Profile in Green: Back in 1984 Dr. June Irwin, who was a dermatologist in Hudson, Ontario, started speaking out against the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides on the lawns in town. She observed a disturbing correlation between the use of such chemicals and the health conditions her patients were exhibiting. She went to town hall meetings for six years, bringing new evidence every time. I should tell you that photos of Dr. Irwin do reveal an exuberant use of jewelry and mascara, not usually observed in someone of her respectable number of years, but she made them take her seriously. Her findings eventually led the town of Hudson to enact a by-law that banned the use of all chemical pesticides and herbicides.
You wouldn’t think the giant chemical companies would worry about what June and the little town were up to, but something about that new by-law scared them. They came after the good people of Hudson and the case was eventually heard in the Supreme Court, where the town’s right to protect its citizens was upheld. Much more was to come and if you visit PFZMedia or SafeLawns you will learn how an American by the name of Paul Tukey took up Dr. Irwin’s cause, resulting in the very controversial film, A Chemical Reaction. (1)
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- Paul Tukey and Dr. June Irwin
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- Dr. June Irwin on her farm.
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- Paul in Washington D.C.
When the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researched their “Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals”(2) published in 2009, they weren’t checking to see if Americans were being contaminated by chemicals in their air, water and food. They already knew they were contaminated from the research for the first, second and third reports. The list of the chemicals they were testing for goes on for seven single-spaced pages. They consider these chemicals to be toxins that might cause infertility problems, birth defects, nerve disorders, cancers, diabetes and other diseases. They want to know who is getting the worst of it and if any of the protections the CDC has recommended in the past are having any effect. It wasn’t reassuring to me. If you have the time to read the whole report click on the link above. Unless you have superhuman powers that enable you to absorb the chemicals listed in those seven single-spaced pages, please go on and read what you can do to reduce your use of herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers and so on in your yard.
Supplies: organic garden products, battery or hand-operated yard tools, organically grown seeds or plants
Lifestyle Changes:
- “Mow high, mow often, and leave the clippings,” writes Frank Rossi, PhD., Associate Professor of Horticulture at Cornell University, in his publication, Lawn Care without Pesticides.(3) He reminds us of the simple fact that short grass blades are mirrored underground by short roots. Keep grass at least three inches high and do not cut more than one third of the blade at a time. Your taller grass will crowd out weeds better and your longer roots will absorb more water.
- Ditch the chemical fertilizers. Actually, that’s where they end up, in the ditch, and then the stream and then the lake, so don’t use them at all.
- According to the National Wildlife Federation, the average suburban lawn receives 10 times the chemical pesticide per acre as farmland. Try to select plants that are native to your area and generally more pest-resistant. Think twice about high-maintenance plants such as roses.
- If you do get pests that won’t go away with strong water pressure from the hose, or hand picking, you should visit a garden center that offers advice and products for natural pest control products.
- Consider reducing the size of lawn that you mow. Plant more native plants instead.
- Kill weeds in between pavers and sidewalk/driveway cracks very carefully with boiling hot water. You will still have to pull the initial weeds, but the roots will be damaged and seeds will not germinate.
- If you use a lawn service, find one that offers organic alternatives and other low impact practices or ask your service to stop using chemicals. One work group negatively affected by chemicals are those in lawn care. You’ll be doing them a favor by switching.
- Using less gas-powered tools, and replacing with electric, or better yet, hand-powered tools is an energy saver and a CO2 reducer.
- Visit the National Wildlife Federation to learn more about healthy backyards, which include welcoming some wildlife, including bees and birds that assist in pest control.
- Those chemicals that you stopped using need to be disposed of via your city’s hazardous waste pickup or drop off site. Do not rinse them down the sink or sewer or throw out in normal trash. Too toxic for fish and other critters when it gets into the waterways. (Would you have let your kids play on the lawn if you had known that?)
Are You Green Yet? 