HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0489.638 2018-2020 Murashige, Laura
From: Malia Hayes <maliahayes@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2019 11:48 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Support and Pass Bill 101 on reducing herbicide use
Aloha Honorable County of Hawaii Council Members,
I am a mother and kama'aina. We need to drastically reduce herbicide use to protect us all from unnecessary
risks to the heath of our keiki, kupuna, and environment.
I am confident that a well staffed transition committee with a range of expertise (e.g. permaculture, agriculture,
silviculture, invasive species, ecology, landscape management) can, in coordination with others (e.g. the fire
department, other agencies and the public) guide the country to be better stewards of the land.
It is important to keep in mind that constant weed killing keeps land in a perpetual phase of ecological primary
succession.In other words, the weeds will keep resprouting forever. We need a new strategy - else we'll be
spraying more and more herbicides as the years go by to attempt to chase a similar level of control. Maybe we
need to be thinking about what low- growing, low-fire-risk species should be tolerated along roadsides (even if
they are weeds), rather than killing them and watching them grow back(with increased soil erosion and
decreased soil quality- leading to more non-native invasive fast growing species).
I pull a few weeds when I take my kids to play at a park. We can all do this to support our county workers. We
can partner with organizations. Perhaps tree trimmers can be partners to drop wood chips in certain
areas? Thick layers of mulch could be appropriate ground cover in some places. Incorporate interdisciplinary
thinking and creativity - there can and will be a better way solve weed management in Hawaii County.
Glyphosate has been identified as a"probable carcinogen"by the International Agency for Research on Cancer
in 2015.
Let's please incorporate the precautionary principle now.
:71-4--
Sincerely,
-4-Sincerely,
Mafia Hayes o c;. 4
-- ani
1J
Cheers,
Malia
n
Comm. No.
Ref. To:
1 Ref. Date. NOV 2 0 2019