The Secretary of Agriculture Kawamura is sloppy, and, apparently, doesn't mind poisoning Californians with potent untested pesticides. 
Picture a plane, spraying chemicals like a shower as you sleep, or come home late at night.
Zap!
The chemicals are strong, and can live in the air and your lungs for up to 30 days.
What will be on the grass where your dogs and children play?
This potent pesticide hasn't been approved by the EPA, which is law to do so before using.
When the aerial pesticide was sprayed in September, October and November 2007 on Santa Cruz and Monterey residents, 643 residents documented severe asthma attacks or other troublesome symptoms.
If Schwarzenegger has his way, which, if this goes through, I believe should be the way of impeachment, Californians will suffer severe asthma attacks, and worse, beginning this summer.
Ingredients in this pesticide are known to cause cancer in animals.
Breast cancer was one specific mentioned in literature I read and referenced elsewhere on this site.
If I recall my biology lessons well, we're mammals, which is an animal, too.
Read Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, which ties pesticide use to increases in cancer.
I'll digress.
A friend of mine grew up on an Israeli kibbutz where farming was their livelihood. An interesting fact he shared... many people he grew up with got cancer. Seemed common knowledge that pesticides were to blame.
Back to California:
One of the most respected entomologists in California, James Cary, testified in front of the Agricultural Committee, which you can read here, and please do. He testified that California's agricultural industry is not threatened by the light brown apple moth.
Rather we're threatened by politicians. That's me talking.
Basically, Cary said that the light brown apple moth has been around for years, hasn't damaged crops, so there is no big problem, and even if we try to eradicate the light brown apple moth, we won't succeed. Therefore, there's no reason to try.
Except big agribusiness? Schwarzenegger was promised federal bailout money in our supposed state of emergency.
The light brown apple moth!
And what if we have an earthquake, a terrorist attack, or a heat wave that destroys crops due to global warming? Will there be money left over for the feds to bail us out then?
I can't believe to what degree our leaders politic around instead of protecting human health, especially when experts have documented that the light brown apple moth may be a minor nuisance but not a major threat. Read here for another comprehensive report.
Mim at the Vegan Reader pointed me to an excellent CBS News report, which if you're in California, please read here.
May I then suggest you get angry and show up at your town hall, state capitol, and Agricultural Committee's doorstep with a clear message: We won't stand for aerial pesticide spraying of the light brown apple moth and millions of Californians.
I want to breathe clean air. And so do my friends and family. My lungs cramp up with ozone and cat hair, I can't imagine what they'll do with an assault of chemicals hovering for thirty days at a time in the air.
To contact California Attorney General Jerry Brown and tell him to stop our Governor's illegal use of funds, and attempt to harm California citizens click here
