HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0489.223 2018-2020 CrAP-ITY CLERIc COMM.40
Murashige, Laura rnttiITY n
From: Michelle Suber <michellesuber@mac.com> L: 1
Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2019 3:06 PM ���9 OCT _
To: Council Testimony
Subject: \ Bill 101
Aloha council members,
I write with support of Bill 101 to be introduced next Tuesday, October 16 by Rebecca Shute-Villegas.
I have been working with Parks and Recreation for the past two and a half years, overseeing and coordinating
the Friends of Honoka'a Park. Community volunteers have spent over a thousand hours supporting
the maintenance of this herbicide free park. Most recently, county P & R leader Hercules Lee has committed to
maintaining the park grounds without toxic herbicides. Our group will continue to have twice yearly work days
to remain in close collaboration and support these efforts.
I speak about this community involvement because I want you to know how important it is to us to have a safe,
clean, green place for our children to play and grow. This is not only true in our parks, but for our whole
island. The health of humans, other animals, ecosystems, and our fragile ocean environment urgently requires
us to stop the use of all toxic chemicals.
In addition to volunteering for Parks and Rec, I have been practicing as a Hawai'i licensed naturopathic
physician for the past 21 years. I have seen the effects of toxic burden in my patients and it is painful and life
altering. We need to be responsible for our parts, and this is one piece of the picture that we can relatively
easily change.
I recognize that it can seem like a battle, with issues around funding the human power it takes to manage parks
and roads without toxic spray. If we step back, however, and examine the issue from a systems perspective,we
will see that we need to overhaul our approach completely. With the help of Beyond Pesticides and other
committed groups, we can certainly accomplish this over the next four years.
Thank you for considering my testimony. Please support the passage of Bill 101.
Sincerely,
Michelle .uber
Hamakua coast
Dr. Michelle Suber
Naturopathic Physician
Ha'ina Cottage
65-1235 A Opelo Road#6
Kamuela, HI 96743
10:In
Comm. No.
1 Ref.To: pIIQW
EVSAO
Ref. DateOCT,1 5 Z019