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Safe Lawn & Landscapes Campaign
What do New York City, San Francisco, Cleveland Heights and Middleburg Heights have in common? They all have banned toxic lawn chemicals from city properties! Through a vibrant, educational outreach effort, our Safe Lawn & Garden Campaign will assist cities, schools, park districts, libraries, businesses and individuals in transitioning to cost-effective, organic lawn care practices. People will learn they do not need to rely on toxic chemicals to have beautiful and healthy lawns and landscapes. The Campaign offers speakers, PowerPoint presentations and printed literature on why choosing organic lawn care is a wise choice. Indeed, lawn chemicals pose unnecessary health risks to people, pets and the environment. Most pesticides have not been adequately tested, and many have been associated with health problems, including asthma, childhood leukemia, and learning disabilities. Pesticides are not safe; indeed, it is against federal law to make any claims of safety, even when used as directed. LAWN CHEMICAL HEALTH RISKS A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds home and garden pesticide use can increase the risk of childhood leukemia by almost seven times. Exposure to home and garden pesticides can increase a child’s likelihood of developing asthma and recent research studies link pesticides with autism, hyperactivity, developmental delays, behavioral disorders, and motor dysfunction. Studies find that dogs exposed to herbicide-treated lawns and gardens can double their chance of developing canine lymphoma and may increase the risk of bladder cancer in certain breeds by four to seven times. GOING ORGANIC – A HEALTHIER CHOICE Since an organic lawn is a healthier lawn, it resists weeds and stands up better to disease and costs less to maintain. The Safe Lawn & Garden Campaign can help you create your own organic lawn or refer you to reputable organic lawn care practitioners. Some tips: Fertilize with organic products, aerate the soil, mow grass high, and apply corn gluten to discourage weeds and encourage deeper roots. Also think about replacing portions of your lawn with flowers and shrubs. To learn how you can join the Campaign to get your neighbors and community to adopt safer lawn and landscape practices or host a house gathering, contact us today. For more information, please visit our website for our Lawn Care Without Chemicals fact sheet. | ||||||||||
- To Watch presentations on organic lawn care verses chemical approach go to Beyond Pesticides' 30th National Pesticide Forum, Healthy Communities: Green solutions for safe environments held at Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, March 30-31, 2012.
- Cuyahoga County Council approves anti-pesticide legislation (Published: Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 6:55 PM)
- Led by South Euclid's Sunny Simon and Cleveland Heights' Julian Rogers, Cuyahoga County passes anti-pesticides law (Published: Friday, June 08, 2012)
- Cleveland Heights Ordinance (Prohibits Pesticides on Schools, Day Cares, Public Properties ...)
- County Council of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Ordinance No. O2011-0047 (Prohibits pesticides on grounds and in buildings on all county owned property)