HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0143.073 2014-2016Aloha County Council Members,
My Name is Alapa`i Kaulia, I am a Kanaka maoli. I.am against having round up or any other
pesticides or insecticides in our counties budget. My ancestors are from this very `aina. I believe
that they have lived thousands of years here without any of those chemicals and that we can
continue these days using the same methods. Those of us that do try to stick to traditionnal
practices of manual labor are forced to have the chemicals sprayed or leaked onto private
properties.
I am a perfect example of that scenerio. Although I have a garden with both fruits and
vegetables inside, I live below a county park where the county sparys maybe every 4 monthes
or so. When I looked at my green onions, ginger and my cabbage that was growing up against
the wall, it was brown and somewhat wilted. It was at that point of noticing my lifeless
vegeatbles that i looked up and realized all the weeds and grass that was above, on the county
property was brown and lifeless, as well. I then seen the county' workers spraying a little higher
up the street the next day and realized at that moment that this is the purpose of people placing
signs outside stating "no spray please". I believe that Hawaii is Paradise and that it should go
without saying that these signs should not be neccessary. We should be able to control the use
of chemicals on our private properties.
The county funding for Round up and other similiiar chemicals average around $30,000
annually. I believe with that funding they would be able to open another positiion for another
county employee. Traditional manual labor was the prime way of weeding and having another
county employee could be used toward the benefit of traditional weeding. That is the most
sustainable way for us to continue with cultivation and agricultural practice on an island. We live
off of the original ahupua`a system and need to realize, that which is sprayed up hill will roll
down hill and chemicals which are sprayed up wind will be contaminating things down wind.
Further more i would like to touch basis on the safety of this use of chemicals in public areas. I'
would like to bring attention to the uniform or hazmat clothing and mask being used by the
county workers at the time of spraying. Why would they be covered up from head to toe to spray
round -up? maybe because it is poison. if it is poisoned and sprayed next to our playground and
along side highways why are we, the people who are driving and playing in the area not
provided with the same hazmat suit as the guy spraying. If we as humans are organic matter
and the round up claims to kiill organic matter why do we use it so close to the public and
people. I would love to see the defunding of round up and glyphosate and any other similiar
pesticides and insectides chemicals.
Please heed,these words: Chemicals that are harmful and placed within an island will only
contiue to bring damnation to our isolated boundries. .
Na Alapa`i Kauli'a May 18,2015
(808) 333 0298
Comm. ti
Ref. To:Mh& C
Raf� Date MAY 18 2015