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