Help us Support the Children's School Environment Act

We are excited to be co-sponsoring the Children's School Environment Act (CSEA) with Beyond Pesticides, sponsored by the California Guild. ​Our Advisor, Christina Shea, Mayor Pro Tem of Irvine, has been busy reaching out to elected officials throughout the state of California in support of AB 468, (Muratsuchi), D-Torrance, to share Irvine’s success and to encourage other schools and communities to transition to organic land care. Studies have shown that where organic methods of maintenance are adopted, soil health improves, and water use and costs decrease. That is just what we are seeing in Irvine.

The City of Irvine adopted this organics-first landscaping policy in February 2016.  Since then the City of Irvine has successfully, and organically, maintained all pest pressure from weeds to rodents, on more than 570 acres of community and neighborhood parks, athletic fields; over 6,000 acres of open space, over 800 acres of public right-of-way, including street medians and parkways; 70,000 trees; and nearly 1.5 million square feet of facilities. The organic landscaping policy protects open space reserves, multiple wild life habitats, children, pets and families from exposure to toxic pesticides in all city-maintained space.  The City of Irvine has demonstrated that you can have beautiful parks, athletic fields, and open space, that meet community expectations, without the use of toxic pesticides. 

In fact, over 160 cities across America have implemented some form of this policy. Increasingly, studies show that many of the products people assume are safe are actually being shown to cause harmful effects, especially to children, even in tiny amounts. It’s time we stop applying toxic chemicals around our youth when safer, cost-effective methods are available. 

We are very grateful to Assemblyman Muratsuchi for his vision and positive action to protect school children from toxic pesticides where they play and learn in all communities throughout California.

​How you can help

California residents, please help us support requiring organic landscape management at schoolsites by sending a letter of support for AB 468 (Muratsutchi) the Children's School Environment Act (CSEA).

Send letters to the author, Assemblyman Muratsuchi and also to Assembly Education Committee. The first hearing on the bill is March 27th in Assembly Education Committee. Deadline for letters is Tuesday the week prior to hearing: March 19, 2019 at 5:00 p.m.

Copy and paste the email addresses of Assembly Education Committee, Author and staff:

to:
​[email protected]
​
cc: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Letters should be addressed to Assemblyman Muratsuchi, and to the Chair of the Education Committee.

The Honorable Al Muratsuchi
66th Assembly District
State Capitol, Room 2179
Sacramento, CA 95814

Send support letters to the Author by e-mail:
Staff: [email protected]

The Honorable Patrick O'Donnell, Chair
Assembly Education Committee
1020 N Street, Room 159
Sacramento, CA 95814

(916) 319-2070   
[email protected]
Staff: [email protected]

Vice Chair Kevin Kiley, Vice Chair
(916) 319-2006  
[email protected]
Staff:  [email protected]


Assembly Member Ash Kalra
Phone (916) 319-2027 
[email protected]
Staff:  [email protected]


Assembly Member Kevin McCarty
(916) 319-2007 
[email protected]
Staff:  [email protected]


Assembly Member Christy Smith   
(916) 319-2038
[email protected]
Staff:  [email protected]


Assembly Member Shirley N. Weber 
(916) 319-2079
[email protected]
Staff:  [email protected]

https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/

Deadline for letters is Tuesday the week prior to hearing: March 19, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. The first hearing for AB 468 is scheduled on Wednesday, March 27th at 1:30 p.m. in Room 4202 of the State Capitol.

Read a summary of the bill here.

See a sample letter here.