CAMPAIGNS

Lawn Pesticides: An Unacceptable Risk

Each year American homeowners use approximately 70 million pounds of pesticides to maintain their lawn and gardens. However, evidence continues to uncover links between pesticide exposures and serious health problems, including several types of cancer, neurological and reproductive disorders, and birth defects. In addition, lawn and garden pesticides have been found to be a leading cause of bird deaths.

The flier CCE is distributing, Lawn Pesticides: An Unacceptable Risk, discusses the unintended consequences of buying into the suburban ideal of the “perfect lawn” which include health risks and environmental damage that come with a green lawn when chemical pesticides are applied. In particular, the impacts that pesticides can have on children, including physiological and behavioral changes, are emphasized.

CCE has been aggressively working to educate New York and Connecticut residents about the health and environmental consequences of lawn pesticides as well as safe alternative solutions to common lawn care problems. For the third year in row, CCE has been distributing a flyer with information on this important issue to the public. Over the last three years CCE distributed over 170,000 flyers throughout New York State and Connecticut communities. CCE has been working with Audubon New York and Grassroots Environmental Education in our public education efforts.

CCE believes that public education is the key to reducing and eliminating unnecessary use of dangerous lawn and garden pesticides.

Click here to read CCE's 2002-2006 Pesticide Report (PDF format)