Destruction of an Ecosystem
Today, the lawn care industry contributes to more than 15% of US air pollution. As a whole, traditional lawn techniques have contributed to the destruction of our both our local and global ecosystems.
Pesticide Exposure
Homeowners use 10x more pesticide and fertilizer than farmers per square foot of yard. What does this mean? Drastically higher exposure rates in residential neighborhoods. In a recent study by the CDC, pesticide residues were found in 100% of people tested.
Lawn care pesticide, herbicide and chemical fertilizers have been linked to cancer, asthma, birth defects, thyroid disease, parkinson's disease, damage to the endocrine system, ALS and non-hodgkins lymphoma, miscarriages and birth defects to name a few.
Air Pollution
Leaf blowers generate 2x oxides of nitrogen, 23x more carbon monoxide, and 300x more hydrocarbons than a standard pick-up truck!
Gas powered push mowers emit as much hourly pollution as 11 cars.
Riding mowers emit as much hourly pollution as 33 cars.
Commercial mowers emit as much hourly pollution as 88 cars!
Runoff
Chemical fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide runoff can be found in over 90% of freshwater fish samples in the US. These samples found in our local lakes, reservoirs and streams are found in concentrations high enough to kill acquatic life and have been proven to create aquatic dead zones.
In addition to polluting our local streams and oceans alarming rates, these chemicals are also found in public drinking water supplies as evident in tests at the tap.
Wasted Water
Up to 60% of urban fresh water is used for watering lawns.
Due to improper watering practices, a majority of this water never reaches its intended target contributing to water shortages.
Collateral Damage
Excessive use of fertilizers, hebicides and pesticides are linked to the death of over 60 million birds each year. Pets and Dogs are also impacted although not always resulting in immediate death.
Additionally, 2/3rds of our nation's food supply is at risk as long as these pesticides ravage our beneficial insect populations of pollinators including bees, butterflies, ladybugs and other beneficial insects.
Gas Spills
Weekend warriors spill over 17 million gallons of fuel each year.
That's more than the Exxon Valdez disaster in the Gulf of Alaska each and every year. Year. After. Year.
Stop the madness…