Green Pastures (or Lawns) at this Week's Farmers' Market

My kids play outside year-round, but during spring and summer there’s something extra special about being able to run outside barefoot, without bundling up, from the time they get home from school until it’s time for bed.  They roll in the grass, dive for ground balls and tear through the sprinkler on hot days. 

Those little yellow signs started popping up on people’s lawns a couple of months ago - you know the ones I’m talking about, right?  While it’s easy to look past them as they blend into the landscape, parents need to be aware that these lawns and others are treated with toxic pesticides and weed-killers that can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, inadvertently ingested when our little ones put their hands in their mouths, and tracked through our homes on shoes.  The signs say to leave them up for 24 hours, but the chemicals remain on the grass and soil long after that. 

Because children’s bodies are still developing, they are more susceptible to the adverse affects of pesticides AND common weed-and-feed products.  Health effects ranging from asthma, neurological and endocrine disorders can occur.  This goes for our children, our pets, pollinators and beneficial insects. 

Bottom line:  pesticides and weed-and-feed products are dangerous.  End of story. 

So why do people keep using them?  My guess is the green lawn – it’s every suburban homeowner’s dream, right?  Maybe.  Or it could be the crabgrass – that’s a pain.   Some folks, though, are beginning to realize that the need for a safe, toxin-free lawn far outweighs what the neighbors will think.  I know one family that turned their side yard into an edible landscape, and another mom who turned part of her yard into a meadow.  Others are opting out of the Chemical Lawn Services altogether (these companies can greenwash all they want by painting their logos green and putting ‘Green’ in the title, but they’re not fooling anybody) and are going with tried and true practices like overseeding in fall, dethatching in spring, mowing high and watering only when absolutely necessary to encourage deep root growth.   Turns out their lawns are green, too, and they don’t need those little yellow signs to warn people that they could get sick if they walk on their grass. 

Project Green Lawn in Middletown is a public awareness campaign that holds events and programs throughout the year to educate people about the dangers of synthetic lawn care treatments and how to care for your lawn as safely as possible.  Kim O’Rourke, Recycling Coordinator for the City of Middletown and Project Green Lawn leader, will be at this Thursday’s Farmers’ Market in Durham to answer questions about maintaining a chemical-free lawn.  She will also have information with her about Project Green Lawn, and strategies for homeowners who want to get away from the toxic treatments they’ve been using on their lawns. 

For more information, go to http://www.cityofmiddletown.com/content/117/121/167/1862/486.aspx or check out the PDF geared toward helping your children learn to avoid lawns that post those little yellow signs.

See you on the Green!