safeBABY

Don’t wait until your kids are rolling in the grass or digging in your tomato beds to rethink your lawn and garden strategy. In fact, research suggests that it’s something to consider before the little ones even come along.

A 2006 study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that exposure to home and gardening pesticides during pregnancy and early childhood were associated with an increased risk of childhood acute leukemia. You use the pesticides outside, then track them indoors where exposure can persist for long periods of time.  

Of course, there are also other health effects said to be associated with lawn and garden pesticides. Here’s a fact sheet on the dangers of common lawn pesticides from the National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns, a DC-based advocacy group.

And here are some good action steps and resources to get you going:

• Check out Safe Lawns, a not-for-profit promoting organic lawn care that, among other things, maintains a list of organic product and service suppliers along with a series of How To videos on different aspects of organic lawn care.
• Read this guide on how to talk to lawn care companies about your chemical concerns.
• Talk to your school about their lawn care practices. A 2005 USA Today article found that pesticide use around schools sickened more than 2500 children.
• And for some specific “how to” information from gardening experts, check out this collection of lawncare articles from Organic Gardening and these factsheets on the least-toxic methods to combat common pests like ants and grubs.

[Photo by PelayoLacazette via Flickr]