Pest Control

Re “Superintendent Urges Schools to Turn Up the Heat on Pests,” April 20.

Safe Air For Everyone (SAFE California) would like to commend Ventura County Supt. of Schools Charles Weis for his promotion of a new technique against pests on school campuses. It is gratifying to see that our county superintendent is taking the lead in the fight to eliminate our children’s exposure to toxic chemicals. Accolades as well to Assembly member Tony Strickland (R-Moorpark) for supporting this new technology, which employs heat instead of chemicals.

The risk of health problems due to pesticide exposure is particularly alarming in Ventura County as huge corporate farms employ repeated and intensive applications of chemicals to increase crop production. Added to this mixture are the chemicals schools themselves use, pesticides used in the home and yard and residual chemicals in the food we eat.

In response to some of these problems on the state level, Assembly member Kevin Shelley (D-San Francisco) has authored the Healthy Schools Act, Assembly Bill 2260.

On the national level, two important bills are pending: the School Environmental Protection Act, (Senate Bill 1716) and the Children’s Environmental Protection Act, (Senate Bill 1112). The latter, introduced by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), would require the Environmental Protection Agency to set all health and safety standards at levels that protect children and other vulnerable populations.

Please support the Healthy Schools Act, AB 2260, by writing Gov. Gray Davis, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95184. Support SB 1716 and SB 1112 by writing your representatives and senators.

SAFE California can be contacted at 983-2667.

MARCIA CUMMINGS

Oxnard