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Opinion
The state of Maine recently became the second state to require labeling of genetically modified food ingredients on products that are sold in grocery stores.
Changes are going on now in our government agencies that are increasing the threat to our health.
The latest draft regulations proposed and open for comment until Feb. 20 in regard to our food that the USDA may approve allows increasing use of genetically engineered Roundup Ready products using glyphosate.
Millions of pounds of the chemical is used annually and we don’t even know it. This material that is used by Dow and Monsanto among others leads to increasing health problems including contributing to Alzheimer's among other diseases as well as leaky gut syndrome which does not allow us to get the full nutritional value from our food.
We need to urge the USDA to stop rubber stamping what the chemical companies are asking them to approve with likely donations and compensation. The agency often defers to the EPA but they have similar views.
Twenty six states have proposals to stop these products in our food supply. We need to continue to make an effort to keep our food safe.
The genetically altered products are not grown to save water, improve taste, nutrition or to increase yield but only to resist herbicides. This leads to less biological diversity because many more pounds of toxic chemical can then be used without “killing” the target plant.
When a field is sprayed, there are some plants or weeds that don’t get completely saturated and new forms have to be used to combat pests.
The latest development pushed by the corporations are resistant to ever-increasing levels on corn, wheat and cotton and are called “Enlist” and is engineered to resist the effects of 2,4,D-the same chemical used on the fields of Vietnam to wipe out the plants there.
The herbicide itself is toxic to the liver in small doses, is associated with higher risk of Lou Gehrig’s disease, malformed sperm and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The ingredient glyphosate is currently not approved for use on lawns and gardens in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Kuwait and the Canadian provinces of Québec and Ontario.
Meanwhile, the USDA acknowledges that allowing these crops on the market will likely more than triple use of 2,4-D in the U.S. – an increase of tens of millions of pounds per year.
On average, soy products that are genetically altered carry many times the load of these chemicals-up to 40 times more-than previously used.
I urge anyone who cares about these developments to contact the local office of the USDA and express your concern. The state executive officer is Val Dolcini and his email address is
Ellen Karnowski lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Ellen Karnowski
At its Jan. 21 Board of Directors meeting, the Lake County Chamber Board voted to support Measure L, the Healthy Lake Tax.
This measure will appear on the June 3 primary ballot.
The chamber is joining forces with several organizations and entities in the county to educate all residents about Measure L.
We will also advocate for several public forums in different areas of the county to provide opportunities for questions and answers on this issue of imposing a ½ percent transactions and use tax countywide.
This tax will be imposed not just on county residents but on purchases made by everyone who visits the county. Some estimate that the cost for a family of four will be less than $30 a year.
An expenditure plan is part of the measure as is the implementation of an oversight committee comprised of 11 members to be established by the Board of Supervisors.
In selecting members for the oversight committee, the supervisors shall consider members of the public and nominations that may be presented by, including but not limited to, the city of Clearlake, city of Lakeport, Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee, Lake County Invasive Species Council, Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, Lake County Board of Realtors, Lake County Farm Bureau, Lake County Tribes and the Sierra Club.
The chamber and others will be publishing more information as the Committee to Support Measure L is formed and meetings are scheduled.
Melissa Fulton is chief executive officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, headquartered in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Melissa Fulton
Redwood Children’s Services Inc. would like to thank our community for the generous outpouring of support this past holiday season.
With more than 100 children and youth in our care throughout Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma counties we had a daunting task of making the holidays special for each and every one of our kids.
With your support we were able to give to each and every child and youth at least one specific gift they had asked for.
This may not seem such a big deal to most families but for our kids in care it shows that someone took the time and energy to get what they asked for. It showed them how much they matter and how much people care for them.
Our kids felt special. This is what we strive for at Redwood. Normalcy is difficult to obtain in foster care but with the help of our dedicated foster parents, staff and you these kids were able to experience the “normal” feeling that someone cares about them even if things in their life may be in turmoil.
The holiday season is a time filled with tradition. The gathering of family, the sharing of gifts and the expression of love are important parts of a child and youth’s life.
Thank you for making it possible for our children and youth to experience it. They were able to experience something as normal as tearing open beautifully wrapped boxes. Small things matter and these small things have made all the difference.
In addition to supporting our children and youth in care we were able to give to eight families accessing our services a holiday meal and gifts. These are families that didn’t ask for help but were identified as the most in need of our clients. To have a real holiday meal and gifts that the parents couldn’t otherwise afford meant the world to these families.
Our youth resource centers were open Christmas morning to welcome in community youth. These are teens and young adults that may otherwise have no family to celebrate with. The dedication of our staff to include these youth is a true testament to the values of Redwood.
Our donors have come from local businesses, church groups, former foster youth, staff, service clubs, young and old.
This is a great example of “it takes a village to raise a child.” Without your support we couldn’t have reached so many children, youth and families.
We are humbled by your generosity, time and commitment to our community. Redwood wishes each and every one great love and fulfillment to you and yours.
“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” – Steve Maraboli, “Life, the Truth, and Being Free”
Camille Schraeder is executive director and Willow Anderson is communications officer for Redwood Children’s Services Inc., based in Ukiah, Calif.
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- Written by: Camille Schraeder and Willow Anderson
I was recently disturbed to see an excerpt from the Maury show where a 7 year old boy was bragging about smoking, drinking and swearing.
Seven years old, people! Gee, do you think the video games, movies, TV shows and adult behavior has contributed to this 7-year-old lifestyle?
Almost if not every day we hear about school shootings, murders, drugs and in general poor role modeling on the part of adults. How could we not think these negative messages are not filtering down to our children?
Our children are not born smoking drinking and swearing. I am mindful of a parent who once complained to me her child was using “bad” words. She tried to blame the daycare center children but here is the thing in the end she said, “I don’t know where in the hell he got this from.”
No amount of legislation, emails, editorials or news articles are going to change what our children are being taught by adults.
When is the last time you sat down with a child and just talked about life, life without violence, drinking, smoking or swearing?
And when is the last time you examined how you interact with children, what kind of role modeling are you demonstrating in your life?
Childhood has such a short window and yet what happens to a child is what they bring to their adulthood.
Think about what it is you could do each day to save a child. We see the commercials about feeding children and of course this is important. But what about saving children from a life of crime?
Remember each effort we make to save a child can make this world a better place.
As Americans we spend more money on jails, police and drug prevention than we do on early child development and education from kindergarten to 12th grade.
Sue Williams lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Sue Williams
