Beekeepers & Activists Swarm Lowe’s Annual Shareholder Meeting in Charlotte

MEDIA ADVISORY

CONTACT:
Brett Abrams : 516-841-1105 : brett@fitzgibbonmedia.com

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA -- On Friday May 30th, outside of Lowe’s Annual Shareholder Meeting, members of SumOfUs.org, joined by beekeepers from around the country, and a giant inflatable bee, will draw attention to the corporation’s continued sale of neonicotinoids, commonly known as neonics, a type of pesticides that has been linked to the collapse of bee populations worldwide.

WHEN:  Friday, May 30th.  Protest and visuals start at 8:00am ET.  Press conference and remarks at 9:00am ET.  Lowe’s Shareholder Meeting starts at 10:00am ET.

WHERE:  10000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, at the intersection of John J. Delaney Dr. Charlotte, NC 28277

Beekeepers outside join Lowe’s shareholders inside asking the corporation to remove bee-killing neonic pesticides from its shelves, and to promote alternative products that are not toxic to bees. More than 730,000 people have signed onto a petition from SumOfUs.org, urging Lowe’s and Home Depot to stop selling the bee-killing pesticides.

“From all over the world, tens of thousands of everyday Lowe’s customers and shareholders are urging Lowe’s to think about the impact that these dangerous bee-killing pesticides have on our food supply chain and the company’s brand,”  said Paul Ferris, campaign director at SumOfUs.org.  “It’s time for Lowe’s to remove bee-killing pesticides from its shelves and supply chain.”

"North Carolinians are deeply concerned about the threats facing our state insect, the honeybee," said Levy Schroeder, Executive Director at Toxic Free NC. "Faced with habitat destruction to climate change, bees don't need another challenge. Lowe's should be truly bee-friendly and take toxic pesticides off the shelves."

Neonicotinoids have been the focus of many recent studies, which have found repeatedly that even small amounts of the chemical have been found to have ‘sub-lethal’ and even deadly effects on wildlife. Earlier this year, the European Union issued a two year moratorium on the use of neonics.

For more information, or for interviews with SumOfUs.org or beekepers involved in Friday’s action, please contact Melissa Byrne at 609-364-4267 or Brett Abrams at 516-841-1105 or by email at brett@fitzgibbonmedia.com.

NEWS RELEASE: New pesticide rules seek to address long-standing safety problems

EPA proposes updating Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides after more than twenty years of problems.

WASHINGTON DC– In North Carolina and Florida, three babies born in 2005 brought to light in the most painful way that pesticide exposure poses dangers to farmworkers and their children. All three babies were born with severe birth defects. Their mothers had worked together on tomato farms for the produce company Ag-Mart in both states. State investigators found hundreds of instances of pesticide safety problems, but were unable to prove pesticide violations in the case, because of loopholes in the Worker Protection Standard – the very pesticide rules they were trying to enforce.

The federal Worker Protection Standard, first adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992, is notoriously difficult to enforce. The standard does not require record-keeping to document whether pesticide rules have actually been followed – that loophole doomed the Ag-Mart case. The Worker Protection Standard requires only minimal training on the risks that pesticide exposure can pose to workers’ children and families, so many workers don’t find out about those hazards until after the worst has happened. Today the EPA proposed strengthening the Worker Protection Standard to address many pesticide safety concerns – including those raised in the high-profile birth defects case.

The Worker Protection Standard was also designed with adult workers in mind. But agriculture is different from most other industries in that it allows children to join labor crews at 12 years old – even at 10 in some crops – and these children are exposed to pesticides on the job. Yesenia Cuello and her sister Neftali began working on tobacco and sweet potato farms in North Carolina when Yesenia was 14 and Neftali was 12. Both girls report that they saw pesticides used nearby and were even exposed to the drift, but never knew what pesticides were. “We never heard the word ‘pesticide’ or had a safety training until 4 years later,” says Yesenia. “I assumed it was some kind of fertilizer.”

An estimated 1.1 billion pounds of pesticides are applied to crops annually in the United States. The nation’s 1–2.4 million farmworkers face the greatest threat from the health impacts of these chemicals. Ten to twenty thousand farmworkers are injured by pesticides on the job every year in the US. Short-term effects of pesticide exposures can include skin and eye injuries, nausea, headaches, respiratory problems, and even death. Long-term exposure on the job can increase the risk of serious chronic health problems such as cancer, birth defects, neurological impairments and Parkinson’s disease for farmworkers, their families, and their children.

