Facts about synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides:

• Synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides are not necessary to maintain a lush, green lawn.
   

• Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides 19 have studies pointing toward carcinogens, 13 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 15 with neurotoxicity, and 26 with liver or kidney damage.
   

• Studies find pesticide residues make their way into homes by drifting, and by being tracked in on shoes. They contaminate the air, dust, surfaces, carpets and expose children at levels ten times higher than pre-application levels.
   

• Children take in more pesticides relative to body weight than adults and have developing organ systems that make them more vulnerable and less able to detoxify toxins. Their faster metabolisms, and proximity to the ground also make them more susceptible.
   

• Children ages 6 - 11 have higher levels of lawn chemicals in their blood than all other age categories.
   

• Studies link pesticides to asthma, cancer, hyperactivity, developmental delays, behavior disorders, and motor dysfunction in children.
   

• Each year American homeowners use approximately 70 million pounds of pesticides to maintain their lawns.
   

• The average suburban lawn receives 10 times as much chemical pesticide per acre as farmland.
   

• NASA scientists estimate that lawn run-off contributes up to 20 percent of the water pollution that causes "the Dead Zone" at the basin of the Mississippi River in the Gulf of Mexico. "The Dead Zone" is an area the size of Rhode Island where no fish or sea life can exist.

Facts about lawn equipment:

• Garden equipment engines, which have had unregulated emissions until very recently, emit high levels of pollution into our air.
   

• The emissions from small engines can impair human lung function, and are especially harmful to infants and young children.
   

• Per hour of operation, a power lawn mower emits 10 - 12 times as much hydrocarbon as a typical car. A weed eater emits 21 times more, and a leaf blower 34 times more.
   

• The EPA claims that 17 million gallons of fuel, mostly gasoline, are spilled each year while refueling lawn equipment (that is more than all the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez, in the Gulf of Alaska).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why organic land care?

An organic land care program will help you protect your family's heath, improve the health of the landscape, and protect the environment.

Pesticides are chemicals that are designed to kill living things. Different chemicals are formulated to kill different organisms (insecticides for insects, herbicides for weeds, fungicides for diseases), but many pesticides kill desirable organisms in addition to those they target. There is growing evidence of the hazards associated with long-term use of pesticides. Blood tests show that people in all areas of the world, including those where no pesticides are used, have detectable levels of pesticides in their blood and fatty tissues. Pesticide exposure in humans has been associated with birth defects; numerous cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, (the second fastest growing cancer in the U.S.); Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders; immune system problems; and male infertility.

Synthetic fertilizers are energy-intensive and fossil fuel-based and can be harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. Exposure to high levels of nitrogen in drinking water has been shown to cause methemoglobinemia or "blue baby syndrome," a form of nitrate poisoning in infants, and has been linked less conclusively to high blood pressure, some cancers, birth defects and still births.

There is little research about the combined effects of commonly used chemicals. Young children (including the unborn) are particularly vulnerable to chemical exposures due to their body size, rapidly developing brains, hormonal and nervous systems, and behaviors (such as crawling on the ground and putting their fingers in their mouths). Cats and dogs that play in or eat chemically treated grass absorb chemicals through their skin or ingest them. Some pets have been fatally poisoned or developed higher rates of cancer. Cats are very sensitive to such chemicals and when exposed to pesticides become noticeably more aggressive (Rachel Carson Council).

Chemicals used in lawn and yard care do not stay where they are applied. When applied to the ground, chemicals can be carried into buildings and cars on shoes and paws. Without exposure to sunlight and water, they break down very slowly and can remain for months in carpets, toys, and dust bunnies.

Chemicals also move around in the environment. Rainwater washes them down streets and storm drains to streams, wetlands, lakes and oceans. Rainwater soaking into the ground carries fertilizers and pesticides into ground water, contaminating wells an aquifers. Pesticides absorbed by plants or insects can accumulate in the food chain as birds, fish, other wildlife, or people feed on the contaminated organisms. When chemicals are sprayed, breezes can carry the droplets to neighboring properties or even miles away. Cleaning sprayers and dumping the wash water down the drain sends pesticides and fertilizers directly into a septic system (and the groundwater) or a sewage treatment plant (and the local river).

What is Organic Land Care?

While there are federal regulations defining standards for organic farming, there are no legal definitions or standards for organic land care. Land care or landscaping consists of many different elements. Lawns, gardens, specimen trees, shrubs and natural areas are all landscaping. Land care also includes different activities such as installing new plants, maintaining existing ones, and removing diseased, dying or undesirable plants. The CT-Mass NOFA Organic Land Care Committee has taken the same stringent principles and standards that govern organic food production and applied them to the entire landscape, creating the Standards for Organic Land Care: Practices for Design and Maintenance of Ecological Landscapes (2004).

A primary principle of organic land care is to DO NO HARM. Another principle is to grow the RIGHT PLANT IN THE RIGHT PLACE. Plant health depends on the plant growing in healthy soil appropriate to its needs. Following these principles protects and enhances natural ecosystems while substantially reducing the need for inputs such as fertilizer, pest controls and labor.

