HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0392.032 2014-2016Murashige, Laura
From: roger harris <rrh38114@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2015 10:02 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject:. Support for Bill 71 Prohibiting the Use of Toxic Herbicides by the County of Hawaii
I applaud Councilperson Wille's efforts in bringing this very important Bill before the HCC. It is a
measure long overdue and based on human, humane, ecological and common sense principles that
"poison" as it is affectionately known to the local populace, is just that. Not only to the applicator, but
to the environment, to passersby, school children and park visitors, pets, aquatic life and livestock.
And as Bill 71 points out, there are least -toxic alternatives available. They may not always be as
cheap, as labor efficient, or as easy in the short run, but as the old saying goes, you can pay me now,
or you can pay me later. And in this case, "later" means autism and ADHD in young children and
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in the elderly - which coincidentally, was the cause of my own
mother's death. She was a constitutionally strong woman who finally wore down after a lifetime of
being subjected to numerous herbicides from living on a farm.
Even though all of the above scientific issues have been elucidated in peer-reviewed studies at
prestigious universities, at home and abroad, if you need still further proof, go look at the gravestones
in former sugar -cane producing areas of our island. Many died very young, too young.
Their early demises are far too coincidental to be attributed to genetics or poor health choices. Simply
put, working and/or living in toxic environments is akin to carrying around a ticking bomb.
So, in short, please vote smart, not only for yourself and your constituents, young and old, but for the
future of Hawaii County and that which we leave behind. We do have a choice!
Mahalo nui loa.
Roger Harris
Kapoho, Big Island
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