively.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If pesticides are =
detrimental