At its Jan. 11 meeting, the Fairfax Town Council considered and decided to bring back next month a resolution condemning aerial geo-engineering, more commonly referred to as chemtrails, and declaring the town a chemtrail-free zone.
As an extensive article in The Pacific Sun explained on Friday, chemtrails are believed to be chemicals sprayed from jet planes and can be seen leaving large trails in the sky on a regular basis. Believers argue that these trails are different than standard contrails left by regular jets that emit condensation at high altitudes.
"You need only look up at the sky on any given day and watch what's happening," said former Councilman Lew Tremaine, who had originally proposed bringing the item to the Fairfax Town Council, but because he wasn't able to before his retirement, Mayor Pam Hartwell-Herrero sponsored the issue and resolution.
Tremaine went on to say that he believes the chemtrails are aluminum being used to seed clouds. He said he's seen an increase in aluminum in the water supply over the years, as well.
Supporters of the issue -- as detailed in The Pacific Sun article -- point out that geo-engineering, or weather modification, and seeding of clouds has been acknowledged and discussed at length in mainstream media. When you can look up and see large, long-lasting chemtrails behind jet planes in the sky, the argument goes, it is this cloud-seeding that is taking place.
"They say we go and spray stuff out of jet airplanes; we're able to manipulate weather. They make no bones about it," said Peter Kirby at the council meeting. Kirby is a San Rafael resident, who with Fairfax resident Valeri Hood brought the issue to the council. "They’re talking on and on and on about this and then you look up in the sky and there’s these X's and grids and circles and things."
You can read more about the arguments behind chemtrails.
For most of the believers, the simplest argument is to look up in the sky and see what the jet trails are leaving behind. A video of chemtrails from YouTube can be seen at right. You can also watch a Discovery Channel special about the controversial subject at right.
The FAA's response in the Pacific Sun article and repeatedly whenever the issue comes up: there is no such thing as chemtrails. These are simply regular jet contrails.
It is because of the conspiracy and fringe connotations that come with the term "chemtrail" that the Fairfax Town Council is revising the resolution to refer to "geo-engineering" instead.
For years, Diane Hoffman said, she thought it was ridiculous too. But, then she started paying attention. "I didn’t take the time to really pay attention and the last year or two I spent a lot of time looking at the sky – there is something going on that doesn’t seem natural at all."
Of course, that doesn't cut it for the skeptics, who think Fairfax is overstepping its bounds.
Fairfax resident Jory Prum argued at the start of the meeting that the resolution will "damage our reputation" as a town. Prum also, mockingly, urged the council to pass a resolution banning fire-breathing dragons from town.
"It's at least as important as the other resolutions you've passed," said Cindy Ross of the joke fire-breathing dragon ban. "After you're done with your busy work chasing mythical beasts, then I'd like you to look at crosswalks."
Do you think the council should take a position on geo-engineering and chemtrails?
