Dear neighbor,

I noticed that you maintain your lawn with lawn-care pesticides and would like you to reconsider doing so. Lawn-care pesticides — even at low levels of exposure — are associated with increased risks of birth defects, cancer, autism, neurotoxicity, respiratory and immune-system damage, liver and kidney damage, endocrine disruption, and many other health problems like asthma. Children are especially at risk since their systems are more vulnerable and they tend to spend more time on lawns. And pesticides are teratogens — they can cross the placenta and adversely affect developing fetuses, even at extremely low doses that don't harm adults.

As if this weren't enough: lawn-care pesticides also poison the environment — drinking water and other bodies of water, the soil, the air, and harm pets and wildlife. And lawn-care pesticides are not only a problem outside — pets and others who walk on treated lawns can track the pesticides into our homes, where these toxins persist for years and years, often degrading into compounds far more dangerous than the original chemicals.

That's why such pesticides have been banned in Europe and are currently being phased out in Canada!

We hope that in light of the evidence, you will consider maintaining your lawn without pesticides. Not only is it more healthful to do so, but over time, going organic actually saves money. This is because pesticides poison the soil and disturb the Ph balance. Once you treat your soil and grass as nature intended, maintaining lawns organically is actually cost effective.

With your help (and with help from others like you), soon people will find it hard to believe that we ever allowed poison to be sprayed where we live and work.

Sincerely,


 

Here are some natural/organic lawn-care companies that service New Paltz:

Healthy & Happy Lawns Inc (845) 733-5296, John
Thompson Ridge Nursery (845) 361-5000, Warren Spence

See HEalthy Lawns Project/HELP New Paltz for more info: www.helpnewpaltz.com