RASS Their positive role in our environment E ach spring, just as millions of Americans are looking for- ward to a return to their outdoor lives after spending the winter as virtual shut-ins, a whole host of voices rise up in a chorus proclaim- ing that turfgrass pesticides are dangerous to our health. They cite wide-ranging, yet impressive statistics on the amount of these.silk ;:- chemicals used each year: ~ "Americans spent $6.4 billion last ~ ~ ~ year on lawn-care products, up 13% ~ u;;... ~w~~ ~ from 1989". ~ ~ ifj"",'11 -Time Magazine, June 3, 1991. "With spring in full bloom, mil- lions of Ameri ans are applying millions ofpounds of chemicals to their lawns to kill weeds and bugs and make the grass grow thicker and greener. An estimated 51 million homeowners do the work themselves. More than 8 mil- lion will hire professional lawn care companies to do the job. The sale of lawn care products and services has developed into a multi-billion-dollar business." -Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, May 9, 1991. While some non-scientific com- mentors would lead us to believe that all of this turfgrass pesticide is killing us, the truth is that the life- threatening potential of pesticides is no greater than food coloring and preservatives, prescription an- tibiotics and spray cans! Less than 10 people a year are killed by any of these causes! Although even a single death is one tragedy too many, the hype and hysteria being whipped up about turfgrass pesticides by the medica, self-appointed watch-dog groups and even legislators grossly overstate and misrepresent the Ii Ii Turfgrass is a way of life to most people. If we don't have a lawn of our own, we cherish even more the public parks and playgrounds with their large grassy areas that pro- vide us a relaxing, enjoyable and refreshing part of our lives. The Lawn Institute estimates that there are some 25 to 30 million acres of turfgrass in the U.S. with over 20- million of those acres being home lawns. In addition to providing people with an outdoor area to enjoy life, an aesthetic benefit, grasses also provide a vast array of functional environmental benefits, many of which are not immediately con- sidered by the public. These include: 1. Water purification 2. Pollution absorption 3. Particulate entrapment 4. Oxygen generation 5. Temperature modification 6. Erosion control 7. Noise abatement 8. Glare reduction 9. Allergy control 10. Fire retardation 11. Groundwater replenishment 12. Safe play / sport areas While people enjoy the mere presence of a lawn, turfgrasses are better able to provide their en- vironmental benefits when they are made stronger through the proper use of chemicals. Without the use of pesticides lawns can quickly weaken, becoming thin and unable to perform their en- vironmentalrole. Fortunately, turfgrasses and pesticide usage can be very suc- cessfully combined, to achieve a highly functional environmental advantage, while naturally provid- ing spaces of beauty and places to play and relax. facts. These chemical critics fail to report that since 1956, there has been a steady decline in the num- ber of lethal pesticide-related accidents each year (from all causes, not just turfgrass chemi- cals). In 1956, there were 152 such deaths; however, by 1984, there were only 27 and the number con- tinues to decline. In fact, far more children have died from accidental overdoses of aspirin than from pes- ticides, by a sizable margin. Bicycle accidents, by comparison, kill 100 times more people each year and swimming accidents kill nearly 400 times more people. As the volume of pesticide used annually has expanded and the number of pesticide-related deaths has declined, the overall lifespan of Americans has increased. Just since 1920,before the wide-spread use of any pesticides,lifespans in the U.S. have increased from 54 to 75 years. While many factors in addition to pesticide use have contributed to this increase, it should be obvious that if increased pesticide use was highly fatal, both the number of directly related deaths and the overall lifespan would not have made such significant changes to the good.
Transcript
RASS
Their positive role in our environmentEach spring, just as millions of
Americans are looking for-ward to a return to their outdoorlives after spending the winter asvirtual shut-ins, a whole host ofvoices rise up in a chorus proclaim-ing that turfgrass pesticides aredangerous to our health. They citewide-ranging, yet impressivestatistics on the amount of these.silk ;:-chemicals used each year: ~
"Americans spent $6.4 billion last ~ ~ ~year on lawn-care products, up 13% ~ u;;... ~w~~ ~from 1989". ~ ~ ifj"",'11
-Time Magazine,June 3, 1991.