Advocates who work with farmworkers welcomed news of the proposed rule change. “For too long, the people who pick food for our tables have had to put their own health at risk, and their children’s health at risk, just by going to work every day,” stated Fawn Pattison, Senior Advocate at Toxic Free North Carolina. “We are pleased that the EPA has proposed strengthening this outdated safety standard, and will work together with North Carolina’s farmworkers to ensure that it really does protect the health of farmworker families in our state and across the nation.”

Last week 52 members of Congress, led by Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona and Linda Sanchez of California, urged EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy in a letter to release the proposed rule, stating that the current agricultural worker protection standard is "limited" and "insufficient" to protect workers from the hazards of handling pesticides.  The same week, California-based Pesticide Action Network submitted a petition to McCarthy to strengthen the Worker Protection Standard, signed by more than 18,000 citizens.

The proposed revisions to the Worker Protection Standard can be viewed on the EPA’s website. The US EPA will be accepting comments from the public on the proposed changes through May.

Contacts:
Fawn Pattison, Toxic Free North Carolina
(919) 833-5333, fawn@toxicfreenc.org

Raviya Ismail, Earthjustice
(202) 745-5221, rismail@earthjustice.org

Dr. Margaret Reeves, Pesticide Action Network North America
(415) 728-0176, mreeves@panna.org

Jeannie Economos, Farmworker Association of Florida
(407) 886-5151, farmerworkerassoc@aol.com

Toxic Free NC Names Levy Schroeder as Executive Director

Schroeder brings 10 years of experience in environmental justice and farmworker advocacy to Toxic Free NC

The Board of Directors for Toxic Free North Carolina has appointed Levy Schroeder as the organization’s full-time Executive Director, effective December 2, 2013.

Schroeder brings a wealth of experience to the organization in the fields of environmental justice, food equity and farmworker advocacy. She will lead Toxic Free NC’s efforts to educate North Carolinians about pesticide hazards and common-sense alternatives to toxic chemicals, to watchdog the government agencies that regulate pesticides and toxic chemicals, and to change the way our communities view and use pesticides and toxic chemicals, especially where people are at greatest risk from exposure.

“We’re so pleased to bring Levy on staff,” said Mindy Hiteshue, president of Toxic Free NC’s Board of Directors. “Levy will bring leadership and vision to our organization and will work to expand our programs and further fulfill our mission to reduce exposure to pesticides and toxic chemicals. Levy's years of experience working directly with farmworker communities and serving nonprofits at program, fundraising and leadership levels will be a great asset to our organization.”

Previously, Schroeder served as the Director of Health and Safety Programs at the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP), where she led the organization’s efforts to bring farmworker health and safety programming to its membership agencies.

“I’m excited about joining such a dynamic, passionate team, and I am looking forward to leading advocacy efforts for alternatives to pesticides and toxic chemicals in North Carolina,” says Schroeder.

Fawn Pattison, Toxic Free NC's current Executive Director, will be moving into a new role as Senior Advocate this December. In her new position, Pattison will be focused entirely on advocating for common-sense alternatives to toxic chemicals that protect our health and environment.

North Carolina Businesses Urge Congress to Act on Toxic Chemicals

Manufacturers likeLee Industries are phasing out hazardous chemicals

The Sustainable Furnishings Council and Toxic Free NC have partnered to organize “real reform” for the use of safer chemicals in North Carolina manufactured products. Business leaders across the state are stepping up to seek federal change in outdated laws currently allowing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in furniture and other manufactured products.

Download our new white paper [PDF, 645 KB] to learn how NC Businesses are leading the market away from toxic chemicals, and seeking legislative reform.

In rebuilding and strengthening the U.S. economy, many businesses are calling for a new policy that limits the use of toxic chemicals, and prioritizes green products and engineering. Chemical safety legislation will support these efforts, and you can help by urging Congress to take action!

For the first time in decades, there is real opportunity to fix the problem at its source, and to rebuild our economy based on safer chemical regulations. Congress needs to pay attention, and take action by enacting legislation to address the issue of toxic chemicals. Real reform will have a positive impact on business and manufacturing in North Carolina, and will spur a healthier economy and a healthier environment.

