National Stroller Brigade DC Bound for Safer Chemicals

From our friends at Beyond Pesticides.

On Tuesday, May 22, several hundred mothers and fathers joined nurses and cancer survivors at the U.S. Capitol to demand action on toxic chemicals. The group, deemed the “National Stroller Brigade” rallied in support of U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg’s (D-NJ) Safe Chemicals Act, a bill to overhaul antiquated laws governing toxic chemicals. 

“It’s shocking that toxic chemicals end up in everyday consumer products, and in our bodies, without anyone proving that they are safe. The stroller brigade is carrying an important message to Congress that we’re not going to stand by and let our kids continue to be exposed to chemicals that make them sick. Concerned moms are the best weapons we have in this fight. With their help, I will keep advancing the Safe Chemicals Act to reform our broken toxic chemical laws and provide a healthier future for our families,” said U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ).

Read more about this important - rolling - movement here. 

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Worm Your Way to a Great Lawn

There's many ways to keep your emerald lawn flush, aerated and healthy.  And Mother Nature's provided a friendly little helper for us - the earthworm! 

These friendly little critters provide many benefits, including:

• Dethatching your lawn
• Provide organic fertilizer
• Distribute water to your lawn
• Prevent lawn disease

Our friends at Ecological Lawn Care (via GreenerGreenGrass) posted this spiffy infographic about the earthworm and your lawn:

Have you had any experience with earthworms?  We'd love to hear about 'em!  

6 Minutes to protect your baby from pesticides

At Natural Turf, we believe in three things: (1) your health, (2) your lawn and (3) your family.

So, this is why we think our friends at Beyond Pesticides have put together a great video on protecting your baby from pesticides.  It's a truly informative, important and responsible way to spend 6 minutes. 

You can watch it here.


If you'd like to learn more about how Natural Turf achieves healthy lawns without pesticides, take some time to checkout our Facebook page.  And, there might also be a coupon in there for you, too. 

;)

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 5 Dishes on Dandelions

The weather's getting nicer, your lawn is looking just terrific, you've got that big weekend lawn party planned, you step out onto your grass...and there's a pesky new inhabitant: dandelions. 

As a kid (and even as adults), we love watching the little helicopter-like blooms float and dance into the air.  But, with your lawn it's a whole different story. 

Our friends at GreenerGreenGrass Organic Lawn Care Blog wrote a great article called "Five Things You Need To Know About Dandelions" - here's the gist:

1. What are dandelions? - There's two types of dandelions in the Taraxacum genus of flowering plants.  The name "dandelion" comes from the French phrase dent-de-lion, which means lion's tooth and describes the plant's ragged leaves. 
2. How do dandelions grow? - After the plant flowers, the head of the flower dries, petals fall off and those pesky seed-bearing parachutes get caught by the wind...and go everywhere. 
3. Why are dandelions considered "bad"? - Actually, this is a bit of a misnomer.  Dandelions are rich in nutrients (yup, you can eat them).  And, they're a beneficial weed, from helping vegetable plants grow and protecting your lawn from certain pests.  Oh yeah, but don't tend to them...and they can take over your lawn.  Not good.  
4. How can you get rid of dandelions organically? - A very time-tested and trusted method: by grabbing hold and pulling 'em out with your hands.  But, be sure to pull it all out - any little bit left can cause it to regenerate!
5. How can you prevent dandelions from growing? - That's easy!  Just be sure your spiffy, emerald-green lawn has a large, deep root network.  This crowds the soil, preventing other plants (and weeds) from growing.

These are good tips.  Do you have any other tips with the lion of the lawn?      

Great Lawn Series - Waterfront Park, Portland, OR

Here's another great lawn that we admire at Natural Turf: Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon.  If you haven't made the trek out to the Pacific Northwest...definitely worth the trip!

When you're there, say hi to our Director of Marketing!

For more information on Portland, check out Travel Portland here.

What are some of your favorite Great Lawns?

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - See insects as messengers

As we near the summer months (we're sure), your lawn is just looking fantastic.  Flush with emerald green, lush grassy roots...and the pitter-patter of 4/6/8-legged friends? 


If you've used synthetic pesticides, chances are you're going to see an influx of predatory insects.  Such visitors, however, are rarely an issue in natural and organic-treated lawns. 

They're just part of the overall balance of your lawn's ecosystem.



Typical predatory insects
Most often, you'll see:

• Rove beetles
• Spiders
• Ants
• Wasps

Plant nutrients
As stated earlier, these beneficial insects and soil microorganisms are essential to the natural breakdown of organic matter into plant available nutrients.  Just a big circle of life. 

The Better Way to Organic- and Organic-Based Lawn Care
At Natural Turf, we understand this precious ecosystem.  Ask us about our natural Pest Control Program - and help you and your lawn realize their natural beauty.  We look forward to hearing from you!  

