HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0491.032 2020-2022 From: Lizzy Laliberty
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2021 11:42 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony re: Bill prohibiting the use of glyphosate-based pesticides in County parks
Aloha Councilmembers,
I am writing this testimony in STRONG SUPPORT of the proposed bill. There are so many reasons to ban
the use of glyphosate. Workers who apply this compound are at risk of exposure to a carcinogenic chemical.
Not to mention any additional risk of exposure to the public due to wind, rain runoff and overapplication.
Glyphosate kills soil microorganisms and this may also be connected to problems with the human gut
microbiome,because the chemical residue is ingested with food and breathed in through the air. In
addition, dead soil cannot absorb carbon so glyphosate prevents carbon sequestration not only by the
plants that die, but also from the soil itself which is thought to be able to absorb 3 times more carbon from
the atmosphere than plants.
Last but not least I know how expensive glyphosate is. The County could save precious revenue monies by
looking into other forms of weed control such as planting perennial groundcover, using weedcloth and
removal by machines just to name a few. I know I'm not privvy to the County budget and I'm not a botanist
either but I am writing today as a concerned citizen,who doesn't want the air,water and soil polluted with
cancerous chemicals that are purchased with my taxpayer monies. The County Council should
leave behind the status quo of using long-lasting toxic poisons by banning the use of glyphosate, and begin
building healthy, functioning ecosystems that sustain life.
Sincerely,
Liz Laliberte
Hilo, Hawaii
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