• Loves Kaua‘i but … Loves Kaua‘i but … After three visits in the past 15 years, I still think Kaua‘i is a delightful island. But in my last visit a few weeks ago, I was very discouraged to discover
• Loves Kaua‘i but …
Loves Kaua‘i but …
After three visits in the past 15 years, I still think Kaua‘i is a delightful island. But in my last visit a few weeks ago, I was very discouraged to discover how extensive the use of pesticides is in every nook and cranny.
After more than a decade of researching environmental health issues, I’ve become convinced it’s better to err on the side of caution when using pesticides, since a new study comes out seemingly every month revealing yet another harmful effect on people. Pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides — however you think of them — may be justified on occasion, when a serious health threat looms, but I’m concluding they shouldn’t be used routinely to keep a yard tidy, or in place of a mower along the side of the road. The cumulative effect of all those sprayings will pose a long-term health threat to many people on the island, and a short-term threat to residents or visitors who, through the luck of the draw, don’t happen to have the right enzymes to detoxify pesticides.
Dozens and dozens of cities and counties in North America are banning or restricting the use of pesticides. While it’s a tough challenge to do that in Kauai’s climate, you do have role models—I understand the Big Island has been pulling this off in parks and along roads for years. I would strongly urge you to consider this on your beautiful island, so that those of you who live there, and those of us who occasionally are privileged to visit, don’t have to worry about our health, and can simply enjoy becoming boogie board addicts.
Bob Weinhold
Santa Fe, NM
