Americans lining up to sue Monsanto!

Myself at the anti Monsanto March in Bellingen NSW

Americans Lining Up to Sue Monsanto: Personal injury law firms around the U.S. are lining up plaintiffs for what they...
Posted by GMO Free USA on Sunday, 18 October 2015

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Bellingen Shire Protestors say No! to "Forestry Spray"

The Bellingen Shire in Northern NSW is at the moment counting its blessings for the continual days of rain of late.  That rain is the only variant that has kept NSW Forestry Corporation's aerial spraying program from being carried out last week.

There are laws about wind speed and about rain that prevent them from being able to take to the air and distribute this poison indiscriminately over Brierfield area firstly.  This of course floats down over everyone and everything. 

Aerial Spraying now in this century is akin to agent orange spraying of the Vietmanese forests by the USA in the sense of the in-discrimination regarding flora and fauna, everything is effected. 

The Chemical cocktail consists of  Glyphosate (Round-up), Metsulfuron Methyl (Brush off), Fluroxypr Methylheptyl (Starene Advanced), and Simazine plus adjuvants Liase and Pulse as stated in a letter dated the 12 January 2015 . Testing of these chemicals is done on an individual basis and to date there has been no testing done on using this as a cocktail.  To go ahead and use this in such a delicate natural area is definitely a psychopathic decision.

I would seriously hope there are no chemicals in this spray that are akin to that horrendous Monsanto / Dow chemical cocktail used in Vietnam.

A large concerned group of people from in and around the shire quickly formed to plan action.  There is a facebook page and a website in construction. I do hope a twitter feed as well.

From: STOP Forestry Aerial Spraying

 One of our main aims right now is protecting Bellingen's waterways and catchments from contamination from spray drift and run off. The contamination from forestry corporations 'chemical cocktails' will impact heavily on our residents, local farmers and businesses.

A contaminated river and waterway affects everything from enjoying a swim in the river, to farming irrigation, the health of our livestock, to our oyster farmers and of course all the inhabitants of the river itself.

Our tourism industry will take a big blow as it won't be safe to swim or enjoy our rivers which are a big part of our Tourism attraction here... The potential damage from this could be far reaching for a long time to come.

Our local council is responsible for regulating our waterways and ensuring that their safe for us to use.  Susan Weil

Hundreds of people approx 500 turned out to protest Aerial Spraying in the Valley.

We already take a large blow here in the Valley with the poisonous use of Round-Up along sides of roads and at any amenities areas located at swimming holes and added to that the personal use of round up by residents in the shire to boot.

I feel this is a violent method of ridding a place of something they feel is a weed.  They clear felled forests and this causes a bare soil.  Birds distribute species and wind blows and before long that bare soil has weeds.  But its not the birds and the frogs fault this has happened.  It is the Line Logging of forests which prop up a dying industry,  but for who?

The forest is a delicate place.  By now lots of birds have made habitat in that lantana and have felt safe there from predators and with the spraying of this this temporary habitat they have grown to love will immediately disappear leaving them vulnerable.

Poisoning is cruel and violent.  It is violent to the plants and the flow on effects of displacement of the creatures because of this is abhorrent.

Corporations are evil.  Forestry is not about looking after State Forests or even about trees.  Forestry Corporation NSW are about trying to wring a profit from trees at the expense of everyone and everything else. 

This kind of approach borders on psychopathic, and it is in line with every other equally psychopathic decision this NSW Government has made lately, some decisions have been hand in hand with the equally psychopathic 'Abbott'  Federal Government.

NBN News came ... mumbled something on the news about a lousy 150 people turning up and that made me laugh and not trust them straight up because there were clearly 500 people plus there at the ralley.    Clearly they cannot count anymore than a football team it appears (mr coffs coast football film guy)

See News Story HERE

We all need to get on to each member of council today.  All the addresses and phone numbers and email addresses are below. 

Email the local member Luke Hartsukyer  and hound him for action on this issue now as well.