Overhauling our nation’s outdated chemical laws supports American business:

• Consumers are demanding safer products.
• Safer products lead to better business for North Carolina.
• Lack of chemical regulation is hamstringing businesses.

The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 — intended to give the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the power to identify and regulate dangerous chemicals — is outdated and simply does not work.

Download the white paper here (645 KB)

Congress has yet to take meaningful action, and the Chemical Safety Improvement Act currently proposed in the US Senate would not solve this problem as currently written.

We need Federal Change Now

It’s time for Congress to set common sense limits on toxic chemicals, and our businesses and manufacturers are leading the charge. Make your voice heard by supporting the push for reform.

What You Can Do

You can help ensure that North Carolina is on the forefront of economic AND safety reform by urging Congress to overhaul our federal toxic chemicals law.

Businesses can join NC furniture manufacturers by requesting and signing on to a joint letter to Congress. Individuals can contact their Senators directly to take action.

Welcome, Anna!

by Fawn Pattison, Executive Director

Toxic Free NC is delighted to welcome Anna Jensen as our new Community Organizer!

Anna grew up in North Carolina and loves every part of it, from the Appalachians to the Outer Banks. She was a Student Action with Farmworkers intern with Toxic Free NC in the summer of 2007 and has been hooked on environmental and farmworker justice ever since.

Anna can communicate in 2 languages, holding a B.A. in Spanish and English from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has worked with farmworkers in the tobacco fields of eastern NC, where she acted as a health outreach worker with the NC Farmworkers Project, and the Central Valley of California, where she conducted research for her master's thesis at UC Davis.  When not talking to farmworkers or pondering how to bridge the gap between public policy and everyday life, she can be found in the kitchen concocting something involving lots of butter and sugar.

Anna will be leading Toxic Free NC's campaigns with migrant and seasonal farm workers, as well as conducting outreach and education around the state for all our programs. She is available to give presentations and workshops in English and Spanish. Anna is also our main media contact. You can reach her by email: anna@toxicfreenc.org or by phone at (919) 833-8655.

Toxic Free NC Teaming up with Locopops for Labor Day Fiesta!

Raleigh, NC - Toxic Free North Carolina will be the special guest at Locopops' Fifth Anniversary Party on September 6th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Raleigh store on Hillsborough St. The Raleigh celebration is one of three being held simultaneously at Locopops stores around the Triangle.

Raleigh neighbors will be stopping by between cookouts and pool parties to enjoy a Locopop and learn about Toxic Free NC's work fighting pesticide pollution in North Carolina. All of the proceeds from the event will go to benefit Toxic Free NC, North Carolina's only organization working to put people before pesticides!

When: Monday, September 6th, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

What: A PARTY to celebrate Locopops' 5th year in business!

Where: Locopops, 1908 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC

Who: Hosted by Locopops Head Chef Timothy Fletcher and Toxic Free NC

About Toxic Free NC:

Toxic pesticides are over-used in North Carolina and around the world, polluting the food we eat, the water water we drink, and ultimately, our bodies. Toxic Free NC fights pesticide pollution in North Carolina by advocating for common-sense alternatives that protect our health and environment.

Toxic Free NC’s one simple goal is to get rid of pesticide pollution in our water, our food and our bodies.
We work together with those who care about the environment and our health to make our communities safer. You can find more information about our programs, including Toxic Free Kids and Just and Sustainable Agriculture, at www.toxicfreenc.org or by calling 1-877-NO-SPRAY.

About Locopops:

When Locopops opened its doors in May of 2005 in Durham, the customers who first happened in were from the bordering neighborhoods. Locopops quickly became a part of the community in a way we hadn’t anticipated - putting a whole new spin on how we thought about our business and what we wanted to accomplish. The community is good to us, so we strive to be good to the community. We actively support community groups, PTA’s, student groups, animal shelters and other non-profits through fundraising activities, donations, and public art space. Learn more at: www.ilovelocopops.com.

LoveBug People's Choice Winner Announced!

