© Common Dreams
In the corporate world's tortured language, workers are no longer fired. They just experience an "employment adjustment." But the most twisted euphemism I've heard in a long time comes from DuPont: "We are investigating the reports of these unfavorable tree symptoms," the pesticide maker recently stated.
How unfavorable? Finito, flat-lined, the tree is dead. Not just one tree, but hundreds of thousands all across the country are suffering the final "symptom."
The culprit turns out to be Imprelis, a DuPont weed-killer widely applied to lawns, golf courses, and - ironically - cemeteries.
Rather than just poisoning dandelions and other weeds, the herbicide also seems to be causing spruces, pines, willows, poplars, and other unintended victims to croak.
"It's been devastating," says a Michigan landscaper who applied Imprelis to about a thousand properties this spring and has already had more than a third of them suffer outbreaks of tree deaths. "It looks like someone took a flamethrower to them," he says.
At first, DuPont tried to dodge responsibility, claiming that landscape workers might be applying the herbicide improperly. The corporation even urged customers to be patient and leave the tree corpses on their lawns to see if they'd come back to life in a few years.
However, faith-based landscaping was a hard sell. Disgruntled homeowners began filing lawsuits. Then DuPont had its own "aha!" moment when trees on the grounds of the DuPont Country Club also developed the "unfavorable symptoms" of Imprelis poisoning.
So, with DuPont's cooperation, the EPA has finally banned sales of the tree-killing herbicide. But because of inadequate testing and a rush to profit, the poison will remain in the soil - and our water - for many moons. Trees will continue to die. Will we never learn?
About the author
Jim Hightower is a National radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of the book, Swim Against The Current: Even A Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow, Jim Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.
MONSANTO'S Roundup Ready herbicide is turning out to be ineffective soooo MONSANTO is offering up to $4.50 per acre ($2.50 to use' Ignite' another $1.00 to use 'Karate' and another poison which name I cannot recall if all are put to use it adds up to $4.50) to farmers if they implement MONSANTO'S new spraying program called
Cradle to Grave!!! The application of new and even more toxic herbicides/pesticides are now applied to the food plant from the moment they sprout to the time they are ready for harvest.
Whoa now! If I recall correctly the GMOs were promoted as safer since they (GMOs) would use less poison.
Hmmm
Oh yes and another reason why GMOs should be planted, according to MONSANTO, is because they would feed the world. Right. Yet, a farmer is not allowed to save seed. If a farmer is caught saving seed for next harvest they are strapped with a very heavy fine.
For those who are unaware of GMOs as an example: Corn. Corn is genetically modified with a toxic gene that acts as a pesticide. Guess you can't wash that off when preparing the family meal.