Stupidly Oblivious to Risk
Well, it's a moot point. Are people who insist on using pesticides (and herbicides) for cosmetic gardening totally ignorant of the deleterious effects on the environment? Or are they just so concerned about their lawns, so determined to have the perfect green lawn, so enamoured of the idea of all that grass reflecting on their pride of home ownership that they're perfectly willing to take the risk?The use of pesticides has been linked to many health issues. But before we get into that, consider the fact that pesticides and herbicides are killers (from the Latin "cide" to kill, right?). People want to kill the weeds that detract from their perfect lawns, they want to murder the hapless insects and grubs that disturb their peace of mind. In the process they're starting a chain reaction that affects urban wildlife, from live-eating (worms, insects) birds to foraging squirrels, and their own household pets: cats and dogs.
Who could possibly find the concept of spreading deadly chemicals on a lawn an intelligent decision, in order to nurture it to attain a perfect carpeted aspect of bright green? Chemicals, in any event, won't necessarily do the trick. It's been amply proven that people whose lawns are thickly grassed and healthy put out a little energy, eschewing chemicals. You pull out weeds by hand in the spring before they can gain the upper hand; no mystery about that. When the lawn has dried out sufficiently after the winter thaw, it needs to be de-thatched with a proper rake. Then it can be fertilized, with commercially friendly stuff, or with a top-dressing of fine composted material, raked in. Mow lawns regularly, but no shorter than 2", so the grass can shade its roots from the heat of the sun, and thrive. That's the formula for perfect grass.
Invariably, the houses on most streets I've seen sporting the worst lawns are those which also sport those little warning flags that pesticides have been sprayed on. Passersby breathe in the deadly fumes, which have also wafted over onto the lawns, front and back of neighbours who will not use the deadly stuff, but have it forced upon them. It's a constant source of wonder to me that people who have small children and pets think nothing untoward about hiring lawn care companies to put down deadly chemicals on the grass their children and their pets will play upon.
Among the deadlier health disturbances caused by the use of pesticides is cancers of various kinds, to which, unfortunately, children are no more immune than adults. Municipalities and Medical Associations of one kind or another have been quick to point out the inimical nature of pesticide use, and to recommend a cessation. Consumers, wedded to their inviolable lifestyles which include The Perfect Lawn, refuse to abide by these recommendations. And craven City Councils too often put off time and again instituting a total ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides.
Now research has shown that pesticide use could compound the risk of Parkinson's disease. One of the largest epidemiological studies conducted to date into the effects of such chemicals has found that people regularly exposed to pesticides, even in relatively small doses had a 70% higher incidence of Parkinson's disease as opposed to those people with no exposure at all to the pesticides.
What does it take to make people realize that they are imperilling their health and that of their neighbours by the insistence of pesticide use? These are deadly toxins that damage the molecular structure of the human brain for heaven's sake! I can only conclude, personally, that those people, some of my neighbours among them, have been close to brain dead for a good many years, and are thus not amenable to changing their idiotic habits.
Fine, if they care nothing for themselves, but get those spectacularly feeble brains around the fact that they have no business contaminating the air that others breathe, nor to cause ill health to others around them because of their gross stupidity.
The perfect lawn has become a synonym for unadulterated idiocy.
posted by Pieface @ Monday, June 26, 2006
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