The Issue
Only 5% of pesticides reach target weeds, the rest ends up in our water supply or the air we breathe. Runoff from fertilizers pollutes streams and lakes and cause algae blooms, depleted oxygen and damage to aquatic life.
Research has found that dogs exposed to herbicide-treated lawns can double their chance of developing lymphoma and bladder cancer.
Of 30 commonly used pesticides: 16 are toxic to birds, 24 to fish, and 11 to bees. In the U.S. alone, pesticides poison approximately 65 million birds each year.
Prolonged exposure to pesticides can cause increased incidences of cancer, certain organ damage, asthma and allergies.
This article appears in Sep 2-8, 2009.