Let's hold a RIP funeral for the green-washed word "sustainable"

[Shepherd]

The following appeared on the Wine and Water Watch website (www.winewaterwatch.org). This expensive 20-page propaganda was published not only in the PD, but also in at least three local weeklies. We need more than this bogus sustainability. One better word is what permaculturists describe as regenerative.

RIP “Sustainable”, Winegrowers’ 20-page “Sustainable” Sonoma County vineyards published in the PD January 17th, refuted

January 20, 2016

After viewing the supplement to the Press Democrat telling everyone how sustainable the wine makers are, it is time to hold a funeral for the word “sustainable” if this is what they are calling it. Let’s plan a full on New Orleans style funeral procession to bury this misused word for good.

When 12 wineries control 70% of production, where are those small wineries located? According to the supplement, 80% are small farmers, seriously? No mention of the water use either. No mention that grapes were NOT watered before 1970 here. When you get paid by the tonnage, that water means profit.

When the General Plan EIR for Sonoma County was made, it predicted 239 facilities by 2020 and we have 439 now with 60 more in the pipeline, 92% of those in rural areas. With close to 2,000 agricultural lands paved for event parking, tasting rooms and expanded production who is protecting agriculture? By their own figures there are 1,171 organic acres and 240 biodynamic acres out of 58,280 bearing acres which means 2.4% of the acreage are not spraying toxic chemicals next to our schools and neighborhoods.

It’s time for a full EIR (environmental impact report) county wide to detail all the impacts of this industry. Real leadership requires facts and without such a report, no good land use decisions can be made.

For more documentation on these issues, attend a Jan. 28, Thur., 6 p.m. WCA/Sierra Club event on the dangers of the use of the weedkiller Roundup, which most winegrowers use. It will be moderated by Sebastopol Mayor Sarah Glade Gurney and include a dinner. Register at WCARoundUpEvent.BrownPaperTickets.com or just show up.