Grass Roots West Hartford, which is dedicated to pesticide-free lawn care, will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, March 12 at Essential Health on Park Road.

Submitted

No one would choose a “perfect lawn” over the health of their families and pets, yet that is exactly what happens every spring, summer and fall when those bright yellow pesticide-warning signs litter neighborhoods and athletic fields all over town.

Please join the local organization, Grass Roots West Hartford, this Tuesday, March 12, at 7 p.m., at Essential Health CT, 74 Park Rd., where we will discuss strategies for educating residents on the harmful effects of pesticides and fertilizers on our health – children and pets are most vulnerable – and our environment.

Together let’s change the face of the “perfect lawn.” It might look lush and green on top but underneath it is lifeless. Here is a basic fact: pesticides are designed to kill living things. That can be pesky grubs or fungus but it can also be the billions of microorganisms that our topsoil needs to retain nutrients and water. It can also mean you and me and our children and pets. Common lawn pesticides and herbicides like glyphosate and 2-4-D have been linked to an increased risk for allergies, asthma, ADHD, certain types of cancers like Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and endrocrine disruption.

Our environment also pays a heavy price. Traces of these toxins have been found in drinking water and Long Island Sound has growing algae blooms, shrinking fish populations, and disappearing salt marshes which help protect us from the negative impact of climate change.

Toxins are everywhere – in our environment, our homes, work, school – but shouldn’t we limit our exposure where we can? A weed is in the eye of the beholder. A perfect lawn should reflect the beauty and diversity of nature and of our community!

For more information, visit the Grass Roots West Hartford Facebook page.

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