As evidenced by the thousands of people who participate in Race for the Cure, the Susan G. Komen Foundation is successful in bringing breast cancer to the limelight. Given that breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women younger than 55 and the second leading cause of death in women as a whole, it is not surprising that so many attend the Race to help raise funds for research into finding a medical cure.

But while Susan G. Komen raises a tremendous amount of publicity for action and research focused on cure, there is little to no mention of prevention. "Eradication" of the disease is currently directed towards detection and treatment and not stopping cancer where it starts. Komen does not even address the possibility of the environmental causes of cancer.

In response to the focus of the Komen Foundation, Prevent Cancer First's group of activists participated in the Race for the sole purpose of educating participants on the importance and need to eradicate cancer by preventing it. While it has long been disputed that the environmental causes of cancer are not concrete, much evidence exists that counters this claim. Chemicals that mimic estrogen, a hormone that at high levels has been shown to increase breast cancer risk, are prevalent in the water we drink, the products we use, and the food we eat. And of the 85,000 chemicals in use today, only ten percent have been tested for human health effects. Can we really take our chances that some of these chemicals will not cause cancer?

In order to protect ourselves and generations to come it is up to consumers to become educated and purchase products that are safe. We must hold industries and business accountable for the chemicals they use and release and government accountable for enforcing strict regulations. We must call for the precautionary principle to be practiced: if an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, measures should be taken even if cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. We must budget money not only to research cures, but also to discover causes and develop prevention strategies.

To take action on this issue, write to the Komen Foundation and ask them to allocate more funding for research into cancer causation and outreach on how exposure to suspected carcinogens can be avoided. You can send a letter to Susan G. Komen Foundation, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 250, Dallas, TX 75244. --Kristina Logsdon

To find out how you can help prevent cancer, visit Prevent Cancer First's website at www.preventcancerfirst.org or contact Kristina Logsdon at info@preventcancerfirst.org or 206 632-1545 x 20

Bainbridge Adopts Strong Pesticide Use Policy

After two years of dedicated work by community members, the Bainbridge Island City Council unanimously adopted a new ordinance this May that eliminates use of all toxic pesticides on city properties.

"The City of Bainbridge Island is dedicated to doing everything in our power to have clean streams and public places free of pesticides," said Christine Nasser, City Council president. "We're proud to pass an ordinance that sets the standard for the Northwest."

Once implemented, this ordinance will be the strongest in the state regarding use of pesticides on public property, allowing use of only a very limited number of very low toxicity products. City employees will use a variety of non-toxic pest-prevention methods as their primary tools, and will use least-toxic products only as a last resort. The ordinance also requires 48-hour advanced posting of all sites that will be treated, and bans use of any products near water or storm drains. Use of CCA-treated wood will also be banned, due to health concerns related to arsenic leaching into soils.

As Dale Spoor, a member of the Association of Bainbridge Communities, and a key community player in passing the city policy, says, "We just don't need to use pesticides in our communities that harm people or salmon. This ordinance makes sure that Bainbridge is at the forefront of pest management that protects the health of people and protects our water quality."

Bainbridge Island has successfully maintained their city roadsides without the use of herbicides since 1996, and the Bainbridge Island School District also has a very strong policy restricting use of pesticides on school grounds. One school in the district, Woodward Middle School, has been entirely pesticide-free for seven years. The Washington Toxics Coalition has worked with BISD on policy implementation, and assisted the City Council in developing the new ordinance.

"Six years ago, the Bainbridge Island School District adopted the strongest pesticide reduction policy in the state," says Maria Mason, a community resident with a long history of working for alternatives to pesticides. "Now, the City is following suit, making Bainbridge Island a true model for pesticide reduction."--Angela Storey

If you are interested in working with your city to adopt a strong pesticide-use reduction policy, contact Angela Storey at the Washington Toxics Coalition, 206-632-1545 ext 11 or astorey@watoxics.org

Settlement Ends Pesticide Use in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor

The Washington Toxics Coalition, together with the Ad Hoc Coalition for Willapa Bay, has won a phaseout of the use of the pesticide carbaryl on tidelands to settle their appeal of the oyster growers' Clean Water Act permit. Large quantities of carbaryl have been sprayed on tidelands in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor for 40 years as part of oyster cultivation, polluting the bays and harming fish and wildlife.

The Toxics Coalition has been working with local activists to end the spray for several years. When the Department of Ecology issued a permit over our protests, we were able to mount a very strong appeal of the grower's permit with the pro-bono assistance of attorney Margaret Archer. As a result, the growers sought settlement talks and we were able to come to an agreement that will end the use of carbaryl.

Under the terms of the agreement, the growers will begin immediately to reduce carbaryl use, and they will end it entirely in 2012.

We are concerned about the use of carbaryl on tidelands because it kills not just the shrimp it targets but also fish, crabs, and other invertebrates. Carbaryl is also toxic to humans, and members of the nearby Shoalwater Bay Tribe have reported health effects from exposure to the aerial spray.

As part of the agreement, the groups have pledged to work together to develop alternatives that will preserve the environment as well as the oyster industry.

The key provisions of the agreement include:

That growers end the use of carbaryl by December 31, 2012.
That growers begin reducing carbaryl use this year by 10 percent, followed by a 20 percent reduction in 2004 and a 30 percent reduction in 2005.
That growers spend an additional $10,000 annually over the next three years on alternative shrimp controls or culture systems over and above research requirements prescribed by the permit.
That Washington Toxics Coalition and the Ad-hoc Coalition drop the appeal of the permit and not appeal future permits issued to the growers.

"I have alternatives to carbaryl that are working for me on my small farm," said Larry Warnberg, an oyster grower who does not use pesticides and is a member of the Ad-hoc Coalition. "This agreement gives the larger producers time to develop alternatives that work for them."

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