I called both the city and Malibu High School (MHS) regarding the poisoning going on at Trancas Park and MHS’ athletic fields. I had a chance to talk to Parks and Recreation at the city and did get a call back from the MHS principal. But the most important and revealing calls were the ones I made to The Department of Fish and Game, The County Agricultural Commission and The Southern California Department of Pesticide Regulations.
After numerous conversations, the bottom line is quite scary to me. The last call was from the County Agricultural Commission who told me that all the agencies work together and make decisions as to which poison to use where-and all agree to this decision-there is no room for alternatives. I then mentioned the use of Round Up and the evident health risks (and told him how my dog and I got sick from a neighbor using Round Up) and he agreed with me. I then said how white vinegar mixed 50/50 with water can do the same thing, without harming the earth or leaving anything in the soil, and again he agreed. But when I asked how come Round Up is used without interference from his department, he told me that the vinegar/water mixture could be used on private land, but if there’s a vineyard or commercial use then Round Up is the product that is listed that must be used.
My gosh, it seems that Monsanto is not only meshed into the farmers, who must buy Monsanto Round Up-treated soy beans, but now so wrapped into governmental agencies that Round Up is the documented product to use. And people just march out and buy all these poisons, no wonder there are so many environmental problems! Wake up people! Question authority, schools, environmental/animal organizations, the government! How sad!
But thank you for the uplift; the photos on your back page depicting youths determined faces while running in the cross country race, shows that there are sports to be focused on in Malibu besides football.
Alessandra DeClario