"With spring in full bloom, mil-lions of Ameri ans are applyingmillions ofpounds of chemicals to theirlawns to kill weeds and bugs and makethe grass grow thicker and greener. Anestimated 51 million homeowners dothe work themselves. More than 8 mil-lion will hire professional lawn carecompanies to do the job. The sale oflawn care products and services hasdeveloped into a multi-billion-dollarbusiness."
-Senator Joseph I.Lieberman,May 9, 1991.
While some non-scientific com-mentors would lead us to believethat all of this turfgrass pesticide iskilling us, the truth is that the life-threatening potential of pesticidesis no greater than food coloring andpreservatives, prescription an-tibiotics and spray cans! Less than10 people a year are killed by anyof these causes!
Although even a single death isone tragedy too many, the hypeand hysteria being whipped upabout turfgrass pesticides by themedica, self-appointed watch-doggroups and even legislators grosslyoverstate and misrepresent the
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Turfgrass is a way of life to mostpeople. If we don't have a lawn ofour own, we cherish even more thepublic parks and playgrounds withtheir large grassy areas that pro-vide us a relaxing, enjoyable andrefreshing part of our lives. TheLawn Institute estimates that thereare some 25 to 30 million acres ofturfgrass in the U.S. with over 20-million of those acres being homelawns.
In addition to providing peoplewith an outdoor area to enjoy life,an aesthetic benefit, grasses alsoprovide a vast array of functionalenvironmental benefits, many ofwhich are not immediately con-sidered by the public. Theseinclude:1.Water purification2. Pollution absorption3. Particulate entrapment4. Oxygen generation5. Temperature modification6. Erosion control7. Noise abatement8. Glare reduction9. Allergy control10. Fire retardation11. Groundwater replenishment12. Safe play / sport areas
While people enjoy the merepresence of a lawn, turfgrasses arebetter able to provide their en-vironmental benefits when theyare made stronger through theproper use of chemicals. Withoutthe use of pesticides lawns canquickly weaken, becoming thinand unable to perform their en-vironmentalrole.
Fortunately, turfgrasses andpesticide usage can be very suc-cessfully combined, to achieve ahighly functional environmentaladvantage, while naturally provid-ing spaces of beauty and places toplay and relax.
facts. These chemical critics fail toreport that since 1956, there hasbeen a steady decline in the num-ber of lethal pesticide-relatedaccidents each year (from allcauses, not just turfgrass chemi-cals). In 1956, there were 152 suchdeaths; however, by 1984, therewere only 27 and the number con-tinues to decline. In fact, far morechildren have died from accidentaloverdoses of aspirin than from pes-ticides, by a sizable margin. Bicycleaccidents, by comparison, kill 100times more people each year andswimming accidents kill nearly 400times more people.
As the volume of pesticide usedannually has expanded and thenumber of pesticide-related deathshas declined, the overall lifespan ofAmericans has increased. Just since1920,before the wide-spread use ofany pesticides,lifespans in the U.S.have increased from 54 to 75 years.While many factors in addition topesticide use have contributed tothis increase, it should be obviousthat if increased pesticide use washighly fatal, both the number ofdirectly related deaths and theoverall lifespan would not havemade such significant changes tothe good.
