Central Coast Environmental Health Project

CCEHP en Espanol

The Central Coast Environmental Health Project (CCEHP) is a project of the Environmental Defense Center.

CCEHP's mission is to raise awareness about health risks posed by pesticide exposure while decreasing our reliance on pesticides through education and advocacy.

Photo by Spencer Weiner, L. A. Times

WHAT'S NEW AT CCEHP...

Demographic Survey - On August 16, 2006, CCEHP announced the release of our new Demographic Survey of indigenous farmworkers to over 60 individuals representing a variety of agencies, community groups and health advocates. Our public presentation took place at Los Adobes de Maria II, a farmworker housing complex in Santa Maria operated by Peoples Self Help Housing Corporation, which generously hosted the event.

Nearly 500 surveys were collected throughout 2005 from farmworkers in Northern Santa Barbara County, which asked questions regarding family, employment, health and more. The final results form the basis of our report, Portrait of a Laborer: Indigenous Farmworkers in Santa Barbara County, and are available in English and Spanish.

Portrait of a Laborer was developed with the hope that the results and recommendations within it can serve as a tool to any individual or organization working with, or employing, farmworkers in our community.

CCEHP's demographic assessment is generously funded by The California Endowment. Please contact CCEHP at 805.963.1622 for more information.

Train the Trainer Program - In September 2005, CCEHP trained our first five community "promotores" or trainers. These individuals, all farmworkers, will educate their peers about pesticide risks and alternatives. CCEHP hopes to expand this grassroots leadership model to more farmworkers in the future.

What is a pesticide?
A pesticide is any substance that is used to kill, mitigate, repel, defoliate and/or harm pests or other living organisms. A pest is defined by the user. Insecticides, fumigants, herbicides, rodenticides, fungicides, defoliants, plant growth regulators, and many other substances that we use on a daily basis are all considered pesticides. Given this definition it is important to understand that organic farmers also use pesticides, as they too use products to kill, harm or repel pests.

Examples of pesticides include, but are by no means limited to: weed killers, flea and tick products, termite treatments, ant sprays, bleach when used to kill bacteria, lice treatments, rat and mice poison, and fly sprays.

Because pesticides, by definition, are intended to kill or harm living things, it is important to note that pesticides can also affect humans and the environment.

The "legal" definition of pesticide is found in the California Food and Agricultural Code Section 12753.

Why Should I Be Concerned About Pesticide Use?
Pesticides are designed to kill or otherwise harm living things. Various types of pesticides are used in public parks and buildings, in and around schools, on roadways, in and around homes, and in agricultural settings. Unfortunately, pesticides do not recognize boundaries or property lines and do not differentiate between pests and people.

Pesticide use in California is quite extensive. A report by Pesticide Action Network, "Hooked on Poison" documents that more than 1.5 billion pounds of pesticide were applied in California agriculture between 1991 and 1998. Sadly, many of these pesticides are known to cause cancer, reproductive harm, neurological disorders, and a variety of other illnesses. Many of these same diseases can be attributed to pesticides frequently used in the home. It is therefore reasonable to be concerned about potential human exposure.

Home | About CCEHP | Take Action | Support Us | Contact Us