Ban Cosmetic Lawn Chemical Use!!

A county in Maryland just banned all toxic lawn chemical use on public and private land! Maplewood can do it too. See http://www.beyondpesticides.org/index.php

Residents in NJ have the right to petition the State to allow them to create pesticide restrictions. See http://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/lawn/activist/documents/StatePreemption.pdf

That's encouraging news! Would love to see some of the lawn care chemicals banned locally.

Yes!

It amazes me that people are still doing this, like it's the 70s or something. The cumulative effects of even a few lawns with these toxins, many of these poisons with half lives that last forever, are proven to cause birth defects, cancer, etc. and are easily absorbed in the air and on the skin, especially for children and pets up and down the whole block.

Please sign.

mem said:
half lives that last forever

That's not entirely...accurate

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/lawn/activist/documents/StatePreemption.pdf

Robb, don't you think the impact of cancer and birth defects resound perpetually?

That's not what half life means.

I'd sign it so that everybody else's lawn can look as bad as mine!

Robb, am I being wrong on the Internet? Thanks for straightening my dumb ass out! Seriously? My point is some of the poisons hang around forever. Now stop soaking your lawn in them.

My point is...no they don't.

Facts matter, after all.

All those little poison warning flags on the neighbors lawn are not a good look.

n00b said:
All those little poison warning flags on the neighbors lawn are not a good look.

I put out fake ones to keep the dog dumpers away..... As well as tiger trap, landmine, and sinkhole warnings, as well as a sign that says "do you have a minute to talk about the environment?

They don't work, but at least I don't get junk mail anymore.

mem said:
It amazes me that people are still doing this, like it's the 70s or something. The cumulative effects of even a few lawns with these toxins, many of these poisons with half lives that last forever, are proven to cause birth defects, cancer, etc. and are easily absorbed in the air and on the skin, especially for children and pets up and down the whole block.
Please sign.

They are radioactive? I get your point and it is a good one as many of these chemicals do not break down. But half life is the wrong phrase. Plus by definition a radioactive substance with a half life are not radioactive forever just often a very long time.

You guys are taking me literally about the half life bit? I was just being dramatic. But keep calling me out for beingwrong on the Internet, I'll be over here lighting your poisonous lawns on fire.

Thanks!

I've never had our lawn sprayed, though last week it was brown enough to burn.

I'm just opposed to the "OMG chemicals!" hysteria.

But Robb! OMG chemicals!

Anyway, all drama aside, what the heck - why don't we just ban the the lawn chemicals. We can go back to the indigenous Northeast deer-thriving undergrowth and get hysterical about the deer tick threat. Change it up a little.

I'm kidding, so don't waste time picking that apart.

Rob,

So you see nothing wrong with using chemicals on a lawn? You don't believe that they have any adverse action on humans or our water system?

There is something deeply fascist about suburban lawn expectations. Clover and violets are far more interesting and attractive than plain grass imo. I am against government rules but I do wish the culture would change.

Agreed.

"Meanwhile, experts say a growing body of research, much of it yet to be evaluated by the EPA, paints an alarming picture. Various pesticides are linked to a range of health risks, including cancer, Parkinson's disease, damage to the endocrine system, asthma, thyroid disease, and miscarriage. Emory University scientists have hypothesized that exposure to pesticides may make people more susceptible to drug addiction. Japanese researchers reported in 2008 that exposure to atrazine—an herbicide used in numerous lawn-care products—reduced sperm."

Also, even if we don't have overt symptoms,the damage to our DNAfrom this could be passed on to our kids.

http://www.menshealth.com/health/lawn-chemical-hazards

Not to mention pesticide use for American crops. Ouch.

krugle1 said:
Rob,
So you see nothing wrong with using chemicals on a lawn? You don't believe that they have any adverse action on humans or our water system?

I didn't say that. I don't spray my lawn. I wish nobody else did. But let's not pretend we're talking about Fukushima.

And it's been mentioned, but agricultural runoff is much, much more serious.

Let's start by banning lawn signs, then on to chemicals.

mem said:
Anyway, all drama aside, what the heck - why don't we just ban the the lawn chemicals. We can go back to the indigenous Northeast deer-thriving undergrowth and get hysterical about the deer tick threat. Change it up a little.
I'm kidding, so don't waste time picking that apart.

"Half-life" applies to all kinds of things. In this case it would mean the length of time for the lawn chemicals to degrade to the point where there was the half the amount originally applied.

RobB said:

mem said:
half lives that last forever

That's not entirely...accurate

I like the idea of half lives that live forever. I think I'll write a song about it.

Yahooyahoo, since when did lawn signs become (physically) toxic? Not connecting those dots

mrincredible said:
"Half-life" applies to all kinds of things. In this case it would mean the length of time for the lawn chemicals to degrade to the point where there was the half the amount originally applied.

Absolutely, right

mem said:
I like the idea of half lives that live forever. I think I'll write a song about it.
Yahooyahoo, since when did lawn signs become (physically) toxic? Not connecting those dots

They hurt my eyes.