To The Editor:

It has been reported that the use of pesticides to kill insects, weeds, and fungus has climbed to nearly a billion pounds a year in the United States, with per-acre use in parks, home lawns, and golf courses in some cases higher than in agriculture. It is also reported that many of these chemicals have been linked to health issues, particularly for children whose immune systems are not fully developed.

Considering the above, it is my hope that anyone thinking about management of their own lawns and gardens would do the following:

1) Ask yourself, is this chemical really needed? Am I putting this down because I have identified a specific pest that cannot be controlled in a safer manner?

2) Understand that many pesticides are broad-spectrum, meaning that they kill many types of pests or weeds, not just the target species. By using broad spectrum pesticides you may be killing off beneficial insects or destroying good soil bacteria which are needed for healthy plant life.

3) Carefully read the label. These days many labels are folded into a strip on the back of the package. It may contain information that would prevent you from buying or using the product. I saw one recently that said "Acutely toxic to bees" in very small print.

4) If you are going to use a pesticide, please follow label directions exactly. These chemicals were designed to be used at a certain concentration; going beyond those guidelines may pose risks to your plants or to you.

5) Be aware of alternatives to harsh chemicals: physical intervention, beneficial insects, essential oils are just a few.

6) Know that individual products have been tested minimally for certain criteria, but there are no data on the mix of chemicals in the air that we are all exposed to at any one time.

7) Consider planting species that are known to be resistant to pests, thus avoiding having to make these management choices in the future.

8) Understand that your lawn and garden are part of a larger habitat and how we manage our own yards has an effect on the larger environment.

Protect Our Pollinators has a table at the Newtown Municipal Building this month with information about pesticides including lists of chemicals that are toxic to bees and other pollinators. Please feel free to stop by and take a handout.

Mary Gaudet-Wilson

Protect Our Pollinators

12 Whippoorwill Hill Road, Newtown         June 14, 2017