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Rachel Carson Council News No. 90
Spring 1998
Spring Tide Returning
Review: Living Downstream
'Cide Lines
Lines for Rachel Carson
What's New?
Contact the Rachel Carson CouncilRCC's Wildlife, Pesticides and People Conference
Spring Tide Returning
1962: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson first appears in The New Yorker of June 16th; is selected by Book of the Month Club; is called “the most important chronicle for the human race" by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas.
1963: CBS Newsman, Eric Sevareid, compares Silent Spring to Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin; President John F. Kennedy's Science Advisory Committee states: “...Until the publication of Silent Spring...people were generally unaware of the toxicity of pesticides."
1970: Silent Spring's growing influence results in founding of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
1980: America's Highest Civilian Award, The Presidential Medal of Freedom, is given posthumously to Rachel Carson. In referring to Silent Spring's author the tribute states: "Never silent in the face of destructive trends, Rachel Carson fed a spring of awareness across America and beyond...she warned... of the dangers human beings themselves pose for their own environment. Always concerned, always eloquent, she created a tide of environmental consciousness which has not ebbed."
1992: Silent Spring is cited most often by a panel of 22 notable Americans as the book from the past 50 years that has most profoundly affected the thoughts and actions of humankind ("A Literature of Warning," Dr. Michael D'lnnocenzo).
1998: The rate of pesticide use is greater than it was 36 years ago but alternative methods of farming are also more significant now than at any time since the ascendency of pesticides and a proposal by USDA to weaken National Organic Standards received more objections from the public than any previous Department request for comments. Silent Spring and Rachel Carson are unknown to many Americans between ages 25 and 45, but their children learn about Rachel Carson in school and university students show a growing passion for environmental matters.
And Beyond: While an industry-generated pesticide barrage temporarily obscured the message of Silent Spring, Rachel Carson's vision and the woman herself, growing forces now oppose heavy chemical use. Citizen-generated Integrated Pest Management (IPM), organic and sustainable movements are feeding the tide of environmental consciousness and the spring of awareness. They renew our hope.
~ Dr. Diana Post, Executive Director
Staff of Rachel Carson Council News:
Editor - Diana Post VMD || RCC Staff - Andrew Gifford and Tanya Shuy || Designer, hardcopy version - Martha Collins || Web version - Christine Haugen || Advisors - David and Cynthia McGrath
Living Downstream
Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment, by Sandra Steingraber
Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Inc., 1997, 357 pp., Hardcover, $24.00More than thirty years ago concerned scientists and epidemiologists observed that cancers of all types appeared to have "the characteristics of an epidemic in slow motion" fueled by the "growing chemicalization of the human economy." When Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring, 25 percent of Americans could be expected to receive a cancer diagnosis; today it is about 40 percent. Our newspapers detail the tragic and heart-wrenching emotional stories of cancer victims of all ages, but a crucial question is not asked: Why does this particular person have cancer? Past studies have shown an increased risk of leukemia and brain cancer in children exposed to common household pesticides, for example. The World Health Organization attributes at least 80% of all cancer to environmental influences. Prevention of cancer is neglected as efforts are bent on "finding a cure."
Sandra Steingraber, biologist, poet, and victim of cancer diagnosed in her twenties, determined to explore her own environmental history in Illinois to find the origin of the toxic contaminants in her body -- like those now lodged in the blood, tissue, and bones of humans and wildlife worldwide. Her scrupulous research reveals the impacts on every living thing by multiple environmental pollutants -- agricultural chemicals, dioxins and furans, PCBs, organochlorines, ubiquitous house and garden pesticides, chemicals that mimic natural estrogens, and others too numerous to list.
Few questions were raised about the toxins released into the environment by new industrial and agricultural practices following World War II, aside from Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. It was not until the mid-1980s, over intense industry opposition, that workplaces and community right-to-know laws were enacted. Today the demand for organically grown food is growing as consumers become concerned about pesticide residues. Industry has responded by exerting strong influence on state officials and legislators to introduce "food defamation" laws that permit law suits against anyone who suggests that particular foods are not safe. Corporations have unlimited resources to fund "unbiased" scientists and medical investigators to testify that the toxic chemicals in our food, water and air are not linked to health problems. In addition, they have forged strong ties with universities.