Important objectives of organic land care include:

Working with natural systems to enhance biological cycles rather than seeking to dominate them;

Maintaining and improving the long-term health of soils;

Avoiding pollution when creating or caring for landscapes.

The CT-Mass NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care cover all aspects of land care, including; site analysis, soil health, fertilizers and soil amendments, planting and plant care, lawn and lawn alternatives, invasive plants, weeds, mulches, pest management, wildlife management, and disease control. For each of these areas, the standards include an overview and management practices that are designed as preferred, allowed, or prohibited.

Isn't organic land care more expensive?

If your landscape is already chemically dependent, organic land care will initially be more expensive. It will be necessary to analyze the property to create an appropriate treatment plan for the transition to organic practices. In the long run, organic land care actually costs less, because "routine" applications of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are avoided. A healthy soil, high in organic matter, stores more water and encourages plants to grow deep roots, so you will not need to water, except during establishment of new plants and in times of serious drought. Once established, an organic landscape uses few materials and requires less labor for mowing and maintenance. Consider the reduced costs to your health and the environment, and an increase in free time too.

What will happen when I switch to organic land care?

If your landscape is not chemically dependent, the transition should be fairly simple. Otherwise, detoxification can be a difficult process, particularly for turf grasses. There will be a period of time where everything will look less green and manicured. During this time, good things are going on underground as soil health is re-established and plants switch their energies to growing healthy roots. Eventually, your yard can be lush and beautiful and you will have the additional peace of mind of knowing you are not sacrificing your health and the environment for green grass.

How does one do organic land care?

Soil Tests - The basis of an organic landscape is healthy soil. It contains the proper balance of minerals, nutrients, organic matter, air, and water. Soil tests are the first step to creating healthy soil. Use them to determine exactly what nutrients and organic materials are available to the plants in your landscapes and identify deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances that can be corrected with approved organic cultural methods, amendments or compost. Unnecessary applications of ANY fertilizers or soil amendment can cause mineral nutrients to build up to excessive levels in the soil or escapes to nearby waters and cause pollution problems.

Fertilizers, Soil Amendments and Compost - Many soils, especially those that have been extensively treated with synthetic products, will require amendment to regain their health. Fertilizers and soil amendments are used to modify existing soil conditions if needed as determined by soil testing. Organic fertilizers and amendments feed the soil, benefiting the plant by creating a healthy root system and building a naturally balanced fertility.

Compost is the preferred soil amendment. High quality compost is a mix of organic materials that has been well decomposed. It provides a stable source of nutrients, beneficial organisms and organic matter, improves soil structure, holds water and nutrients and suppresses plant diseases. When using composts containing animal manures around play areas or plants for human consumption, special care should be taken to protect against pathogen contamination.

Right plant in the right place - Plants have specific needs in terms of soil type, sunlight, temperature, and nutrient and water availability. Choosing a plant to suit your site conditions creates far less disturbances and requires less maintenance than trying to modify your site to suit an inappropriate plant. Plants in the wrong site conditions are more likely to attract pests, develop diseases and generally require more maintenance than those that are correctly matched to their site. Using plants native to your area to re-create ecosystems - groups of several compatible plant species - produces a naturally low-maintenance landscapes. Avoid invasive species that can escape from your yard to take over natural ecosystems.

Use water properly - Healthy established plants in appropriate environments should require little to no irrigation. Install a rain gauge on your property and keep track of rainfall. An inch of rain a week will support established plantings. New plantings do require supplemental watering for the first year but should then be weaned away from the extra water. Soil type and condition, natural rainfall, and plant condition all interact to determine how much supplemental watering is needed. Make sure to water long enough but slowly enough for the water to soak deep into the ground, encouraging deep root growth. The deeper the root system of the plant your are trying to grow, the deeper the watering should be. If water is running off the surface, you are wasting water.

Rethink lawns - Lawns, even organic ones, are high-maintenance areas in a landscape. A smaller lawn is less costly to maintain, easier to care for, and better for the environment. Choose an appropriate and attractive low-maintenance lawn alternative.

When mowing, keep lawn mower blades sharp and leave grass clippings on the lawn to naturally recycle nutrients and water. Set your lawn mower blade to cut high - at least three inches. Studies show that "mowing high" shades the soil and the grass roots, cutting down on water loss, reducing plant stress and preventing crabgrass seed germination. Water your lawn only if there has not been an inch of rain in the past week. Apply compost or other soil amendments only if soil tests indicate they are needed.

Pest Management - Weeds, insects, and diseases can be managed organically. Healthy soils and plants are less prone to disease and pest problems. The key to weed management is prevention, by keeping the soil covered with desired plants or with mulch. Regular monitoring of plant health can identify pest problems early, before they cause lasting damage to the plants.

- "A Citizen's Guide To Organic Land Care" Prepared by the Northeast Organic Farming Association Organic Land Care Committee for Connecticut and Massachusetts.

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