Chemicals are wrong approach for problem

Why did we move to Sandpoint - a little backwater in the foothills of the Cabinet Mountains? Because we needed to get away from the overpopulation pressure of the city in all its aspects - to connect emotionally with 'untouched' nature.

Yet we bring with us the culture of wall-to-wall pavement, of nursery-raised ornamental landscaping, of laborsaving chemicals that pollute and maim future generations of animals and even our own species.

We spread exotic aquatic weeds from one water body to another and we bring our lawns right down to the water's edge overfertilizing them. Then we hurry to put chemicals proven to affect the developmental processes of fetuses and children onto it to 'eradicate' the 'weeds.'

Why can't we be aware of where we are and do things differently, respectfully, thankfully, intelligently? After all, we have memory, consciousness. We have evolved from the cave. Yet we still don't realize our connection with the whole and what we will leave for posterity.

Folks, the soil is made up 50 percent of bacteria'that's where the earthy smell comes from. The forest is maintained by mycorrhizal fungi. Birds dive down to the lake sediment to feed. We are part of an interacting community of living creatures. What we do so blithely with our big machinery and our chemicals affects everything. As more and more of us move here, we are making this lovely place into just what we ran away from.

MERLA BARBERIE

Sandpoint