Here’s a review from Evelyn Hadden, one of the founders of LawnReform.org: http://www.lesslawn.com/articles/article1081.html

My ears will be burning tonight just after the dinner hour when five environmental groups join the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the town of Kennebunk for a viewing of our film, A Chemical Reaction. Since I’ve seen the film, it’s the forum afterward that will pique my curiosity.

Partners and presenters include the Kennebunk Coastal Association, the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Kennebunk Land Trust, the University of New England and Lawns for Lobsters. The Maine Landscape & Nursery Association has put its membership on full alert to attend the film and forum, which is aimed at Kennebunk becoming the sixth town in Maine to ban certain synthetic pesticides on public property — joining Scarborough, which just adopted its policy Wednesday night.

The film starts at 7 and the 45-minute forum is slated to conclude at 9.

These types of events are always most interesting to me, since Maine was my personal residence for more than 50 years — and mostly because many of the men and women on the opposite side of the issue are great personal friends of mine. They fear for their livelihoods, and I feel for them, but the reality is the chemical lawn care providers are on the wrong side of history, of the environment and of human and animal health.

As natural lawn care providers in Connecticut, New Jersey, Canada and elsewhere have proven, there is business life after chemicals have been banned. More evidence piles up daily about the toxicity of weed killers such as Roundup, 2,4-D (see below) and so many of the other products upon which the lawn industry has relied on for far too long.

I urge the residents of Kennebunk to stand strong tonight in favor of doing the right thing. People I love and respect will stand there with a straight face, probably somewhat reddened, and declare that their products are “safe when used as directed” and “approved by the EPA” and therefore safe.

The truth is that ANY product that requires EPA approval is inherently NOT safe and that is expressly why the products need an EPA registration in the first place. The EPA gives exemptions to products presumed to be safe; these products don’t need a Caution, Warning or Danger label on the container. In EPA parlance truly safe products get a “25B Exemption” and they are the only ones allowed to make safety claims in their marketing.

The chemical lawn care industry will also stand there tonight and state that they’re trained, they’re licensed and they know what they’re doing. They’ll state that they’ll have to lay off workers and lose jobs if they lose their right to spread their profitable products. They’ll probably project that they will lose playing fields if they can’t utilize synthetic chemical grub controls.

The reality is that the natural lawn industry is coming up with new products to kill grubs and keep lawns green. And while I agree that many licensed professional members of MeLNA and other licensing bodies across North America typically do a good job that is safe as possible, the truth is that not all of them do. And in a place like Kennebunk, Maine, on the shoreline, I always ask this simple question: “How many days a year do you really have when at least a breeze isn’t blowing?” People always laugh, because the answer is damn few. That means that applications of fertilizers and pesticides in places like Kennebunk, Maine, are almost always drifting off target.

At least one member of the professional panel tonight will state that “Paul Tukey was the worst offender” of all when he was a professional landscaper (right, Jesse?). And that was true. I always freely admit that when I was a licensed pesticide applicator in Maine in the early 1990s, I coated thousands of lawns with weed and insect killers. I applied on windy days, and rainy days, or on sweltering hot July and August afternoons when thunderstorms would wash everything away hours later. I didn’t always wear the proper protective gear — like the vast majority of my brethren — because 16-hour days in moon suits are really, really uncomfortable.

I also put myself in the hospital in those days because the stuff I was using was toxic. Did I poison anyone else in the process?

The answer to that question is still what drives me today. Next week I’ll be in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. The week after that it will be in the District of Columbia and Virginia.

And though I won’t be in Kennebunk tonight, I’ll be there on screen and in spirit urging the town of Kennebunk to join the right side of history while the anti-pesticide movement has this much wind in its sails. You never know if the political conditions will be this favorable again.

* Here is a wikipedia rundown on 2,4-D health risks:

Different organizations have taken different stances on 2,4-D’s cancer risk. On August 8, 2007, the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued a ruling that stated that existing data does not support a conclusion that links human cancer to 2,4-D exposure.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified 2,4-D among the phenoxy acid herbicides MCPA and 2,4,5-T as a class 2B carcinogen – possibly carcinogenic to humans.

A 1995 panel of 13 scientists reviewing studies on the carcinogenicity of 2,4-D had divided opinions, but the predominant opinion was that it is possible that 2,4-D causes cancer in humans.

A 1990 study of farmers in Nebraska, even when adjusting for exposure to other chemicals, found that 2,4-D exposure substantially increased the risk of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).

A 2000 study of 1517 former employees of Dow Chemical Company who had been exposed to the chemical in manufacturing or formulating 2,4-D found no significant increase in risk of mortality due to NHL following 2,4-D exposure, but did find an increase in risk of mortality due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The amine salt formulations can cause irreversible eye damage (blindness); ester formulations are considered non-irritating to the eyes.

