Saving Homestead: Banish Toxic Chemicals from your Home

There is no reason for people to sit in the dark about information mounting about the toxic affects of synthetic pesticides. The following excerpt is from an article on Today Health of MSNBC.com wriitten By Leah Zerbe of Rodale.com

"5 toxic chemicals you should banish from your home"

"2. Synthetic pesticides: Chemical weed and bug killers both fit under this category and should be avoided both inside and outside of your house. (And dont' fall for the ones that pretend to be "natural.") Researchers link herbicides to various forms of cancer, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; insecticides have been connected to brain damage in kids.

“This is a good time of the year to resolve not to use pesticides on lawns and gardens,” says Phil Landrigan, MD, an internationally recognized leader in public health, director of Mount Sinai's Children's Environmental Health Center, and Rodale.com advisor. “A few dandelions or buttercups or other little flowers in the middle of the lawn are not unsightly.”

Better alternative: Combating an indoor bug problem is as simple as cleaning up crumbs, sealing food in containers, and using wood shims and a caulking gun to fill pest entry points. If you’re spending big bucks on chemicals for a turflike lawn, reconsider. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers kill the health of the soil and create a lawn that allows for little rainwater absorption, which contributes to flooding. Try replacing some sod with plants native to your area; they don’t require as much water and maintenance.

If you’re dead-set on the idea of a perfect grassy lawn, get out there and weed by hand or with organic methods. The extra exercise will help you burn off your winter love handles. Check OrganicGardening.com for advice on chemical-free lawn care, and see our story on chemcial-free fixes for common lawn problems."

You can bet my lawn is organic.

Leah Zerbe of Rodale.com follows up the last article with

"7 More Household Toxins You Should Banish from Your Home" by Leah Zerbe of Rodale.com touches on the harms of Roundup.

Seven household toxins you can easily evict from your home
#2: Roundup
You probably know that using Roundup (glyphosate) and other pesticides in your lawn and garden adds chemicals to your soil and water. But did you know that Roundup used on and around food crops also ends up inside the food you eat, according to plant pathologist Don Huber, PhD, professor emeritus at Purdue University. That's problematic because scientists are learning that Roundup affects defensive enzymes our bodies use to keep us healthy. Roundup also reduces a plant's ability to take up vital micronutrients that humans require for survival.

Better alternative: Corn, soy, and canola are common crops that have been genetically engineered to withstand heavy dousings of Roundup, and foods containing these ingredients tend to contain higher levels of Roundup than other crops do. To avoid genetically engineered (GE) foods and Roundup in your food, buy organic. If your find yourself reaching for chemical products like Roundup to zap weeds on your property, check out Organic Gardening's organic weed-control tips for safer alternatives."

Here is some concerning research about Roundup.

Check out pictures of what grows in my lawn area when I can keep my Mom from mowing everything down.