What Are Pesticides?

Pesticides are materials used to control insects, weeds, diseases and a host of other pests - not just insects. These materials can be synthetic (man-made) or biological and biorational (derived from items in nature).

There are many common household items that we do not normally perceive as pesticides, yet they are:

	Clorox used in our washing of clothes is an EPA registered pesticide.
	Common soap mixed with water and sprayed onto potted plants is considered a pesticide.
	A pet's flea collar.
	Your lawn care service may use pesticides.
	The surgical room at a hospital has been treated with pesticides.

So, does this mean that pesticides are safe or dangerous? It means neither, but implications can be made for either argument.

Someone You Can Trust Pesticides (and all chemicals) are like machines; they cannot think or make decisions. We must do that for them. At NaturaLawn of America, we understand the public's concern and are aware of the dangers that a misused pesticide can bring to the environment and us.

Chemical Use or Abuse

Each of us has a responsibility to ensure we do not misuse a chemical by becoming complacent or uncaring. A pesticide can be misused in several ways:

Applying too much ("if a little is good a lot is not better").
Using a material on a plant or animal that is sensitive can cause plants to die and animals to become sick.
Pouring unused or excess materials down the kitchen sink drain or gutter is a direct pollutant to our waters and soils.

Reduced Usage

The Alternative^® and Natural Alternative^® lawn programs developed by NaturaLawn of America have been able to reduce the use of insect and weed control pesticides by over 80% as compared to traditional chemical lawn care and spray companies.

We do this through the use of our proprietary products that feed the soil and create a healthy environment for the lawn and soil organisms. Our Integrated Pest Management program (IPM) allows us to make better decisions regarding the use of control materials and our dedication to using biological materials further reduces the amount of synthetic pesticides being introduced into the environment.

Practice safety before using any pesticide, please read the label directions and follow the safety precautions. Remember, children don't always know the difference between something pretty or something poison.