I hear there is a  Website that will be up and running shortly.   This will make it easy for distributing information around to the greater public and especially those that do not like the old Facebook approach and help the prickles and the goo. [spikeys and fluffies]

Mark Troy (Mayor) ph: 6655 7315 email: council@bellingen.nsw.gov.au

Garry Carter ph: 0499 984 163 email: cr.garry.carter@bellingen.nsw.gov.au

Desmae Harrison (Deputy Mayor) ph: 0499 984 166 email: desmae.harrison@bellingen.nsw.gov.au

Dominic King ph: 0499 984 164 email: dominic.king@bellingen.nsw.gov.au

Steve Klipin ph: 0499 984 165 email: cr.steve.klipin@bellingen.nsw.gov.au

Gordon Manning ph: 0499 984 162 email: gordon.manning@bellingen.nsw.gov.au

David Scott ph: 0499 984 161 email: cr.david.scott@bellingen.nsw.gov.au

Environmental Health Officers ph: 6655 7300 email: council@bellingen.nsw.gov.au

We want council to do their jobs now and protect our waterways from any proposed spraying by forestry corporation. Their buffer zones are insufficient and their 6 hour drying time post spray out is also grossly insufficient. The fact the forestry corporation chose to undergo a spray of any kind ground or aerial in the middle of our rainy season speaks for itself.  STOP Forestry Corporation from Aerial Spraying

Carol Vernon Greens Member stands up in the community against Forestry Corporation NSW

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Get rid of ROUND UP - Dear Bellingen Shire Council . . .

Writing to Bellingen Shire Council or any other council for that matter is a good idea if you want to instigate some changes along the way.  I have produced a form letter and would like to see this replicated by many and sent to council imploring them to look at their unsavory practices around weed control.

Understanding the Kerb Sides

My partner has done the Noxious weeds course and he tells me himself the best way is to pull it out by the roots.  We all have become too soft and expect an easier way.  Easy ways constitute major issues with herbicides and pesticides and that is the long and the short of it. 

Here is the letter constructed for COUNCIL .... Perhaps if you read this you will download this form letter and send copies yourself asap to this or your own council.

Pass this link on to others: 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rybd50cm06nr8/ROUND%20UP%20TO%20COUNCIL.doc

17 October 2013

Mary Ellen Peters
14 Morgo Street
Urunga NSW 2455

The General Manager
Bellingen Shire Council
33-39 Hyde Street
PO Box 117
Bellingen NSW  2454

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you out of concern at Bellingen Shire Council’s continued and routine use of the herbicide Roundup. I believe we are a progressive shire, and the weight of evidence, after numerous studies, has come down firmly that Round Up is a chemical dangerous to the environment and to human health. It persists in waterways and is an endocrine disruptor in mammals, including humans.

But for example: a recent study published in the Journal of Toxicology in Vitro found that even at low levels, Roundup destroys testosterone and ultimately leads to male infertility (in laboratory animals). The findings add to the more than 25 other diseases known to be linked to Roundup, which include DNA damage, birth defects, liver dysfunction and cancer. 

The researchers found that at one ppm, Roundup was responsible for causing severe endocrine disruption that reduced testosterone levels by 35 percent. A one ppm exposure level is considered to be extremely low, and much lower than typical exposure levels in everyday environmental situations.

A US Geological Survey study in 2011 concluded that that air, rainwater and rivers across the Midwest US agricultural belt are routinely contaminated with high levels of glyphosate (Roundup), and causing "significant" environmental contamination.

At typical exposure levels, it has been proven to destroy human cells and cause serious reproductive harm. And at trace levels, it has been proven to severely disrupt proper hormonal function and lead to low testosterone in men.

What is Roundup doing to us, and our children?

Sir, if you cannot answer this question, I believe the precautionary principle must come into play and you must remove Roundup from the Shire’s chemical arsenal immediately.

I look forward to you acting on this matter of extreme health and environmental importance to us and future generations.

Yours sincerely

Mary-Ellen Peters

URUNGA

Link to Survey (http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2909#.T-kOzI4rxFI )

Corner of Gleniffer Road and Roses Road Bellingen Shire

Images at Eminpee Fotography

ARSENIC WATERS - shoosh don't tell the parents!

   "All that sort of stuff took away the emphasis of why he actually died," she said. 
 

