Alternatives
to Pesticides
Organic
Lawn Care Tips
Organic
Lawn educational forums
Organic
Landscaper List
Pesticide
Alternatives Project
Toxic-Free
Schools
Prevention
Is The Cure™
Neighbor Notification of Pesticide Spraying
Mosquito
Management
Suffolk
County Homestead A-Syst Task Force
Nassau County Pesticide Advisory Committee
Organic
Golf
Workshop
for landscapers in Spanish
Pesticides
are dangerous.
With
each passing year evidence of the dangers of pesticides mounts.
Studies have linked pesticides to breast, brain and lymphatic
cancer. The EPA and the National Academy of Sciences have warned
that exposure to neurotoxic pesticides can result in permanent
neurological dysfunction. Devastating impact of endocrine disrupting
pesticides on the immune and reproductive systems of wildlife
populations has been documented, suggesting they are the cause
of similar trends in humans.
Residential
pesticide exposures are common and widespread.
The
value that has been placed on green lawns and perfect trees and
shrubs, the vast amount of advertising of chemical pesticides,
the relative lack of knowledge of the public of the dangers of
pesticides, and the close proximity of neighbors in suburban and
urban areas combine to make pesticide exposures almost inevitable.
On Long Island which has the Nation's first and most prototypical
suburbs this is certainly the case. The situation is worsened
by the fact that all drinking water on Long Island is supplied
by ground water, several wells have been closed due to pesticide
contamination
Pesticide
use and pesticide exposures can be eliminated.
Safer
pest control methods exist and are being used successfully around
the Nation. In order to reduce pesticide exposures we must be
aware of the dangers of pesticides and educate ourselves about
alternative pest control methods. Non-pesticide pest control products
and services must be made as easily available to consumers as
pesticides and pesticide dependent services.
Pesticide
Alternatives Project
The
Neighborhood Network publishes a Long Island Organic
Lawn Guide and Environmental Resource Directory which contains:
Organic Product Descriptions, Advertisers, Web sites, Recommended
Stores, Recommended Mail Order Catalogues, Organic Landscapers,
plus a comprehensive set of organic lawn care tips designed to
keep your part of Long Island green and clean. Order the most recent edition.
Pesticide
Alternative Project Survey of alternative
product availability in Long Island stores.
Survey press release
List of Recommended Stores
Volunteers
Wanted
|
The Neighborhood
Network is again conducting our survey of Long Island lawn
and garden stores, to provide Long Islanders with information
on the best places to find products for safer, organic lawn
and garden care. Would you like to contribute to
the effort?
It only takes
about 20 minutes to complete each survey form. If you would
like to help by surveying your favorite source for organic
lawn care and gardeing supplies, or other stores in your
area, please contact us at: organics@neighborhood-network.org |
4 Steps to an Organic Lawn
Compost
Repel mosquitoes from your property with garlic
A non-pesticide approach to dealing with fleas
Suffolk
County Homestead A-Syst Task Force
Neighborhood Network
Executive Director, Neal Lewis has been appointed to the Suffolk
County Homestead A-Syst Task Force, which was created to develop
an informational program for Suffolk residents on the risks associated
with pesticide and fertilizer use, methods to reduce these risks,
and safer alternatives for maintaining lawns and gardens.
The Task Force is holding
a series of public hearing to solicit input from the public on
the recommendations it will be making to the Suffolk County Legislature.
Hearing Schedule:
- Friday, March 9th,
2007, 11:00 AM
Wm.H. Rogers Bldg. auditorium, Hauppauge
- Thursday, March
22nd, 2007, 11:00 AM
County Center auditorium, Riverhead
- Thursday, April
5th, 2007, 11:00 AM
Wm. H. Rogers Bldg.auditorium, Hauppauge
Mosquito
Management
 Since late 1999 in the New York City and Long Island
region, some common house mosquitoes, Culex Pipiens, became carriers
of the exotic West Nile Virus. The problem was highly publicized
by the media, which focused great attention on the encephalitis
caused by the virus (which mosquitoes transmit from birds). Local
officials responded to the alarm with a massive aerial pesticide
spraying program. The Neighborhood Network has been working to
promote a rational approach to mosquito control, which is more
effective and safer for human health and the environment.
Mosquito
management legislation.
Mosquito
prevention tips for homeowners
Golf
and the Environment
Long
Island golf courses can and should be managed in a fashion that
is not harmful to either the environment or public health.
The
primary goal of Organic Golf is to see all Long Island golf courses
reduce and work towards the goal of ultimately eliminating synthetic
pesticide use by implementing organic management practices at
existing golf courses, and to support an organic standard for
the construction of any new golf courses.
The
Suffolk County Legislature has approved a settlement in a lawsuit
brought by Neighborhood Network. This settlement will result in
organically constructed and maintained golf courses in Yaphank,
New York.
Nassau
County Pesticide Advisory Committee
Nassau
County has adopted a policy of eliminating or reducing pesticide
use in County buildings and on County owned property. Neal Lewis
executive director of the Long Island Neighborhood Network serves
on the Nassau Health department's Pesticide Advisory Committee,
which is charged with developing overseeing the County's Integrated
Pest Management (IPM) strategies.
The
Pesticide Advisory Committee has proved very successful, indoor
pesticide use in County buildings has been drastically reduced.
This year the Committee will focus on outdoor use on county parks,
golf courses and other county properties. |
