WREX Channel 13 News By Cynthia Ramnarace From Green Goes Simple Maintaining a lush, healthy lawn without resorting to harsh chemicals is no easy task. Fortunately, you don't have to have a supremely green thumb to keep your lawn naturally vibrant. According to Paul Tukey, author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual, a truly "green" lawn requires patience, diligence and, most importantly, a pair of blinders. "Mo ...

We know that pesticides are dangerous when they're applied properly, but the danger is multiplied when the applicators fail to follow proper procedure. Sadly, this happens too often as pesticide businesses dodge legal procedures and fail to educate workers. Just last month, a pest control service in Wenatchee, WA, was fined $3,100 and had its license revoked for improper storage of pesticides, as well as im ...

Although nearly 90% of the field corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified, until now this corn has only been used as animal feed and in processed foods. Beginning this fall, however, Monsanto plans to introduce sweet corn. It will be the first corn manufactured for the consumer market. According to a report published by Bloomberg, the sweet corn seeds are engineered to kill insects living above and be ...

Last week town councilors in Scarborough, Maine, breathed a sigh of relief. After months of work, the Ordinance Committee has a policy that will restrict use of pesticides on municipal property. In an article written for the Scarborough Leader, Karen D'Andrea, Town Councilor and co-author of the policy, says, “It’s a public health issue,” D’Andrea said. “We know that many pesticides can cause things like ca ...

One of the biggest concerns of genetically modified plants is the ability for these plants to infect other plants through cross-pollination, thereby eliminating surrounding native species forever. Another is the recent development of weeds resistant to glyphosate, the main ingredient used in Round Up, spurring the growth of uncontrollable weed development in farms across the country. With these concerns alo ...

Following the lead of Quebec, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and hopefully, soon, British Columbia, New Brunswick is taking first steps toward banning use of cosmetic pesticides. The Daily Gleaner is reporting that 4,000 signatures were collected this past year by Tracy Glynn, forest campaigner for the Conservation Council of New Brunswick. In the article, Glynn said a Health Canada review of glyphosate- th ...

Think you still have lots of choices when it comes to seeds? Not so. An article published by Natural News explains how the seed industry has changed over the last decades. Besides farmers who are signing the genetically-modified pledge and effectively losing the ability to use any other seed, the biotech industry has been buying up seed companies faster than you can say, "Goodbye, Heirloom". According to Pr ...

Over the weekend, hundreds of dead fish appeared along the banks of the Trout and Big Pierre Jacques Rivers in Prince Edward Island. The Star is reporting that Rosanne MacFarlane, a biologist working with the Environment Department, is looking into pesticide run-off as the possible cause. Although about 200 fish have been collected, MacFarlane said that it was likely thousands more died, but predators and r ...

The local Indiana Fox affiliate is reporting that some Purdue agronomy professors are advising lawn care professionals to stay away from Imprellis. The Purdue professors join a number of scientists and landscape professionals who've warned about the broadleaf herbicide's toxic effect on evergreens and ornamentals. The Purdue-based Indiana State Chemist has received 150 complaints against the product, made b ...

The Minnesota state Court of Appeals ruled today that pesticide drifting from its intended farm onto an adjacent Stearns County organic farm could be considered a trespassing violation by the company that sprayed the pesticide. The appellate court ruling reinstates a lawsuit filed by Oluf and Debra Johnson against Paynesville Farmers Union Oil Company. In the suit, the Johnsons claimed that chemical drift d ...