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June
Sustainability Tip: Pesticides back |
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Homeowners apply more pesticides, which includes both herbicides and insecticides,
on their lawns per acre (3.2-9.8 lbs per acre) than farmers apply to agricultural
land (averaging 2.7 lbs per acre), for a total of 67 million pounds of pesticides
a year on lawns. These pesticides have significant impacts on our environment
and wildlife. Of the 36 common lawn pesticides, 11 are toxic to birds, 21
are toxic to fish and aquatic organisms, 12 are toxic to bees, and 14 have
been detected in ground water. Several herbicide ingredients are also on
the EPA’s list of unregulated drinking water contaminates.
There are many products available for lawn care that are non-toxic, including those made by Scotts, EcoSmart and Bioganic. Beyond Pesticides also provides a directory of lawn care companies that use non-toxic products. The Green Guide provides extensive information about lawn care alternatives, including easy homemade alternatives and background about many of the chemicals used in pesticides. top | back |
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