Scientists call for ban on bee-killing pesticides

From our friends at SafeLawns.org, checkout their post on Harvard University scientists calling for the international ban of synthetic pesticides responsible for colony collapse of bees. 


According tot the study's author, we've got to act now:

“The data, both ours and others, right now merits a global ban,” said Chensheng Li, lead scientist in the Harvard University study that confirmed neonicotinoid pesticides as a primary cause of CCD. “Our study clearly demonstrated that imidacloprid is responsible for causing CCD, and the survival of the control hives that we set up side-by-side to the pesticide-treated hives augments this conclusion.”

Learn more
http://www.naturalnews.com/035652_pesticides_honey_bees_ban.html#ixzz1ssbggZ9l

To sign a petition
http://www.change.org/petitions/help-bees-ban-imidacloprid-and-other-neonicotinoid-pesticides

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Apple nematodes for grub control

 

Hungry, hungry...beetles grubs?

 

A popular feeder of lawns is the Japanese beetle grub: they tend to get down to the roots, causing those not-so-flashy brown patches and causing extensive lawn damage.  Yup, there's a natural defense against 'em: beneficial nematodes. 

What are nematodes? 
Our friendly neighborhood nematodes are microscopic worms that live in the soil.  One of their best skills is to infest and kill invasive grubs by feeding on and reproducing within the grub's body.  Eeesh, kind of a bad way to go.  But, great for your lawn!  :)

Fun fact about nematodes
Over time, your lawn becomes a hatchery for more than 35,000+ fledgling nematodes - all ready, willing and able to do their duty to destroy grubs.  The more grubs in your lawn, the more your nematode population increases. 

So, the next time you need to rid your emerald lawn of those pesky grubs...stay away from those chemicals.  Instead, knock on a nematode's door! 

What's your experience with nematodes? 

Lawn Fun Fact - Holy oxygen!

 
Did you know...
There is enough oxygen produced by just 625 square feet of lawn for one person daily.  A lawn of only 5,000 square feet will provide for eight people.   

Science - and lawn care - are fun!  Have a great weekend!

The questionable realities of pesticide registration and regulation

Chances are, if you're reading this blog (like us), then you're a believer and practitioner of natural lawn care.  Each of us knows that beautiful, healthy lawns don't need to be a product of dangerous chemicals; but, rather from what Mother Nature intended.  

Unfortunately, we know that the use of dangerous pesticides is a common practice.  But, one thing you might not know is the questionable realities of how private companies and our federal government register and regulate them.  

Here's some sobering facts from Beyond Pesticides, who works with allies in protecting public health and the environment to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides:

The registration system and pesticide regulation

• The health data assessed by EPA for the registration of pesticides comes from the manufacturer of the pesticide. EPA is not obligated under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to review peer-reviewed scientific literature.
• The U.S. GAO has told Congress on several occasions that the public is misled on pesticide safety by statements characterizing pesticides as “safe” or “harmless.” EPA states that no pesticide is 100 percent safe. (1)
• Pesticide testing protocol was developed before science fully understood the human immune and hormonal system. EPA still does not evaluate data for several neurological effects or disruption of the endocrine (hormonal) system.
• EPA does not evaluate the health and environmental effects of actual pesticide formulations sold on the shelf. Data submitted to the EPA also does not account for low-dose effects, synergistic effects with inerts or combined exposure to more than one pesticide at a time.
• Most states have preemption laws that prohibit localities from passing local pesticide-related ordinances that are stricter than the state policy. (2)

Stay natural.  Stay above pesticides.  Share your thoughts about how you stay natural.  

Sources

(1) U.S. GAO. 1997. Nonagricultural Pesticides: Risks and Regulations. GAO/RCED-86-97; EPA. 2002. Questions and Answers: Pesticides and Mosquito Control. Department of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/pesticides4mosquitos.htm (accessed 7/2/04).

(2) Beyond Pesticides Factsheet. 2005. State Preemption Laws.

 

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - The incredible egg and your fertilizer

You don't need to get professional-grade organic fertilizers to make your lawn beautiful. Although, at Natural Turf, we can help with that if you'd like. :)

eHow has done a great job of putting the limelight of one of our oldie-and-goodie ingredients to homemade fertilizer in a great article on homemade fertilizers. And one of the key ingredients: the incredible egg.


Calcium-rich eggshells
Turns out that crushed eggshells contain all the things that a growing lawn needs to grow: calcium carbonate, nitrogen and phosphoric acid. As your lawn grows, they remove calcium from the soil - and eggshells can help replenish this important nutrient.

Calcium can help:

• Stimulate root growth.
• Promote thick, sturdy plant stems.
• Your grassy plants absorb nitrogen - the most important chemical nutrient needed to promote healthy plant growth.

Think differently about your next omelette
Pretty cool, huh? So, the next time you sit down to enjoy those scrambled eggs over the morning paper...save those eggshells!

Your lawn will thank you!