Steingraber is not a lone voice calling for action. Paul Hawken, whose company received the Council on Economic Priorities "Environmental Stewardship Award," warns..."What's suppressing our immune system is literally industry, its by-products, wastes, and toxins. Business people must dedicate themselves to transforming commerce to a restorative undertaking, or march society to the undertaker" (The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability)!
Steingraber pays tribute to Rachel Carson's final legacy -- the recognition of an individual's right to know about poisons introduced into one's environment by others and the right to protection against them. Finally, she reminds us that "from the right to know and the duty to inquire flows the obligation to act." Living Downstream is a compelling handbook for citizen action.
~ By Marjorie J. Smigel
Writer, speaker, environmental activist, and former Rachel Carson Council Board Member
'Cide Lines
1. Fertilizers and Toxic Waste
2. U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competitor, Diazinon and Frogs
3. An Organophosphate and the Brain
4. Flawed Filter + Soil Gas = Pesticide Access
5. The Chemical Fabric of Our Lives
8. Musician Injured Following Diazinon Exposure
9. Roof Blown Off By Insecticide Foggers
10. Pesticide-Impaired Waterways Receiving Attention (Finally)
11. 'Cide-Busting: A Citizen's Story
12. World Food Prize Recipient Favors IPM
13. Genetic Engineering's Advantage?
14. Fly Control, Milk Production, The University of Maryland and Bovine Growth Hormone
15. Especially For Gardeners Who Love A Mystery
17. Especially For Gardeners Who Love Birds
18. Reduced Fitness in Natural Enemies of Herbivorous Insects Feeding on B.t. Corn
( 1 ) Fertilizers and Toxic Waste
Commercial fertilizers contaminated with hazardous waste including lead, arsenic and cadmium, applied to farms and other areas have sickened cattle and produced poor quality crops in Washington state. ("Fertilizers and Recycling Toxic Wastes," Veterinary Human Toxicology, 40(1), Feb.98; The Seattle Times July 3,4,13,20, 1997)
A fertilizer marketed to home owners was found to contain hazardous quantities of arsenic and lead. Mine tailings providing iron and more toxic constituents rendered the product dangerous especially if it were to be accidentally consumed by children, pets or wildlife. ("Home Fertilizer Poses Possible Health Hazard" 5-8-98)
At this time fertilizers are not under federal regulation except for some made from sewage sludge. Unless and until federal legislation assures that fertilizers are free of hazardous waste contamination, protection of public health and the environment are needed at the local level. In Washington state fertilizers will be required to meet quality standards under a law scheduled to be fully implemented by July 1, 1999. Similar legislation introduced in the 1998 Maryland legislative session by Delegate Joan Pitkin failed to win approval. If possible, home owners should make their own soil amendments from composting leaves, grass clippings, etc. When buying fertilizers they need to determine the origin of any purchased products and to avoid those which may be contaminated with hazardous waste. Legislation which will mandate quality standards for these products is urgently needed. (RCC's report, "Running Down the Land," provides details)
( 2 ) U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competitor, Diazinon and Frogs
Brett DePoister, a high school student from Reading, PA has been selected to represent the U.S. at this year's International Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition. He has researched the effects on frog embryos of diazinon (an organophosphate insecticide used by gardeners and farmers). He concluded that this pollutant can cause problems during the early stages of amphibian development some of which can continue as the animals mature. ("Pennsylvania Student to Compete on International Stage for Prestigious Water Award," May 15, 1998)
( 3 ) An Organophosphate Alters Development of the Mammalian Brain
Before birth and in the time immediately thereafter young rats have been found to be far more vulnerable to toxicity of the organophosphate insecticide, chlorpyrifos (active ingredient in Dursban and other products). Chlorpyrifos interferes with DNA and protein synthesis in developing rat brains. The effects can occur below the threshold for changes in the animal's growth and survival. Nevertheless these changes "can be expected to have a significant impact on nervous system function and may be responsible for neurobehavioral disturbances seen with developmental chlorpyrifos exposure." (p. 188, Campbell et al, "Chlorpyrifos interferes with cell development in rat brain regions,' Brain Research Bulletin, V.43, 2, 179-189, 1997)
Mother rats dosed with chlorpyrifos on gestational days 9 through 16 showed no ill effects while their offspring had behavioral problems. (Wiles, et al, Overexposed: Organophosphate Insecticides in Childrens' Food, Environmental Working Group, 1998)
Scientists have warned: "Exposure to anticholinesterases such as chlorpyrifos during early development could... alter the normal development of the nervous system and lead to persistent changes in behavior in later life." (p. 775, Chanda & Pope, "Neurochemical & neurobehavioral effects of repeated gestational exposure to chlorpyrifos in maternal & developing rats," Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, V.53, 4, 771-776, 1996)
In addition, the EPA has warned pregnant women to avoid or restrict their exposure to pesticides including chlorpyrifos. (Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, Jan. 18, 1995, p. 33)
( 4 ) Flawed Filter + Soil Gas = Pesticide Access
A family "itching" since moving to a new house thought they had solved their problem with an "electrostatic" filter installed behind their home's return air grill. However, with this new impediment, outside air had difficulty squeezing through the designated route. Due to the negative pressure created in the wall space, soil gas was pulled into the house through various openings and around drains. This was "not ordinary soil gas but soil gas enriched with the termiticides the ground was poisoned with before the slab was poured and the chemicals sprayed and sprinkled in the yard." (ronhughes@energyhome.com)
Here is yet another route for pesticides to gain access indoors. Once in the house, pesticides can persist for much longer than when outside.
( 5 ) The Chemical Fabric of Our Lives
A study from Rutgers University of indoor sites treated with the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos, found that rugs, furniture, plush toys and pillows can act as reservoirs for the pesticide and release it over time.
Immediately after spraying, air concentrations of chlorpyrifos were found to decline, as expected but then most unexpectedly, after some time the air levels began to increase. This was due to pesticide vapor being released from the fabric and other sites where it had been "sorbed." The effect was found to last up to a week. Home owners need to consider that a similar fate is possible for other chemical sprays not yet specifically tested under these conditions. Less toxic controls such as traps, sealing pest entry areas and improving sanitation should be considered so that toxic sprays are avoided especially in children's play areas. (Gurunathan, et al, "Accumulation of chlorpyrifos on residential surfaces and toys accessible to children," Environmental Health Perspectives, V.106, 1, Jan. 1998)
( 6 ) The Watermen’s Pledge
In his March 20, 1998 "On The Bay" column in The Baltimore Sun, Tom Horton reported that those making their livelihood from the Chesapeake’s bounty now are striving to protect the Bay. Fifty eight of the 175 licensed watermen from Tangier Island (in the Chesapeake Bay) signed the following covenant: To abide by all fisheries regulations, and To stop throwing plastic and trash overboard and dumping used engine oil. Tom Horton writes: "...the covenant is based on biblical stewardship principles, although it is open to, and embraced by, non-Christians as well as Christians. They [the Tangier watermen] are grappling in the here and now with an issue to which most of us pay lip service at best. Ultimately, all of the Earth's natural resources, including its ability to absorb pollution, are finite. The planet itself is an island. We are all in a sense, Tangiermen." (Tom Horton, "Values Triumph Over Easy Money," 3-20-98, The Baltimore Sun).
Men of Tangier in 1998 and Rachel Carson in 1947 have pledged. Each of us can follow their lead.
( 7 ) Rachel Carson's Pledge
"I pledge myself to preserve and protect America's fertile soils, her mighty forests and rivers, her wildlife and minerals, for on these her greatness was established and her strength depends." (Outdoor Life, Jan. 1993 and RCC Brochure)
( 8 ) Musician Injured Following Diazinon Exposure
A former timpanist (symphony drummer) is able to walk only with the help of two canes, must wear a hearing aid, suffers from neurological and cardiovascular damage, has psychiatric problems and had his career shattered following inhaling the organophosphate pesticide diazinon while practicing with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society. Immediately after the exposure he was taken to the hospital complaining of dizziness and breathing difficulties. An American, he returned to the U.S. for treatment. Ten years after the incident, a Hong Kong Court awarded him $24 million for the pesticide poisoning and loss of his musical talent. His trial expenses have been estimated at $100 million. (South China Morning Post, January 10, 1997 & August 1, 1997)
( 9 ) Roof Blown Off By Insecticide Foggers
In Paramount, California while 5 family members were asleep, a man in the house set off 6 insecticide foggers. Fumes from the foggers were ignited by a stove pilot light and the explosion blew off the roof, shattered windows and caused $20,000 in damage to the interior of the house. ("Man blows roof off home with foggers," March 14, 1998)
We urge the EPA to give increased prominence to warnings of hazardous side-effects on pesticide labels, especially when the products are used for fogging.
