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Opinion from Holle Violet: The rise of the Summit County superweeds

The rise of the Summit County superweeds

I’ve recently noticed the increased presence of spray vehicles in Summit. I understand the desire to keep our county free of weeds, but the ends don’t justify the means.

• Herbicides kill soil microbes and leave soil lifeless. Eventually nothing but noxious weeds can grow there, creating a cycle of continuous spraying (or weed pulling).



• These herbicides eventually cause the mutation of weeds, resulting in herbicide resistant “super weeds.”

• Purchasing and maintaining specialty vehicles, using gas and spraying chemicals is not sustainable. (Did you know dandelions are edible native flowers that heal damaged soil?)



• The most commonly used herbicide is Monsanto’s Roundup. Like GMOs, it works because of the presence of glyphosate. Just as glyphosate bioaccumulates and kills all beneficial bacteria in the soil, it does the same in the human body. Organ damage has occurred in animals with glyphosate levels as low as 0.1 ppm. This makes the low levels sprayed and accumulating in our soil relevant and significant to all life in the county, including wildlife, wildflowers, birds, dogs, cats, children and even you.

According to research scientists at MIT, glyphosate kills beneficial bacteria in the body, inhibits the body’s ablilty to detoxify when exposed to environmental toxins and may lead to chronic disease, attack by harmful bacteria, chronic inflammation and tumors.

• Do we wish to support a corporation with a legacy that includes Agent Orange, Saccharine, Aspartame, PCBs, DDT and bovine growth hormone?

We may not have the right to prevent glyphosate from entering our bodies in the GMO foods we unwittingly eat, but we can steward this beautiful watershed and not pollute it with glyphosate. Utilize your voice and consumer power. There is no place for Roundup in Summit County! Let’s “round up” our weeds the old-fashioned way and get some beautifully toned arms in the meantime.

Holle Violet

Silverthorne


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