Local artist Sean Kernick wins by landslide, earns seat in finalists round

Contact: Ana Duncan Pardo, Toxic Free NC
(919) 818-5933 | ana[at]toxicfreenc.org

Raleigh, NC – Yesterday Toxic Free North Carolina announced the winner of the LoveBug People’s Choice poll. Raleigh artist Sean Kernick won the online poll by a significant margin, and will be given an automatic seat in the finalists round of the art competition. Ten LoveBug competitors created insect self-portraits for a week-long People’s Choice campaign on Facebook. All the artists’ self-portraits can be seen on Toxic Free NC’s Facebook page.

People's Choice Artist Sean Kernick is available for interviews. Please contact Ana Duncan Pardo for more information.

What: LoveBug is a combination live on-street art competition and gallery opening hosted by Toxic Free NC at Epona & Oak in downtown Raleigh’s City Market. This year LoveBug has garnered support from a variety of local business sponsors, including Burt’s Bees Greater Good Foundation, Whole Foods, Empire Eats, Locopops, Visual Arts Exchange and many others, and the 2010 artist line-up includes local notables David Eichenberger, Amy Sawyer and Bart Cusick.

LoveBug will kick off on First Friday, August 6 at 6 p.m. with a young artist’s round, followed by two grown-up rounds. The competitor whose art receives the highest total bid wins, and in the evening the two finalists will compete with the People’s Choice winner to create a buggy masterpiece; sold auction-style. The artist whose piece earns the highest bid wins!

All proceeds from the event will go to Toxic Free NC to support their ongoing work to get toxic pesticides out of North Carolinians’ air, water, food and bodies.

When: August 6, 2010 (First Friday) 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: Epona & Oak, 329 Blake St. City Market (map)

Participating artists: David Eichenberger; Amy Sawyer; Chris Norris; Sean Kernick+; Paul Dumlao+; Casey Porn*; Bart Cusick+; Catherine Hannah+; David Welch+; Pete Sack; Patrick Hitesman+; Wesley Hare; Kiki Farish*; Denee’ Black*; Rosalynn Villaescusa*; Desiree Peterson*; Sherri Pekks*; Samantha Henneke*; Bruce Gholdon*; Ann Marie Kennedy*; Christina Preher*; Eliza Campbell Kiser*; Jeremy Bond*; Becky Wofford-Waehner*; Ginger Gehres*; Terri Reiser*; Robert Shertz*

* = exhibit only + = exhibit & First Friday Competition

About Toxic Free North Carolina
Toxic pesticides are over-used in North Carolina and around the world, polluting our food, water and our bodies. Toxic Free NC fights pesticide pollution in North Carolina by advocating for common-sense alternatives that protect our health and environment. We are an independent non-profit organization -- North Carolina’s only organization working to put people before pesticides. Learn more at www.toxicfreenc.org.

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This Tuesday: Groceries for a Cause 5% Day for Toxic Free NC at Cary Whole Foods

For more information contact:
Ana Duncan Pardo
919-833-8655

For Immediate Release

Toxic Free North Carolina is Recipient of Whole Foods 5% Community Day

Raleigh, NC - On Tuesday, April 6, Toxic Free North Carolina will be the recipient of five percent of the day’s sales at Whole Foods Market in Cary. Toxic Free NC, a grassroots nonprofit fighting pesticide pollution statewide, is also the focus of the Cary Whole Foods Market’s April Community Spotlight. Staff from Toxic Free NC will be in the store to answer questions from shoppers throughout the day on Tuesday.

Toxic Free North Carolina is a nonprofit organization that has been dedicated to fighting pesticide pollution since it was established in 1986. Toxic Free NC’s three-member staff focuses their work on efforts to safeguard child health, protect farm workers from toxic exposures and strengthen sustainable agriculture in NC. Toxic Free NC engages parents, sustainable farmers, consumers and farm workers across the state through popular education, creative use of documentary and grassroots organizing and advocacy.

Toxic Free NC staff members Billie Karel and Ana Duncan Pardo will be available throughout the day at Whole Foods Market in Cary to answer questions and provide information about their work. For more information about Whole Foods Market 5% Community Day call 919-816-8830.

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Whole Foods Market - Cary is located at 102 New Waverly Place, Cary, NC 27518-7002.

About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market, a leader in the natural and organic foods industry and America’s first national certified organic grocer, was named "America’s Healthiest Grocery Store" in 2008 by Health magazine. The Whole Foods Market motto, "Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet"™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to its 53,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America by FORTUNE magazine for 11 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2008, the company had sales of $8 billion and currently has more than 275 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market is a trademark owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP.