Tulare County has among the highest pesticide use in the country
with more than 17.5 million pounds of pesticides used in 2005—the third
highest use of any county in California. Pesticides are the fourth
biggest cause of air pollution or “smog” in the San Joaquin Valley—an
area that is one of the most polluted air basins in the nation and
leads the state in rates of childhood asthma.
Drifting pesticides can cause serious health problems, especially for children, yet over 50% of all public schools in Tulare County are within 1/4 mile of
agricultural operations.
Read more about pesticide use in Tulare County and the need for protection zones.
ACT NOW TO PROTECT TULARE RESIDENTS FROM PESTICIDE AIR POLLUTION!
Urge
Tulare County authorities to take immediate action to protect our
children by establishing protection (buffer)
zones around schools as well as creating protection zones around where
we live, work and play to protect the health of all communities in
Tulare County.
What you can do:
Endorse the Tulare County Protection Zone Campaign: Print out, sign and send in this endorsement form on behalf of your organization and/or sign and send in this petition if you are a Tulare County resident.
Get informed! Request a training in your community in English or Spanish to find out more about the dangers of pesticide air pollution and what you can do about it.
Get involved! There are many ways to get involved in the campaign. For more information , to request a training and to get involved, contact:
Teresa DeAnda at Californians for Pesticide Reform, 661-304-4080, teresa [at] igc.org, or
Gustavo Aguirre at Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment, 661-720-9140 x307, aguigustavo [at] gmail.com
School children at risk of pesticide poisoning May 15th, 2009 On three reported occasions in the past seven months—two in the past three days—pesticides have drifted onto school children waiting at school bus stops in Madera and Fresno counties.