ABC Reports

The Northern Territory Coroner has ruled out arsenic poisoning as the cause of death of a Top End teenager.

Coroner Greg Cavanagh today found Ben Witham, 17, died of complications relating to leukaemia at Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital in May last year.
He also noted that the medical care provided to him at the onset of severe abdominal pain until he had surgery 17 hours later was not of an adequate standard.
"Ben never recovered from this event and I find it to be a contributing cause to his death," Coroner Cavanagh said in his findings.
Ben Witham's death sparked a major public health emergency in the Northern Territory after a urine sample indicated the teenager had arsenic levels 14 times the safe limit.
Coroner Greg Cavanagh has found that sample was either contaminated or an error.
The initial result prompted Northern Territory authorities to test residents for arsenic poisoning at Mount Bundy Station, south of Darwin, where the teenager lived with his family.
A local doctor, who had no prior experience interpreting arsenic test results, incorrectly thought the results showed elevated levels of arsenic in some of the residents.
Station evacuated
Concerned that other people living in the area could be at risk of arsenic poisoning, the coroner ordered Mount Bundy Station to be declared a restricted area.
The popular tourist destination was evacuated and forced to close for several days.
But further tests on residents and bore water in the area showed no evidence of elevated arsenic levels, leading authorities to reopen the station.
The coroner said the closure of the station and testing of the residents was "appropriate to the reported information".
But he added: "it is clear that the information provided about the residents' urine results was wrong."
He said at the time there was "inadequate reliable information available about arsenic, how people might be exposed to it, and the dangers it posed".
He said the Northern Territory Department of Health has since put in place a number of measures to improve procedures if such an event occurs again.
In light of these measures, the coroner did not make any recommendations following Ben Witham's death.
Outside court, the teenager's father, Scott Witham said today's findings brought some closure.
"It's the end of the legal process, but obviously for us life's still pretty tough and goes on," he said.
The boy's mother, Susan Witham, said the incorrect arsenic reading and the subsequent closure of Mount Bundy Station, were distractions.
"All that sort of stuff took away the emphasis of why he actually died," she said.
The Northern Territory Coroner has ruled out arsenic poisoning as the cause of death of a Top End teenager.

Coroner Greg Cavanagh today found Ben Witham, 17, died of complications relating to leukaemia at Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital in May last year. He also noted that the medical care provided to him at the onset of severe abdominal pain until he had surgery 17 hours later was not of an adequate standard. "Ben never recovered from this event and I find it to be a contributing cause to his death," Coroner Cavanagh said in his findings.

Ben Witham's death sparked a major public health emergency in the Northern Territory after a urine sample indicated the teenager had arsenic levels 14 times the safe limit. Coroner Greg Cavanagh has found that sample was either contaminated or an error. The initial result prompted Northern Territory authorities to test residents for arsenic poisoning at Mount Bundy Station, south of Darwin, where the teenager lived with his family.

A local doctor, who had no prior experience interpreting arsenic test results, incorrectly thought the results showed elevated levels of arsenic in some of the residents. Station evacuated Concerned that other people living in the area could be at risk of arsenic poisoning, the coroner ordered Mount Bundy Station to be declared a restricted area.

The popular tourist destination was evacuated and forced to close for several days. But further tests on residents and bore water in the area showed no evidence of elevated arsenic levels, leading authorities to reopen the station. The coroner said the closure of the station and testing of the residents was "appropriate to the reported information". But he added: "it is clear that the information provided about the residents' urine results was wrong." He said at the time there was "inadequate reliable information available about arsenic, how people might be exposed to it, and the dangers it posed". He said the Northern Territory Department of Health has since put in place a number of measures to improve procedures if such an event occurs again. In light of these measures, the coroner did not make any recommendations following Ben Witham's death.

Outside court, the teenager's father, Scott Witham said today's findings brought some closure. "It's the end of the legal process, but obviously for us life's still pretty tough and goes on," he said. The boy's mother, Susan Witham, said the incorrect arsenic reading and the subsequent closure of Mount Bundy Station, were distractions.

  "All that sort of stuff took away the emphasis of why he actually died," she said. 

 

Images @ Melonpopzdropz Flickr