Naturalist and broadcaster, Chris Packham, has thrown his support behind a campaign calling for the Isle of Wight Council to phase out the use of chemical pesticides in public spaces across the Island.
The endorsement comes as Greenpeace Isle of Wight continues to gather signatures for a petition urging the local authority to adopt a clear plan to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of pesticides such as glyphosate in urban areas.
Packham, who works with Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK), said reducing the use of chemical pesticides is essential to protecting wildlife and improving public health.
Chris has said:
“I fully support Greenpeace Isle of Wight’s petition calling on the Isle of Wight Council to phase out the use of chemical pesticides in the Island’s urban spaces.
“The use of glyphosate in urban areas is simply mind-boggling. We know these chemicals can harm biodiversity, threaten pollinators and contaminate the environments where people, pets and wildlife live side by side.
“We should be creating cleaner, greener and more resilient communities, and that starts by reducing our reliance on harmful pesticides. Councils across the UK are already demonstrating that safer and effective alternatives exist, and I hope the Isle of Wight will follow their lead.”
The petition calls on the Isle of Wight Council to develop a transparent and actionable strategy to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of chemical pesticides in public spaces.
Campaigners say doing so would help reduce risks to pollinators, pets, children and vulnerable residents, while protecting biodiversity and public health.
A spokesperson for Greenpeace Isle of Wight has said:
“Chris Packham’s support sends a powerful message. The Isle of Wight has an opportunity to lead by example and show that protecting the health of residents and nature begins at the local level.”
The petition remains open for signatures and is expected to be presented to the Isle of Wight Council later this year.
glyphosate is a herbicide not a pesticide quality reporting from the island echo there as for that Packham tw4t he’s not got a clue he dose more harm than good for the countryside
Glyphosate is both. It is a broad-spectrum herbicide used to kill weeds and grasses, and it falls under the broader category of pesticide. A pesticide is any substance used to prevent, destroy, or repel pests, making herbicides a specific type of pesticide designed to target unwanted plants and therefore the pests it harbours.
Chris Packham is certainly a lot more knowledgeable than you are, and we’d all like to know what ‘harm’ you think he’s done to the countryside?
In reply to the question why he and Charlotte Corney were no longer living together, Packham, appearing on the Homing Podcast in January said:
“I create a space where essentially I feel comfortable because I’ve made it; I’m in control of it; but it’s a space which isn’t entirely comfortable for other people”, as he has proved many times and has been shown on “Whatever Watch”.
He went on:
“it’s my way of controlling the fact that I really just want to be there on my own. And ultimately, what I accepted long ago is that I’m best on my own because then I’m not judged by anyone I don’t have to judge myself.”
If he wants to be “there on my own”, WTF does he need Strachan and Iolo?
However he is quite prepared, not only to “be on his own”, but to judge other people and to tell them what to do.
At 63 years old, having discovered the truth about himself and his behaviour, one might hope that he may realise that silence is indeed golden for such people.
It’s really very simple…plants, animals and wildlife don’t have an ulterior have-to-guess agenda. People do.
Telling people what to do, as any researched scientist would is as an expert informing others…not ‘telling them what to do’. Unless of course you’re of the opinion that we should remove danger warnings from all chemicals, bottles of bleach etc and let nature take its course and thereby eliminate the crassly stupid without comment?
It would certainly save the planet and it various species.
and WTF does, his personal living preferences, have to do with you !
Glyphosphate is not a pesticide, it is a weedkiller, pity this clown doesn’t know the difference
Pesticide have killed more wildlife than we”ll ever know let’s hope it happens and soon