One study found that occupational exposure to 2,4-D caused male reproductive problems, including dead and malformed sperm.

Concerns regarding neurotoxicity have been voiced with increased sensitivity to amphetamine and thus concerns of increased risk of drug addiction among those exposed.

Here is the MSDS warning label for 2,4-D

Exposure may cause liver, kidney, gastrointestinal and muscular effects. Signs and
symptoms of excessive exposure may be anxiety, eye-twitching, nausea and/or vomiting and abdominal cramps and/or diarrhea. Other symptoms of 2,4-D poisoning include weakness and fatigue, numbness and tingling, confusion, bleeding, and in some cases neurotoxic effects including inflammation of nerve endings and long-term chemical hypersensitivity. Some medical reports from practitioners who have treated victims of acute exposure to 2,4-D mention severe and sometimes long lasting or even permanent symptoms.

Thomas Mulcair, left, poses with Jack Layton, who passed away today at age 61.

SafeLawns and the environmental community lost an amazing ally this morning when Jack Layton, the leader of the New Democratic Party in Canada, passed away at 61 after a swift battle with cancer.

A ferocious advocate for seniors, children and his nation, Layton struck us as someone who made environmental advocacy more than a campaign speech to be forgotten after the election. He was an extraordinary public speaker, obviously comfortable in his own skin and not above self-deprecating humor.

We had the privilege of spending time with Mr. Layton in Hudson, Quebec, on June 17, 2008, just as we were exploring the option of filming what later became the award-winning documentary, A Chemical Reaction. Those of us on the crew came away wishing we had political leaders like THAT back in the United States.

Remarkably, Layton was on the job even in his final hours as he knew death approached. He left the world with these words in a letter to his nation: “My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.”

Our condolences go to his friends, family and nation. As I told a Canadian news reporter this afternoon, those of us in the environmental and health community will now need to redouble our efforts. It will certainly take a legion of us to fill Jack’s void.

Search on-line on one of those this-day-in-history lists and you won’t find my nomination for the MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT’S EVER HAPPENED on the 179th day of the year (not counting leap years).

All sorts of other important stuff shares a June 28 anniversary. I didn’t know, for example, that Labor Day became a federal holiday by an act of Congress on this day in 1894, and I didn’t remember that on June 28, 1914, that Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated with his wife, thereby setting off World War I.

Let’s see . . . we had the Treaty of Versailles signed in France, ending World War I, on June 28, 1919, and the Citadel, that military bastion of the South, finally admitting women through its corridors, on this day in 1996.

Other ignominious events have since followed on the third from the last day of the sixth month. In 1997, boxer Mike Tyson bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear during their heavyweight title fight, and in 2000 the little Cuban boy, Elian Gonzalez, was returned to his father in Cuba. Remember Elian? He’ll be 18 in December.

On this day in the following year, however, an event occurred that should be on those lists. Sure, it’s great to end World Wars and break down gender inequalities, and I’m a big fan of Labor Day barbecues with friends and family. But a day that allowed 30 million people to begin to live free from pesticides ought to get a mention from the pop-culture historians.

Justice Dube

Just before noontime on June 28, 2001, in the remarkably cozy chambers in Ottawa, Ontario, Supreme Court Justice Claire L’Heureux Dube read aloud the basis for her unanimous 9-0 opinion in the David vs. Goliath case of Chemlawn and Spraytech v. Hudson. Her words were simple, yet far reaching. They looked back, yet forward. They returned a basic human right, self government, to the people. They sent a billion dollar company, ChemLawn, into a name change (TruGreen) and a tailspin that continues to this day. And Madame Dube didn’t do it to be vindictive, or to put a company out of business. She wrote her words to protect children, hers, yours, mine. Everyone’s.

“The context of this appeal includes the realization that our common future, that of every Canadian community, depends on a healthy environment. In the words of the Superior Court judge: ‘Twenty years ago, there was very little concern over the effect of chemicals such as pesticides on the population. Today, we are more conscious of what type of an environment we wish to live in, and what quality of life we wish to expose our children [to]” This Court has recognized that everyone is aware that individually and collectively, we are responsible for preserving the natural environment . . . environmental protection [has] emerged as a fundamental value in Canadian society.”

Justice Dube went on to invoke, for the first time in legal history in the world, the Precautionary Principle — which is the notion that you don’t need absolute proof of harm in every instance before you take action to protect people or the environment. In her view, putting down lawn pesticides for the aesthetic purpose of killing dandelions or clover was not a good enough reason to bear the risks associated with those pesticides.

