No-toxics Spring 2023 and Community Rights

Spring is around the corner!  You might very well know that yard and home toxics damage the health of you, your family, community and watershed. The Poison Papers have proof how the chemical industry and regulators hide toxicity information from the public.

The big question is “What will it take to connect and empower our communities in the pursuit and enforcement of laws that protect them, Community Rights Laws?”.

Water Stewards Program by NCAP

SCCR is proud to promote a program by NCAP – Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides: Central Puget Sound Water Stewards.

This community campaign is focused on improving the health of our watersheds and keeping chemical pesticides from entering Puget Sound, by engaging community members on alternative yard care practices. We want you to talk with your neighbors and friends about using less pesticides in their yards! This campaign includes community organizations, cities, counties, watershed management organizations and watershed districts. More information in the post.

CELDF Online Democracy School 2022

On October 15, 16 and 22, 23 at 10 am-12:30 pm, Snohomish County Community Rights (SCCR) will host the 4-day Online Democracy School by Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF).

Democracy School is a stimulating and illuminating virtual course that teaches residents and activists an empowering new approach about how to reframe exhausting and often discouraging single-issue work – such as banning pesticides, halting overdevelopment, protecting water and watersheds, and addressing climate change – in a way that we can confront corporate control and government interference on a powerful front: the people’s right of local self-governance and Nature’s rights.

Educating yourself and your community is one of the most powerful steps toward change you can make. Your active support and engagement are critical and greatly appreciated. A brighter, healthier future for yourself, your children, community and the Earth depend on your active efforts.

Rights-of-Nature (RON) Movie Viewing and Discussion in Edmonds

On September 16 at 7 pm, please join Edmonds Community Rights (ECR) for the RON-Movie Viewing and Discussion.

We will focus on a concept of Rights of Nature, where it came from, current status, highlights, future developments and a close connection between Rights of Nature (RON) and Community Rights (CR).

Your voice is important to us. Please bring your questions and concerns.

Rights of Nature Webinar by CELDF on Ecuador

“This past November, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court ruled in favor of the Los Cedros Cloud Forest ecosystem and local communities’ rights over the rights of a foreign mining corporation. Truly a seminal case for legal rights of nature, the court addressed the regulatory permitting process, the precautionary principle, biodiversity, community input into the decision-making process, and how human rights to clean water and a healthy environment are completely tied to the rights of the ecosystem and nature.”

Legal Rights for Ecosystems Workshop and Video

Rights of Nature (RON) is a simple concept and dates at least half a century back. Including in local and national legislations the legal right to exist, flourish and regenerate is a foundation for protection of ecosystems – such as the Salish Sea and its watershed – from abuse, unlimited extraction, destruction, toxic contamination and extinction.

Human communities are parts of ecosystems. Healthier ecosystems mean healthier communities.

Pesticide Spraying 2022 and Safety Workshop

Please share: On May 26 at 7 pm, Gold Bar Community Rights (GBCR) will host an online information workshop about pesticide spraying 2022 on local industrial tree plantations in the Skykomish River Watershed and safety for residents and communities.

We will discuss spraying practices, chemicals, documents, drift and what we can do to have a safer and healthier community and ecosystem.

Rights of Nature (RON) Workshop by CELDF

Please share: On June 9 at 6 pm, Snohomish County Community Rights (SCCR) will host an online Rights of Nature (RON) workshop by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) “Emancipating Nature: Securing legal rights for ecosystems”.

The workshop will cover the following:
> What is rights of nature?
> Where did it come from?
> Current status and highlight moments.
> The good, the bad, and the ugly – the need to protect rights of nature principles.
> The horizon for rights of nature laws.

Kids Are the Most Sensitive to Toxics

Please share: pregnant women, babies and young children are the most sensitive to toxic chemicals for home, lawn and yard care. So are pets, domestic animals and wild life. Pesticides drift in air and water contaminating entire watersheds and neighborhoods.

We encourage you to use alternative methods for healthier family, community, ecosystem and watershed.

For Your Yard, Garden and Home

Please share: Spring is here! For your yard, garden and home, it is best to use alternative and eco-friendly methods and products. Look at the labels and check ingredients. So that you, your family, community, and watershed are more healthy.

September 9 at 6:30 pm, Preemption Workshop by CELDF

On Thursday, September 9 at 6:30 pm, please join us for a workshop by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) “Preemption as a Lethal Weapon: How Corporations and Government are Deliberately Destroying Communities and Nature”. We will record and broadcast this event on Facebook Live.

Pesticides in Our Watersheds

Of 400 pesticides used in residential, timber and agricultural settings across the U.S. watersheds, Glyphosate, Atrazine and 2.4-D are the most popular and have been sprayed for many decades. About 280 million pounds of Glyphosate are used annually only for agriculture, according to an analysis of data estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey. This meansContinue reading “Pesticides in Our Watersheds”