Awash in Deadly Toxics, Biological Life Threatened
Two reports today which further highlight the degree to which poisons used in everyday life are deadly and changing ecosystems. The widely used herbacide Roundup has been found to be killing amphibians in large numbers. And the Californian nuisance plant horseweed in has derived resistance to herbacides used to control it. The world is awash with human created toxics of which we do not know their ecological impacts singlely, much less as a toxic cocktail. The chemical industry is a criminal enterprise, deriving profits from poisoning biological life and ecological systems upon which we all depend.
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The Labour Environmental Alliance Society (LEAS) has initiated a Students' Environmental Bill of Rights which calls for parents/guardians and students to be informed of what toxins are present in school buildings. Further, the right to be informed, the right take action and the right to refuse is embedded in the Bill. This is a significant initiative as it will reveal what toxins our students are exposed to and begin the processes necessary to remove them.
The BC Teachers' Federation supports this work and is assisting LEAS in getting the word out. Also under consideration, is the production of a one hour presentation for parents, informing them of the issues and providing suggestions for action. This presentation would be added to the 5 already offered to parents around the province.
LEAS has produced a learning resources to assist teachers on this issue. Visit their web site at www.leas.ca to view their work. Visit the BC Teachers' Federation at www.bctf.ca
Posted by: Sylvia Bishop | November 7, 2005 12:01 PM