I took this photo from my bedroom window today, because I wanted to see what the sign said (and now I know the chemical this time: Lorsban, will be reading about it). The lens I use is 55-250mm, and this was taken at 240mm. I'm not so great at math, but maybe someone else will be able to tell how many feet away this is. Not very many, I know that. Close enough that we most definitely get spray drift here. There are times when we get physically sick when they're spraying, because the fumes are so strong coming into our home.
So, here you have this sign telling people not to enter the orchard for 7 days because of the pesticide they used. Below are two photos taken earlier this year, that show what it looks like when they're spraying. I've kept our awning support in for perspective - these photos were taken at 179mm and 96mm.
There are other orange groves and orchards (and a whole host of vegetables and grapevines) that are even closer to homes. They all get sprayed regularly by the same sort of equipment with the same chemicals.
This isn't the first time I've written about the problems here. This is the first time I've seen the "Danger" sign where I can read it, though, and I just wanted to post it, because I really don't understand how this can be happening. The crops here are far more important than the people. In fact, our neighbor told us, the sprayers used to spray right over them while they were working. They have a myriad of health problems now...
You can say that people shouldn't be living here. While I might agree because this is really the desert and wasn't meant to sustain this agriculture in the first place, I will say that where we live here was established long before these orange groves. However, apparently the oranges are worth more than the people, the animals (the hummingbirds who live in the orchards), and the environment.
I still don't know what to do in the face of a billion dollar business that controls a whole area. Doesn't anybody care about the future? About what else they're poisoning besides the "pests"? Danger, indeed...
6 comments:
Oy, Erica. Do you want to fight this? I say, simply move. Why are you there to begin with? Do you really want to stay?
I don't know how to fight it (or if I can or want to), Katie, I just know it's wrong. We are working on figuring out how to move. We came here for family, explained in this very lengthy post in early '09: Story Family is gone now, and we need to move forward in a positive way. Living here has been a learning experience, for sure! We try to find the good things, but I will say it's been more challenging here than anywhere we've ever lived. It makes us appreciate nature even more, though, and that's valuable:-)
I understand how frustrating this would be to see happening. It's true, making money is more important than people's health, and believe me, they do not care if you get sick. It's a huge business, and they are destroying so much of our beautiful planet because of their greed. I found though, when I mention something like this in my blog, no one really comments, so sometimes you just have to give up, move away (even though there really aren't any safe places anymore). When their children start getting strange diseases maybe then they will care
xoxo
betty
Thanks, Betty, I know what you mean. Obviously, the current oil crisis is another example of money and greed triumphing over good sense and the environment. I didn't really expect any comments, because people don't seem to want to know - I had to write this for me, because it's the one little thing I can do. I really appreciate that you and Katie have commented, though, and that you read it. I think part of the reason people don't want to know is because we don't know what to do anymore...
Erica, I'll admit I don't know what to do either. All of it is completely heartbreaking.
Wow that sounds pretty frightening to be in a position like that. Good luck in finding a solution whether it's taking legal steps or moving home.
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