dirty baker's dozen

*sigh* Sometimes when we make progress, the standard is two steps forward, one step back. Well, the California government is about to take a giant leap back. They've just approved the use of methyl iodide in pesticides. This chemical is used to intentionally cause cancer in laboratory animals and is about to be exposed in large amounts to both workers in the field and those of us who eat food grown in California. Eighty percent of strawberries sold in the U.S. are grown in California and are a food that readily absorbs pesticides. If this gets approved, we can make the dirty dozen the dirty baker's dozen.

Please go to this site and sign the petition. This decision is open to public comment until June 14, so we still have a fighting chance. Please email the decision makers at mei_comments@cdpr.ca.gov and urge them not to let this chemical be added to the list of pesticides allowed to infest our food.  Feel free to use this text offered from the original site.


It's as easy as copy and paste:


I am writing to comment on the proposed approval of methyl iodide for use in pesticide products in the state of California. Methyl iodide is a dangerous, highly carcinogenic chemical that has no business being involved in our food supply. The fumes can cause lung, liver, kidney and central nervous system damage as well as nausea, dizziness, coughing and vomiting. It is dangerous to the environment, to the workers who will have to apply it in the field, and to consumers who will ingest traces of it.

I refuse to buy produce grown with this dangerous chemical and I strongly urge you to deny approval for methyl iodide.

Thank you.