Boulder won't add new pesticides to approved list.

NEWS UPDATE: A Huge Success!!Headlines of Daily Camera - 5/18/10:
Boulder won't add new pesticides to approved list.

The Press wrote a story, but didn’t write the courageous story that these young ones deserve, because they were all indeed heroic. In a sterile environment standing before the city officials the youths heartfelt words touched the heart of the City Council Members and by the end of the session City Manager Jane Brautigam said she likely would not allow two new herbicides -- "Tenacity" and "Barricade" -- to be added to the list of pesticides that are approved for use on city property. These young change makers were so excited and feeling very empowered when they saw the Daily Camera article headline, “Boulder won’t add new pesticides to approved list”. Many of them asked, o.k. we won, what’s next? “We have to keep going to get roundup and other chemicals that are on the Cities approved list off” Xiuhtezcatl said.

This issue is a global issue that we are up against. Pesticides are toxifying our oceans and waters, killing wild life, poisoning us and our children, and endangering our future. Trinity Carter 8 years old stated in front of the council, “they find pesticides in the Antarctica ice shelves, a place where they don’t even spray, so even if they are not spraying in your yard we are still be harmed by these chemicals because they spread through the waters and the air”.

There is a wave of media across the U.S. right now supporting this very issue. CNN’s two day news special called “Toxic America” airs the beginning of June. ADHD linked to pesticides came out in multiple papers across the U.S. this week. New York passed the “The Child Safe Playing Field Act”. There are 30 communities back east that have pesticide free zone parks. Obama’s cancer panel released a 200 page report on the over 80,000 toxic chemicals used in the US and only 400 of them very poorly regulated, connecting it with the rise of cancer in our country. Xiuhtezcatl asked the council, “Why is Boulder who is recognized to be one of the U.S.’s most Earth Friendly cities so far behind other communities?”

A great big thank you to all who came and supported this action, but we will need more of you to come and support these youth change makers who are fighting for us all at out next Earth Guardian Action. A people’s movement can change Boulder into the Earth Friendly City that we all deserve. Mobilizing in numbers is what is going to let the city know we are serious and get the media to follow our story and spread our message far and wide . We hope our actions here in Boulder will have a domino effect and inspire other communities around the country to stand together as well. There is a wave right now and together we can win this one. 

Thank all of you for your love and support.

Link to the Daily Camera news article

ACTION ALERT!!
Earth Guardian Action Alert for Next Tuesday May 18th  
Youth are calling on you to rally and protect their future…

Hey Students and Friends, I am Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez from Earth Guardians.   I am calling on you and other youth to join us at a City Council meeting to stop the use of harmful Pesticides and Herbicides in our Parks, on our Playing Fields and around our City. The dangers of these toxic chemicals that we are being exposed to are undeniable.  We play in this grass, we crawl on this grass, we lay on this grass, we fall down on this grass…directly coming into contact with these poisons. 50 youth came to a press conference that we organized last week and over 20 of them spoke out. 

The Daily Camera News did an article on our efforts.  The article went all the way to Washington DC where it was reprinted.  In the New York Times this week , the President’s Cancer Panel wrote an article that calls on America to rethink the way we confront cancer, including much more rigorous regulation of chemicals. The pressure to stop pesticides and herbicides in communities is on all over the United States...our City Council is taking notice.  But we are not out of HOT water yet…We need you to join us one more time in saying NO TO PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES.  This is an issue that hurts us all, and there are natural alternatives to care for the EARTH.

 JOIN other Youth and Adults Tuesday May 18th  to speak out against pesticides and herbicides at the City Council Meeting in the Municipal Building on the SW corner of Canyon and Broadway in Boulder Colorado at 4:45 pm.  You can come and speak, or just carry a sign, the more that show up the better chance we will have in stopping this. 

Thank You

Contact Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez (10 yrs old)  or Tamara Roske 

Press Conference was a Success

UPDATE: 

The PRESS CONFERENCE to Stop Poisoning in our Parks was a Success!

It was an amazing 4 days of all of us working together to mobilize this action and we had a turn out of around 150 people, 50 youth of which came from as far as Longmont and Goldhill to speak out. Over 20 of the young people spoke out so passionately about not wanting pesticides and herbicides used in their environments. Many of the youth who came we don't have your contact information so please fill out the form on the bottom and you can sign up to be an EarthGuardian (adults can sign up as well) and we will notify you of future Youth Mobilized Actions... 

This is the first of many actions that we at GAYA-Earth Guardians have planned as we are now BACK IN ACTION after a two year break from the front lines.

Press Conference Photo:

More photos of the event here

Link to the Daily Camera news article

Press Release For Immediate Release

Press Release

*When:  Friday May 7th at 4:00pm
*Where: In front of the County Court House on the Pearl Street Mall, Boulder, CO
*Boulder Youth Taking Their Future Into Their Own Hands by Speaking Out Against pesticides and herbicides being used in their parks, on their playing fields and in their City…This is the first of many actions they plan as they together stand for their future….
Youth lead rally and press conference by and featuring youth in Boulder who are concerned about pesticides and herbicides being used in their parks and community. Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez, 10 years old, is mobilizing youth from all over Boulder to participate in a 20 minute press conference led by youth to address the issue of harmful pesticides and herbicides that have been recommended for use in our parks and on our playing fields. The dangers of these toxic chemicals that we are being exposed to in our parks and on our playing fields are undeniable. Youth will be saying NO MORE TO PESTICIDES OR HERBICIDES IN OUR COMMUNITY! As well as expressing support for non-toxic alternatives.
Xiuhtezcatl states, "If you talk to the world leading scientists, they say that about 95% of our cancers are from being exposed to toxic chemicals in our foods, in what’s being sprayed in our parks, our classrooms and around our schools. These kind of chemicals not only affect us but affect eco-systems, and animal habitats. There are 41 animals and plants on the endangered species list right here in Colorado. The choices that we make today are going to affect the children of tomorrow. We need to be willing to make the extra effort to change our bad environmental habits which are destroying the Earth, robbing us and generations to come of our future."
Xiuhtezcatl recently spoke at the Dandelion Festival at the Bandshell on this very issue.  He has been very active since he was six years old in speaking out on behalf of the future for all children, by speaking at
events on issues such as global warming, mobilizing undecided voters during the election to vote for Obama, pesticides, and more.  He and his peers will be giving a multi-media presentation called E.A.R.T.H. Earth Activists Restoring Their Home that was designed by his sister and other members of Youth Leaders in Action for schools, community events and environmental conferences to educate, inspire and mobilize youth to stand up on behalf of their futures. You can view some of his videos on
www.youtube.com and do a search for xiuhtezcatl.

Sponsored by GAYA – Global Alliance of Youth and Adults in Action www.gayainternational.org and the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center www.rmpjc.org

Download PDF of Press Release