Pesticides are threatening our health!Something big has happened in Canada, and I%u2019d love it if we would all celebrate by urging our state governments to follow the Canadians%u2019 lead. The provinces of Ontario and Quebec have both banned the use of cosmetic pesticides! These are the type you put on your lawn and spray on your rose bushes. Astonishingly, Home Depot is listening and voluntarily stopping the sale of traditional pesticides in Canada and replacing them with eco-friendly versions.
This is big news because the reason for this is to protect the health of pregnant women and children. Research shows that children who are exposed to pesticides and herbicides have a higher risk of leukemia, among other things.
Skip herbicides this spring. To avoid weeds, mulch your garden instead. Cover the area with newspapers, then cover the papers with a more decorative mulch. This process will smother any weed growth. Concerns about toxins in newspaper inks are outdated. Pretty mulches include pine needles, hay, stones, straw, seaweed, peat moss%u2014anything you have that is wholesome and abundant. Just avoid cocoa mulch as it is lethal to pets.
