permaculture

[John Schinnerer <eco_living@yahoo.com>]

Aloha,

Couple caveats occur to me...

--- Toby Hemenway <hemenway@jeffnet.org> wrote:

>...the proven risk is to
> ag workers and the environment).

Right-o - and, if someone moves on to this land and is working it, they
are then an ag worker with their hands in (potentially still) toxic
soil, no?

And, I find it hard to imagine that apples, strawberries, grapes, etc.
(to name a few major examples) directly sprayed with toxic stuff aren't
a potential health hazard to eat.  Ain't no soil microbes processing
what goes directly on the fruit.  What about absorption?  Washing only
touches the outside.  What about bananas treated with toxics and sealed
in plastic bags?  Feel free to counter me; it's not that I want them to
be toxic, it just seems rather hard to escape in such conditions.

> So avoiding one long car ride is
> probably better health care than replacing a house-full of PVC pipe.

As in your previous example - it's the consequences of manufacturing
the PVC in the first place that are the big hazard.  Once it's made
(and until it burns, goes in a landfill, etc.) most of the damage has
already been done.  

By the way, watch for local screenings of a new documentary on PVC
(often a.k.a. vinly) - info at

http://bluevinyl.org/

There's one in Seattle (Fremont neighborhood) May 20th - call (206)
547-0240 to reserve a seat (it's free!).


=====
John Schinnerer, MA
-------------------------
- Eco-Living -
Cultural & Ecological Designing
Food - Water - Shelter - Community - Technology
john@eco-living.net
http://eco-living.net

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