( 10 ) Pesticide-Impaired Waterways Receiving Attention (Finally)
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established that agricultural runoff is the greatest cause of surface water pollution. The Agency is being forced to compile lists of waterways impaired by agricultural runoff and to figure out how to clean them up under the Clean Water Act following law-suits by environmentalists. EPA's call for water bodies with quality problems has resulted in listings from virtually all states. From the time that a water body is placed on the 303(d) list, as it is called, the state has 13 years to come up with a Total Maximum Daily Load. This represents in-stream targets for pesticides and other toxics. Thirteen years is a long time to wait for clean water. We would hope that our regional governments would make this a higher priority. (Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, May 21, 1998, pp. 15-17)
( 11 ) 'Cide-Busting: A Citizen's Story
Being chemically sensitive, Ms. B. is able to detect certain pesticides at lower levels than most people who are not suffering from this health problem. Being a woman of action, when she is made ill by the presence of volatile chemicals she often communicates with those in charge. This winter in a local branch of a nationwide video chain, exposure to a volatile cleaner as well as a volatile pesticide spray made her ill. The manager was courteous and cooperative when advised of the situation. After being presented with information obtained by Ms. B. from RCC, the store decided to follow her suggestion of using another cleaner and of using bait stations in place of the pesticide spray. Other branches of the same chain in a nearby area adopted the bait station method of pest control. Ms. B. was successful in a similar effort with a local pharmacy. Her tact and determination combined with technical information supplied by RCC serves as an example and inspiration to others.
( 12 ) World Food Prize Recipient Favors IPM
Two scientists shared the World Food Prize in 1997 for their work on IPM. Dr. Perry Adkisson, one of the prize-winners, said that Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has been accepted by farmers because: In addition to maintaining and sometimes increasing yields IPM "...greatly increases profit margins and has less impact on the environment. It just works out better." (Texas A & M University, Oct. 14, 1997)
( 13 ) Genetic Engineering's Advantage?
Recombinant DNA techniques with agricultural applications carry greater risk and uncertainty than do the medical applications of genetic engineering. Dr. Liebe Cavalieri, a professor of environmental science and author of The Double-Edged Helix: Genetic Engineering in the Real World, states: "The potential harm from misbegotten genetic engineering of our basic foods is so great (the potential power of genetic engineering dwarfs that of nuclear power) that scientists should ask themselves fundamental questions: What is it that we want? Do we need it? We have about 20,000 plants that can be used as foods, and we are using maybe a dozen of them-they're all there [in nature]."
Margaret Mellon of the Union of Concerned Scientists believes: There are "alternatives to biotechnology for feeding the world and achieving a truly sustainable agriculture, which are worthy goals, but the hype of biotechnology is obscuring the path." Referring to the unexpected problem of boll drop in RoundUp Ready cotton, Mellon points out, "...if the testing isn't rigorous enough to pick up agronomic traits,... how is it going to pick up subtle environmental risks?" (p. 15, Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, May 14, 1998)
( 14 ) Fly Control, Milk Production, The University of Maryland and Genetically Engineered Bovine Growth Hormone
Dairy cows stressed by infestations of flies can lose weight and produce less milk. When fly numbers are controlled, cows' milk production can increase by 20%. A walk-through fly trap first designed in 1938 was found effective in reducing flies on cattle but it fell into disfavor with the advent of DDT. Continued use of chemical pesticides after DDT's banning in 1972 resulted in problems including pesticide resistance in the target flies.
Improving on the original walk-through model, the University of MD with the USDA, developed and patented the Fly Blocker System (manufactured by Orkin). This non-toxic method requires cows to walk through a portable shed resembling a car wash where flies are dislodged mechanically with strips of material. As the cows move out the flies stay behind and are killed on electric grids. The U. of MD Dairy Research Center uses only the Fly Blocker System on its herd and "...fly control is taken care of..." according to manager, Tom Moreland. (Quarles, IPM Practitioner, September 1997).
Bovine growth hormone (bST) is used to increase milk production in dairy cows. However, this genetically engineered product is associated with inflammation of the udder and other health problems in cattle. According to William Quarles of the Bio-Integral Resource Center, "Milk production increases equivalent to administration of genetically engineered bovine somatotropin [aka bovine growth hormone] can be obtained simply by controlling flies on cattle. For control of the horn fly, no pesticides are needed just installation of a simple walk-through fly trap." (pp.1-4, IPM Practitioner, September 1997). Milk from cows not treated with bovine growth hormone (bST) is sold in stores carrying organic products including Fresh Fields. (Contact RCC for more information.)
