Golfdom, August 2010

Off The Fringe What Theyre Saying About You ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS LIKE BEYOND PESTICIDES SPREAD A BAD MESSAGE ABOUT PESTICIDES By Nicole Wisniewski 8 Golfdom August 2010 PHOTO COURTESY SYNGENTA A s golf course superintendents you may be faced with questions regarding pesticides and the effectiveness of the tools you use daily Its important to be aware of what youre up against when it comes to the information your customers may be getting from groups who oppose the use of pesticides In May the 28th National Pesticide Forum Greening the Community was held by Beyond Pesticides in Cleveland During the opening session Pesticides 101 Caroline Cox a Beyond Pesticides board member and research director for the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland Calif outlined the 10 Reasons Not To Use Pesticides renaming her session to clarify her message Here are a few of the points this organization is spreading to the general public Pesticides dont solve pest problems If pesticides really solved pest problems we wouldnt use them repeatedly Cox explained Every year in the U S a billion pesticides are used The amount isnt going down Pesticides are hazardous to human health Three hundred million pounds of cancer causing pesticides and 150 million pounds of pesticides that cause reproduction problems like miscarriages or birth defects are used annually Cox told the group Pesticides cause special problems for children For their size children drink more water and eat more food than adults do she said Their play exposes them to pesticides They do somersaults on the lawn and they sprawl out on the carpet to read a book All of these things increase their exposure to pesticides Kids are also growing and developing she added If theyre exposed to pesticides when theyre at critical stages of growth or development and their growth changes this is something they have to live with for life For instance some common pesticides appear to affect the developing brain so a childs brain will be different when he or she grows up Pesticides contaminate water and air The U S Department of Agricultures National Monitoring Program found 57 pesticides in public drinking water samples in 2009 and the U S Geological Survey found pesticides in 90 percent to 100 percent of rivers and streams they tested in 2006 After stating these facts Cox concluded that pesticides used on lawn and roadsides do end up in urban streams and rivers Pesticides are hazardous to fish and birds We share the planet with other living things and they pay the price as a result of our pesticide use Cox said adding that 100 million pounds of pesticides per year kill fish according to the U S Geological Survey Pesticide health and safety testing is conducted by pesticide manufacturers The Continued on page 15 Environmental groups are spreading the word that pesticides are just plain evil Superintendents need to take a stand