Comments on: Pesticide Debate Crowds New Hampshire Hearing

By: jimmy

jimmy — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 02:58:42 +0000

The Lawn Blog seems to be shooting straight from his heart.

By: thelawnblog

thelawnblog — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:47:18 +0000

I have been following the pesticide legislation in NH for a long time. Having worked in the lawn-care industry for quite a while in the past and just having recently left to pursue other opportunities I find it interesting that most of the folks talking have not really stepped foot on a lawn in a very long time. I know personaly that Mr. Campanella was recently the president of PLANET and I’m sure that he has not applied any of the products he has asked his employees to apply for a very long time. His major concern if for the expansion of his enterprise and the health of his employees and customers is secondary. I would challenge Mr. Campanella to try to evaluate some of the truly 100% organic options in the marketplace and see how they stack up to his Earthcare program. I am sure he would be pleasantly surprised.

By: The Politics of a Safe Lawn | Safelawns Daily Post and Q&A Blog

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 02:19:43 +0000

[...] Since last February, she’s had to endure a steady onslaught of name-calling and fear-mongering from lawn care professionals that seems to have no end. Carr kept up his own rant, which came right off the top of his interview with Sununu, the former three-term New Hampshire Governor known nationwide for his questionable financial ethics: http://audio.wrko.com/m/audio/34660701/governor-sununu-and-howie-handicap-the-midterms-elections.htm, [...]

By: New Hampshire May Be Poised to Make a Major Anti-Pesticide Splash, or Maybe Not | Safelawns Daily Post and Q&A Blog

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:36:29 +0000

[...] hearing Tuesday afternoon, June 22, at the request of Rep. Suzanne Smith, the sponsor of bill HB 1456, as well as the LEAH Collective, an upstart environmental group that has done a remarkably good job [...]

By: New Hampshire Pesticide Study Bill Passes! | Safelawns Daily Post and Q&A Blog

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:07:34 +0000

[...] a contentious debate about a bill known as HB1456 in early February, some observers doubted whether or not the measure [...]

By: Paul Tukey

Paul Tukey — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:18:39 +0000

In reference to the statement from the “Live Free or Die” chemical advocate, I’d point out that few organic fertilizers for lawns contain more than 1 or 2 percent phosphorus, but he (or she) is accurate in the assessment that lawns do not need more phosphorus.

And while I agree that the nation would be far better off if pesticides were applied by only licensed applicators, the statement that the “Division of Pesticide Control does an excellent job of doing site inspections” is quite misleading. The department may, in fact, do a good job on inspections of sites it visits. But the underfunded department, suffering from budget cuts like the rest of the state, only has two people conducting site visits across the entire state. That doesn’t insure anything.

By: Live Free or Die in NH

Live Free or Die in NH — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:04:39 +0000

Seems Like MaryNH has a biased opinion and talks like she actually has statistical data to back her Lawn Dawg statments.
Lawn Dawg being the second largest lawn care provider in NH would obviously be applying more fertilizers and products than others based on it customer base alone.
By the way waste water sludge is use in Agriculture as a means of fertility. So if it is good for Crops, then I am sure it is safe for Turf! The product MaryNH is referring to is Sanitized, Deodorized, and then transformed into pellet form. One of biggest concerns should be over the amount of Phosphorous being applied per application. I know for a fact that Lawn Dawg applies 0% – 1% maximum amount of Phosphorous per 1000 sq/ft per treatment. Can other lawn care compaines say that? Also check the analysis on most true organic products and you will see there is typically an average of 5% or higher Phosphorous per 1000 s/ft.
The debate should not be over pesticides and how bad they are for the environment, but over who can apply them. I know I would prefer to have any chemical service done by a licensed person versus someone that is not. The State of NH, Division of Pesticide Control does an excellent job of doing site inspections as well as field inspections. This insures that Applicator companies operate safely and within the guidelines in place to protect the environment. The propaganda is streaming in from these so called Organic Loyalists that just wish to impose thier will and take away tax payers rights to decide on what services they would like the freedom to purchase. NH Spoke and it is still the Live Free or Die State!

By: maryNH

maryNH — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:04:43 +0000

Lawn Dawg likes to call itself the environmentally friendly lawn care company, but I can tell you from first-hand experience that it’s all green-washing. First off, the company’s “organic” lawn fertilizer is derived from sewage sludge. And last time I checked, Lawn Dawg applied more lawn pesticides like 2,4-D than just about any other company in New Hampshire. “True environmentalist?” Does he really think anyone believes that? Apparently people do, because the company still has customers. But I applaud you for having the will to go to New Hampshire and make your voice heard against this sort of insidious propaganda.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:07:28 +0000

Perfectly stated Paul!

I want to congratulate you on your work and efforts on this. I wonder if Mr. Campinella has any idea how ignorant he sounds when he states that the chemical people are the true environmentalists. When the opposition quotes you directly to make their own point it doesn’t say much for your own level of intelligence. Mr. Campinella may actually be personally responsible for losing the battle for the chemical industry. I’m assuming he had trouble sleeping at night to begin with. When his industry and associates begin to blame him for personally screwing up any defense they may have possibly had in the first place I would say he will be a very tired man.