( 15 ) Especially For Gardeners Who Love A Mystery
Death of a Garden Pest by Ann Ripley is truly "Tantalizing...Informative and Fun” summer-time paperback reading. If you are pesticide-literate and read your RCC mailings, however, you may question the status given to methyl parathion by the author (yes, we have already contacted Ms. Ripley about this). No, methyl parathion has not been banned but, as explained in RCC's "Bad Biocide Bargain," this potent poison is labeled for agricultural use only. Death of a Garden Pest is published by Bantam Books, 1997, ISBN 0-553-57730-1
( 16 ) Sustainable Wood Sources
The world depends on forests to supply a huge variety of products, to regulate the climate and water supply, and as a home for wildlife. Wood is theoretically a renewable resource, but in reality it is rarely a sustainable commodity.
Rubberwood was a new source of sustainable wood to appear in furniture a few years ago, produced from rubber trees that had stopped yielding latex and that otherwise would have been burned on the spot. Several non-profit organizations, overseen by the Forest Stewardship Council, formed a timber certification network to respond to the increasing demand for more wood species from responsibly managed sources. The certification process originally started in the tropics, but now encompasses tropical, temperate, and boreal sources.
The following websites list certified producers with the wood species they provide, ranging from Portico, a wooden door producer in Costa Rica, to the Menominee Tribal Enterprises in Wisconsin, and from Belgium to Zimbabwe:
Certified Wood: http://www.certifiedwood.org
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): http://www.fscoax.org/~ Contributed by Christine Haugen
( 17 ) Especially For Gardeners Who Love Birds
Stokes Bird Gardening Book: The Complete Guide to Creating A Bird-Friendly Habitat in Your Backyard by Donald and Lillian Stokes. This paperback provides wonderfully practical information on topics that intrigue and fascinate such as "Bird-Friendly Lawns and Lawn Alternatives... Good 'Weeds'...Trees, Shrubs and Vines That Attract Birds...Invasive Exotics and Natural Natives," and more. Stokes Bird Gardening Book is published by Little Brown & Co., 1998, ISBN 0-316-81836-4
( 18 ) Reduced Fitness in Natural Enemies of Herbivorous Insects Feeding on B.t. Corn
Genetically engineered crop plants producing the B.t. toxin to kill the target pest may interact with other non-target organisms in the food chain. The B.t. protein is produced during most of the growing period of the plant and may be in the pollen, kernels and roots of the transgenic corn plant. Surviving target and non-target insects feeding on transgenic corn that are not or only slightly affected, will ingest the B.t. protein. The ingested B.t. protein will then be available in some form to their natural enemies.
Mortality for one such predator species raised on B.t.-fed herbivorous insect larvae was 62% compared with 37% when raised on B.t.-free prey. Results suggest that B.t. was responsible for the difference. Why is this significant? "Enhancing and preserving naturally occurring biological control is one of the most important components of modern pest management." Effects can occur not to the herbivorous insect but to their natural enemies. These types of effects can be measured through screening for, "compatibility...with naturally occurring biological control [that] is of similar importance as is screening for pest resistance development." (Hilbeck, A. et al, Environmental Entomology, Vol. 27, 2, April, 1998, p. 480-487)
Certified organic crops are not genetically engineered.
~ 'Cide Lines compiled by Dr. Diana Post
Lines for Rachel Carson
**We have read your Silent Spring **We have heard your thoughtful warnings.* **Still, we put off answering **For we like our perfect apples **And our lawns a toxic green **And our easy plastic life style. **Changing it might really mean **Revolution in our values: **Living simply, breaking free **Dandelions in our dooryard **Poisons only history **As we work to keep the planet **From the fate it's rushing toward, **Sharing Silent Spring with others **Moved to act upon its word. **Rachel Carson, Rachel Carson **Thank you for your poet's sense **And your constant scholar's Courage **Till your death in earth's defense. ~ June Allen is a partner in non-profit Enviro-Health Concerns with Philip Allen, MD. She was appointed to the Citizen’s Advisory Committee to the President’s Commission on the accident at Three-Mile Island.
What's New?
