Apr 12
5
Herbicide Human Health Risks
Lawn herbicides such as dicamba, glyphosate and dicholorophenoxyacedtic acid can cause a range of human health issues. Symptoms such as running noses and watery eyes seem mild, compared to disruptions in the human endocrine system, reduced sperm counts and malformations, miscarriages, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and soft tissue cancers. Dicholorophenoxyacedtic acid, which is the most commonly used herbicide in the world and in production for over 50 years, was often co-formulated with dioxin-contaminated chemicals. Dioxin is considered the deadliest man-made chemical in existence, and causes birth defects, suppressed immune systems, diabetes, heart disease and cancers.
Mar 12
20
The Dead Zone
A dead zone the size of Rhode Island in the Gulf of Mexico because of chemical fertilizers? Hard to imagine, but absolutely true.
Every year towards fall, a phenomenon takes place in the Gulf of Mexico. As chemical fertilizers run off into streams and tributaries of the Mississippi River, they make a long journey south, and eventually are dumped into the gulf. As levels of nitrogen and phosphorus rise they feed algae, which in turn, literally, creates an area the size of Rhode Island that is void of any life whatsoever. It is impossible for any aquatic species to exist due to the lack of oxygen in the water.
Posted in Pesticides by .
Mar 12
15
Danger: Chemical Pesticides
Many of us live in, or know someone who lives in planned communities, HOA’s (Home Owner Associations) apartments, or own commercial properties. With these properties, it’s usually a requirement to keep the lawn up to a certain level. This usually requires treating your lawn, bushes and plants with pesticides, amongst other things. Regardless of whether you live in a homeowners or planned community, or whether you just want to have a green lawn, I am sure that you’ve either tried, or have been thinking of trying to treat your lawn with various chemicals. There are several big-name companies out there like Scotts lawn care, Trugreen – Chemlawn and others that offer to do these treatments for you for a monthly fee.
For those of you who might take care of your own lawn, you have the advantage of being able to read for yourself on the label whats in the product you have chosen. Some products may or may not tell you about the carcinogenic properties of them, but even so, often times the print is so small that it’s almost UN-readable to the naked eye. Unfortunately when you use a pesticide service, there is no list of chemicals that they give you, and many times they even lie about what they’re spraying on your lawn and plants.
With thousands of lawsuits filed against them, in a variety of states across the US, Chemlawn and Trugreen try everything possible to keep their dirty little secret hidden. Chemlawn for instance has decided to go with quick settlements, rather than face ongoing litigation and the possible revelation to the public about how bad their chemical treatments really are for pets, humans, and especially children. This way all the people affected by these chemicals, who come down with all sorts of cancers and leukemia, will never truly be known.
Just remember everyone, there are better and safer options out there, and the next time you think about having your lawn chemically sprayed, ask yourself this, who and what am I willing to put in danger just to have a "nice" lawn.
