Residents for a Chemical Free Shire
Notes from Meeting at Community Centre,
Byron Bay, Sat 23rd May 2009. *
Background: A group of concerned citizens and individuals gathered to discuss potential avenues for action in regards to the specific reality of aerial spraying of Bitou Bush in Byron Shire, and the more general issue of chemical use in the world at large.
Note 1: Two gentlemen, residents from the north of the Shire, asked that the meeting record 5 specific points at the end of the discussion. They are noted below with one addition.
Use of herbicides spreads poisons into our waterways, forests, beaches and peoples homes
There is an increased incidence of people living in other heavily sprayed coastal regions presenting with Leukemia and symptoms of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
There is significant, factually based scientific evidence that glyphosate is harmful to all eco systems and humans
Glyphosate is not biodegradable and can persist in the environment for years
It could be more cost effective to pay unemployed or use volunteers to pull the bitou bush
Council, D.E.C.C. National Parks & the Traditional owners are urged to consider biologically sustainable and chemical free alternatives to exotic species eradication and not to resort to short term chemical solutions that may be more harmful than the species being targeted.
Note 2: It was agreed another meeting, with the probability of future meetings, would be called 5pm, Mon 1st June, at the Byron Community Centre, to formalize specific actions. Rose was prepared to organize this. It was suggested that those coming to this meeting brought a small something to nourish the group as we all left feeling a little hungry!
General points raised, in no particular order:
1. Create a not-for-profit organization to reflect and lobby for chemical free outcomes.
2. Run a local competition to find a name and a logo for this group/organization. Eg: Committee for a Chemical Free Shire
3. Collation of symptoms of health issues from the area, specifically in relation to spraying, as a future reference and as a potential publishable document.
4. Network with other non-chemical groups, for support and info sharing eg: local organic growers; groups that have combated this practice world wide…etc
5. Collate information to challenge local, current practice. For example, the recent court ruling (in New York, 2007) that prevents Monsanto from labeling Roundup as “biodegradable” can be presented to council to challenge their own current statement that it is biodegradable, and the recent publication in France (Jan 2009) that challenges its safety.
6. With this information, find out clear lines of authority and specific individuals who are responsible and record them (even if this is ultimately a council responsibility), making it clear that this information may well be used in future legal proceedings in regards to potential liability.
7. Present the alternative view, and seek to promote an alternative model, with council support. Find out specific costs incurred for aerial spraying and on the ground follow-up, and request that those funds, for a specified area, be used to trial and promote the non-chemical methods available, utilizing either volunteer labour, school children or Green Corp, with appropriate supervision. Contact local Dune Care groups or bush regenerators for assistance and follow up work.
8. Make this model prominent for public assessment.
9. Check with council if the aerial spraying uses dye to indicate where the chemicals fall and drift.
10. Organize a petition for presentation to council, online and on paper, illustrating the true extent of concern, to be posted at local businesses and the local growers markets. Spend the time to create a well worded and effective petition: an example…” We the undersigned support the council in calling for a moratorium on the use of aerial and on the ground spraying of herbicide on Bitou Bush in this shire until new information regarding the safety of this practice is assessed completely and presented to a public meeting for approval”
11. Ask the Echo, and other local businesses, to support this cause, and to help organize for all local councilors to go on public record as to their position on this matter. “Keep Byron Green, say NO to a Yellow Shire”
12. Create a website to be a focus for this issue, with links to all other websites and groups that are also fighting this cause
13. Search out specific copies of other countries labeling practices recorded for presentation to our shire (for example the labeling of Glyphosate as Extremely Toxic in Norway…)
14. Create a further action, or actions, to highlight the current state of affairs.
15. Create bumper stickers, t-shirts, and other local forms of issue-raising advertising… letterbox drops etc…
16. Publish the next meeting scheduled at Council for a show of support, and table a specific question to the council… all supporters could wear Rose’s white suits for a better show…
17. Investigate Council process and find out the possibility of presenting our case specifically on this issue, looking to support council to stand by their green credentials, and to act as a pioneer for other Australian Councils, and the world community….”Chemical Free Shire”
18. Acknowledge that this is in fact a bigger issue than just weed spraying on our local coastline. This is pioneering work to evolve our industrial culture, to help introduce, and establish, triple bottom line practice that gives our future grandchildren’s children a healthier world.
19. Formulate a program for education in local schools, bearing in mind that the next generation will be inheriting this issue.
Caspar Brace 25/05/09 caspar.brace@gmail.com
* This does not represent a complete record of this meeting, but is to be used as a guide in highlighting some of the issues raised.
