Pesticides
Keeping pesticides out of our environment both indoors and outdoors is important to human health and environmental health. Pesticides are toxic substances and chemicals that are designed to be harmful to a pest or weed, these poisons are a huge source of environmental destruction. Under state and federal law, a pesticide is any substance intended to control, destroy, repel, or attract a pest. Pesticides include herbicides, fungicides and rodenticides, they should be avoided at all costs. They are designed to kill and it is not just the plant or pest that ends up being killed. These toxins kill pets, wildlife, pollute waterways and soils and are harmful to humans.
ARTICLES | RESOURCES
California Pesticide Regulations for Schools
Health Benefits of Natural Turf | Safe Healthy Playing Fields Coalition
Pesticides 101 | Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)
Pesticides and Human Health | Californians for Pesticide Reform
Pesticides Power Point | World Health Organization
Sonoma County Conservation Action | Toxic Free Future
AVOIDING TOXINS
The amount of toxins, poisons, chemicals, traps, and lethal materials that are available over the counter is frightening. We can make choices as consumers to avoid purchasing these products.
It is also important to pause and realize the negative impact these approaches can have on wildlife and the natural environment. Many domestic pets and wildlife are directly or indirectly poisoned each year from secondary poisons. Here is an important article put out by a reputable Wildlife Rescue organization, Wildcare:
Take Action Against Rat Poison | WildCare
Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and rodenticides are poisons and they are not only toxic to human health they are also deadly to many other species as well. The detrimental effects these poisons have on other species that our ecosystem depends on, like bees, is proving to be one of the leading causes for the dramatic decline in the honey bee population. These poisons pollute our water, soils, wildlife, and are destroying ecosystems. Avoid them at all costs for the health of your family, pets, and environment.
If you have herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, and rodenticides in your tool shed check in with your local waste company for their next Toxic Cleanup Day or Toxic Drop-off location - these items should never be disposed of by tossing them in the trash.
WEBSITES | ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS - OFFERING EDUCATION ON PESTICIDES
Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR)
Families Advocating for Chemical and Toxic Safety (FACTS)
Graton Against Synthetic Pesticides
Pesticide Action Network North American (PANNA)