Colleagues Remembered
December 20, 1997 saw the loss of an advocate for women, for consumers and for Rachel Carson Council, the gracious Esther Peterson, at age 91. She had served under Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Carter as Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs. Esther Peterson was a loyal member of the Rachel Carson Council's Advisory Committee. On December 3, 1987 she opened her home in Washington to the Council for "A Celebration of Life" in honor of the 25th anniversary of the publication of Silent Spring. In 1993 she wrote an appeal letter on behalf of the Council. We will miss Esther Peterson's great wisdom and her wonderful kindness.
On March 10, 1998 our beloved friend and Board Member, Lee Rogers, was killed in an auto accident. Lee was a pioneering environmental lawyer and a leader of the nationwide movement to ban DDT. He gave generously of his time and expertise in battling for the earth on many fronts. A Board member along with his wife Ailene, Lee Rogers was most enthusiastic and caring. Despite a demanding law practice, he used his considerable acumen to advance the Council in important ways. Following Ailene Rogers' suggestion, contributions continue to be sent to the Council in Lee Rogers' memory. The Council is dedicating the upcoming, Wildlife, Pesticides and People conference to Lee Rogers as a fitting tribute to this remarkable man.
Golf Course Pesticide Frequency RevisitedOur previous issue (# 89) reported that pesticide applications may occur daily on golf turf per a speaker at our Cancer and Pesticides conference. Although application frequency varies widely between establishments, several golfing professionals have notified us that routine pesticide application rates now occur less often as a rule.
We are passing this on to our readers. We encourage anyone needing information on a particular golf course to contact the manager for the details. As always we welcome comments and questions.
CAN WORKING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BE FUN???How does this sound? Having a good time eating healthy, pesticide-free food, discussing how to make a better environment for our children while "Saluting" Silent Spring. Your Salute to Silent Spring theme event could take place on the anniversary of Rachel Carson's birthday (May 27, 1907), or the first installment of Silent Spring in The New Yorker, June 16, 1962, or the anniversary of Silent Spring's release as a book, September 27, 1962. You could have an organic brunch, lunch, picnic, tea or dinner at your home, your church, temple, meeting house or outdoors.
Guests attending the sold-out Salute to Silent Spring dinner series last Fall heard Rachel Carson's message echoed by a coral reef scientist, a marine ecologist, an author and foundation director, an organic farmer, an architect, a builder, and a world-class arctic explorer. Each dinner with a theme and a guest speaker brought forth thought-provoking ideas and renewed commitment to the continuation of Rachel Carson's work. Whenever possible organically-grown food was served.
Council Board Members rallied behind the dinners to make them most successful. The project originated with Sheryl Etelson. Hosts for the six dinners were: The (late) Lee and Ailene Rogers, Cris Fleming and Jon, David McGrath and Cynthia, Ellie Kelly and Boulton, Diana Post and Cliff, Hale VanderMer and Claire Smith.
The dinner, "Environmental by Design," at the ecologically crafted home of John Hunting, featured talks by architect Cameron Duncan and builder, Patricia Hennin.
For a "Salute to Silent Spring" event informational flyer full of wonderful ideas, contact the RCC office.
A Message from Rachel Carson Council's PresidentDear Rachel Carson Council Ally,
A former cancer patient living in Colorado was trying to make her surroundings as free of toxic chemicals as possible for health reasons. A lawn care company refused to notify her in advance so that she could close her windows when pesticides were being sprayed on her block. She received no help from local authorities when she inquired about the state’s list of residents to be warned of pesticide applications. She called the Council for help. Then, in her own words, "Rachel Carson Council contacted the Colorado Department of Agriculture...” and solved the problem.
She is now on the list and happy to have this modicum of protection which should be everyone’s basic right. Rachel Carson Council cares about the health and welfare of everyone -- people, dogs, hawks -- in short, all life. In order to keep responding to calls for help, we need your partnership, we need your donations.
We do not make this request often. Join with us to continue the work started over 35 years ago with the publication of Silent Spring.
David McGrath, President
If you work for the U.S. government - You can make donations to Rachel Carson Council, Inc. through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) by indicating number 1103. The CFC is an important source of funds for the Council and a convenient way for you to give at work.The generous outpouring of donations in memory of Lee Rogers is supporting our conference on Wildlife, Pesticides and People. Your help is especially needed for this important educational work.
We are wealthy in our friends who volunteer in the office: Dr. Joseph Gainer, Morris Beller, Taher Husain, Sam and Florence Butz, Michael Liddel, and Ben Posin.
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July 9, 1998
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10/26/98