At the moment the majority of Canadian lawns are under a foot of snow unless you live on the west coast. But in a few months the huge tankers full of powerful pesticides and other toxic chemicals will pour millions of gallons of fluid on these lawns. These men or women sometimes wear breathing masks and leave tiny signs to show that they have been there. These tiny signs have become a status symbol in some neighborhoods. They show that the owner has arrived and can afford the service and is concerned about the neighborhood. He doesnt want grass-eating grubs or unsightly dandelions. His golf-course lawn is a status symbol. Approximately 12% of pesticides are now used for cosmetic purposes on lawns.
No one asks about the health impacts of exposure to these powerful toxins. Children can't read the tiny signs. They play daily on the newly sprayed grass. Few people make a connection between the child's sickness and the nice green grass he/she played on. No one asks how long it takes for these millions of gallons of toxic chemicals to reach our drinking water. The newspapers and the lawn companies say that everything is okay.
The powerful chemical Diazinon damages the central nervous system. 2,4D is connected to cancer, leukemia and teratogenic disorders. They are all categorized as known human carcinogens by the USEPA. We are brightly pouring cancer-causing chemicals on our lawns and behaving as though it is good for us.
"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action." Goethe.
Do we have a problem? Or the next page.... |
