December 6, 2011
Senator Mark Kirk
U.S. Senator
230 South Dearborn
Suite 3900
Chicago, IL 60604
Senator Mark Kirk
U.S. Senator
230 South Dearborn
Suite 3900
Chicago, IL 60604
VOTE YES ON H.R.432: BAN POISONOUS ADDITIVES
ACT 2011
The proposed act to ban poisonous additives will have a
tremendous impact on vulnerable populations, such as school aged children,
throughout the state of Illinois. As a , citizen of Cook County, a future
Health Educator and most importantly a mother, I feel that the need to implement the ban of
poisonous additives because it will help decrease the ailments that many of
children suffer from and are susceptible to in our community each day they
attend school. The use of pesticides that are found in school lunches that are
regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as chemicals that
children our exposed to both infrastructure and outdoor parameters, of school
properties, will only increase the amount of days children miss out of school
to attend to their illnesses. In addition to days missed, schools will have to
implement special classes to accommodate those with disabilities as well as
staff qualified teachers who are able to assist children who suffer the effects
of pesticide exposure. One approach to counteract pesticide exposure, as it
relates to school lunches, is by participating in the Farm School Lunch program
to ensure that children are consuming nutritional foods that would help reduce
the amount of pesticides used in foods because the foods will not be processed
or injected with chemicals or preservatives because it comes from local
community farmers. The implementation of “Green” schools would also aid in reducing
the amount of children who are affected by pesticide exposure. Implementing
“Green” schools will enhance the educational system by providing the
opportunity for children to have access nutritional foods, improve the school
environment and have potential of financial savings by building efficiency.
Because children are in school 2/3 of their day, executing
Farm School Lunches into community schools and implementing Green schools will
enable children to achieve their optimal health as well as enhance
developmental ability. A study showed that 20% of fruits, vegetables, and grains detected residue of organophosphate pesticide. Even though this is a 44% decline from previous studies, the fact is
that some pesticides may pose greater risks to children than others do, and
some residue in other foods may pose greater risks in children than other
residue.
I hope you realize that the best procedure to go forward
with to enhance our children’s health in our schools is to vote “YES” to House
Bill# 432.
Sincerely,
Chnice Watson
Sincerely,
Chnice Watson
This is definitely an act that needs to get passed. I am not a mother, but some day I will be and I want to be confident in knowing when I send my kids to school that they are safe. There are too many other worries that kids go through at school, what they eat at lunch shouldn't be one of them.
ReplyDeleteI really hope that this act gets passed. It makes me sad to think that children are consuming pesticides in school...I feel like school should be a safe place for them to be and they should be learning about how to be healthy now so they can lead a healthy lifestyle. Bailey has a great point about the fact that kids shouldn't have to add worrying about their school lunch along to the rest of their worries. I hope this act gets passed!
ReplyDeleteChnice!
ReplyDeleteWell done once again on your post! Just FYI, I got my letter up on wednesday, due a small mistake. Better a late post, than no post at all is what I believe! If you want to look at it or comment, it's up now!
What really got my attention as a reader is that you mentioned that you were a mother. If I were a a politician reading this, that would definitely catch my interest because many of them are parents themselves. A comment like that could cause them to remember that they too have children and they should vote yes on this issue to save the people they love the most and represent!
What also might catch politicians interest is that special classes may need to be implemented due to the harm that these chemicals cause. Implementing special classes means having to designate more tax dollars to the school system after the damage is done rather than if they fix this issue right away.
Your letter proposed the term "Green Schools," in a way that is motivating, and from being in in Tornabene's classes, you know that motivation causes change ha ha ha!
Great post!