Heroes of SB3095 – This is what democracy looks like
By now, most of you have heard that Governor David Ige has signed into law SB3095. Yes, we won. It’s amazing really.
The real story of course is about how it happened. How a small group of dedicated citizens in the middle of the Pacific ocean, took on the largest chemical companies in the world, and won.
4 years ago Syngenta, Dow, Dupont and BASF successfully sued Kauai County for the right to spray poisons next to schools, and not tell us about it. Today, as a result of the passage of this measure they can no longer do this. Plus, over the next 4 years the Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP)and neurotoxin chlorpyrifos, will be phased out and its use totally prohibited.
Though other States have tried, none have been successful and Hawaii is the first.
The credit goes to a handful, and to thousands. As in any achievement of significance, it required both.