Practicing these common senseguidelines will help assure thateveryone benefits from turfgrasspesticide use, and no one isharmed:1. Accurately determine the"target" pest.In lawns, fungi can createsymptoms almost identical todamage caused by insects. Knowwhat the real problem isbeforeyoutreat an area and use only theproper chemical.2. Know the size of the area tobe treated.Step-offor carefully measure largeareas to know how many square-feet of space require treatment.This will help you calculate theamount of chemical to purchase,mix and use.3. Carefully read all labeldirections.The label will instruct you on thespecificuse of the chemical,includ-ing the proportions to use tocontrol a particular pest. It will alsoprovide cautionary advice regard-ing the chemical's use aroundnon-target items such as otherplants, animals and people. Whilethe print is often-times very smalland seemingly involved, its carefulreading is worth the extra minuteor two it may take.4. Be familiar with theoperation of your sprayer orother application device.Test the unit with plain water todetermine how much volume isused in normal applications. Ifyou're treating a lawn with a hose-connected sprayer, fill the unitwith water and by trial and errordetermine how fast you need towalk and wave the sprayer toapply the proper quantities.5. Mix and use only the amountof chemical required to treatthe smallest area needed.Combining the knowledge youhave of the size of the area to betreated, the amount of chemical re-quired by the labeland the capacityof your application unit, prepare
only the minimum amounts ofchemical. "More isbetter" does notapply to chemical use.
You should also considerwhether a "spot treatment" willsuffice to control the problemyou've identified. Questionwhether you really need to applychemicals to a large area when theproblem itself is rather limited.6. Thoroughly wash all Itemsused In the chemicalapplication procedure.If you've used a sprayer, partiallyfill it with water and spray the areayou just treated, or other nearbysimilar area. Repeat this two orthree times. Do not just dump anyextra chemicals into the sewer oronto the street.Although itmay notbe highly toxic, it could have anegative impact on the environ-ment or a non-target.7. Use common sensewhenever you're usingchemicals.Window washing solutions andanti-freeze are more toxic thanyard chemicals a homeowner willuse, so all chemicals should betreated with care and respect.Eating or smoking should be total-ly avoided until you havethoroughly washed with soap andwater. Ifany chemicalsare sprayedor splashed on you during theiruse, remove the garments andwash them separately from otherclothing. When using chemicalsout-side, be sure that any toys(used by children or animals) areremoved from the area to betreated so they won't be hit by thespray or drift.8. Be a good neighbour byknowing special sensitivities ofpeople, plants and pets.Paracelsus, the Swiss physicianand alchemist who lived during1493-1541noted, ''What is therethat is not a poison? Only the dosemakes a substance not a poison."Chlorine can kill or it can clean.Aspirin can relieve pain or causedeath. For a very, very few people,
sunlight can cause an allergic reac-tion that results in death. It's notthe substance,but the dose that canharm.
Turfgrass pesticides are effec-tive because they have beendeveloped foruse against a specifictarget. Herbicides kill weeds, fun-gicides control diseases andinsecticides eliminate insects. Aherbicide will have no real effectonan insect simply because thechemicalsused in herbicides aren'tpoisonous to bugs.
People, plants and pets mayhave particular sensitivities to anynumber ofproducts, including pes-ticides. Being aware of thesesensitivities when using turfgrasschemicalsisbeinga good neighbor.This would include letting yourultra-sensitive neighbor knowyou'll be spraying a particularproduct on your property, avoidusing herbicides around sensitiveplants that could be stunted orkilled by accident, or suggestingthat your neighbor keep their petsoffofyour yard to avoid any poten-tial problems.
In answer to those who criticizeor question the use of pesticides onlawns, it should be noted that theenvironmental and aestheticbenefits of lawns are dramaticallyincreased when the grasses arehealthy and growing vigorously.While pseudo-scientists and scaremongers are able to sensationalizean issue through the manipulationof information, practicing scien-tists have shown that the benefitsof turfgrasses can be substantiallyincreased through the proper useof pesticides and fertilizers,without a significantrisk to man orhis environment.
Know what the real problem isbefore you treat an area, use onlythe proper chemical and only treatwhen the occurrence warrants itsuse (utilizing IPM practices). Alsoconsider alternative pest controlmethods. 0
