Editor:
If weeds could speak, our lawns would be rejoicing with a sense of relief given council’s decision this week to ban the use of cosmetic pesticides on residential properties.
The dandelion will be the hands-down favourite to become king and queen of Kamloops proper, ruling unrestricted and not taking any further casualties from the big, bad chemical companies.
The re-insurgence of the four-leaf clover in our lawns will likely not be a lucky sign for the numerous professional pesticide companies that have come to the rescue of many homeowners since the last change in city pesticide regulations in 2009.
This should have been enough to satisfy those opposed to pesticides.
However, Kamloops has once again strengthened its reputation for re-visiting issues until they are passed, one way or another.
The kingslayer, or kingmaker, is now Coun. Arjun Singh, depending on what point of view one held prior to council proclaiming its desire to snuff out the commercial application of weed killer in the city.
The question, though, is will this decision have a lasting effect with the electorate in the next election given its seemingly evenly split support?
At the end of the day, I can live with council’s decision either way, but I must admit it is going to be a lot more work without pesticides.
Certainly one can argue a homeowner can do things to minimize the use of pesticides — and I agree.
However, to do that properly, one has to turn their yards upside down and literally get rid of their lawns.
That concept is a lot easier if starting out with a bare lot.
But, the most important issue for me was the city’s intrusion into my individual property rights, and that is something I will not be forgetting any time soon, particularly as I will be reminded every time I am pulling weeds in my yard.
Dave Brummund
Kamloops
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