In giving the town of Hudson the right to ban pesticides from its public and private properties, the Canadian Supreme Court set off the ultimate domino effect. Town by town, province by province, the pesticide bans for cosmetic purposes have swept across the nation to our north. The latest figures show that 80 percent of the population is now protected from weed-killing products like 2,4-D (a major component of Agent Orange) or Roundup (also known to cause birth defects).

Because of the Hudson case, decided 10 years ago today, giant retailer Home Depot stopped selling weed ‘n feed and other synthetic chemical gardening pesticide products in its stores across Canada.

And, yet, Home Depot still sells all those same products in the United States. I once visited the Atlanta, Georgia, headquarters to ask the men in charge of making such decisions about what was going on in Canada. Most of the vice presidents didn’t even know that their northern counterparts couldn’t sell Miracle Gro laced with nerve toxins that double as weed killers. A more senior in-the-know official of the company offered a more candid response:

“In Canada, people didn’t want to buy those products anymore for the most part because of all the negative publicity associated with pesticides,” he said. “Here, in the United States, people still want to buy them. So we’ll keep selling them. Next question?”

And, so, 10 years after what those of us in the pesticide movement know to be the most significant legal decision in environmental history, most folks in the United States remain blissfully unaware that Miracle Gro and Turf Builder Plus 2 are even a problem. Sure, we’re making gains. New York and Connecticut have banned pesticide applications on school grounds. More than 30 New Jersey towns have banned pesticides on public parks.

In the age of the Internet, tens of thousands of people can ban together to keep ChemLawn from sponsoring Earth Day. That was a victory.

But today, June 28, on the most important day in pesticide history, millions more people remember a little Cuban boy and a chewed off ear.

That needs to change.

Doctor, Environmentalists to Talk Lawn Care on June 14 in Potomac, Md.

Dr. Alan Vinitsky will be among the panelists at the June 14 event in Maryland.

POTOMAC, MD. — As May turns toward June the dandelions go to seed and the clover begins to flower on lawns across the Chesapeake Bay region. That inevitable seasonal cycle sends many homeowners into frenzies in search of a quick chemical solution to the perceived weed problem.

Not so fast, says a group of environmental, health and community organizations gathering for a movie screening and panel discussion on June 14 at the Wayside Elementary School at 7 p.m. With the school year ending and children heading home for the summer, it’s essential to keep residential landscapes as safe as possible.

Glenstone, an art museum in Potomac, Md., has been treating its landscape with organic methods for the past year.

Hosted by Glenstone, a museum in Potomac, Md., the free event will feature the film, A Chemical Reaction, about the anti-lawn pesticide movement that is sweeping across Canada and the United States. The panel discussion will be moderated by the film’s producer and star, Paul Tukey, who is North America’s leading advocate for natural lawn care.

The founder of SafeLawns.org, is scheduled to be joined on the panel by internist Dr. Alan Vinitsky from Enlightened Medicine, Meisotis Curtis from Montgomery County Rainscapes and veterinarian Diana Post from the Rachel Carson Council, as well as Mitch Baker from the American Plant Food Company in Bethesda, Md., which made the groundbreaking decision not to sell chemical weed killers more than a decade ago.

“At Glenstone, where our focus is the seamless integration of art, architecture and landscape, we have made the decision to convert that landscape to natural management and then share what we have learned with the local and regional community,” said Glenstone representative Tony Cerveny. “This event on June 14 will present a tremendous opportunity to network with national and community leaders who are concerned with keeping toxins out of the environment. It’s also a great chance to learn about new, innovative techniques and natural products to keep landscapes beautiful.”

The Emmy nominated film, A Chemical Reaction, tells the story of Hudson, Quebec, the first community in North America to ban lawn and garden products such as Roundup and weed ’n feed. After winning a legal fight all the way to the Canadian Supreme Court, the same bans have now been adopted in more than 80 percent of Canada. An increasing number of American municipalities have now enacted bans on public property and just last week the state of New York enacted a statewide ban on the application of weed killers on school grounds and playing fields.

“Using natural products and techniques on your property doesn’t mean you have to accept all weeds on your lawn, nor does it have to cost more,” said Tukey, author of the best-selling book known as The Organic Lawn Care Manual. “We show people how to make a safe, beautiful transition to a property that is safer for people, pets and the planet.”

Paul Tukey’s award-winning 2009 documentary film, A Chemical Reaction, will be shown. It tells the compelling story of Hudson, Quebec, the first town in North America to ban lawn and garden chemicals. Mr. Tukey and other local natural lawn care experts will be present to discuss natural lawn care and hands-on environmental stewardship.

The event is free.

It is sponsored by Cape Cool, a local group working on environmental and climate change issues.

There is increasing concern about the health and environmental effects of pesticide and herbicide use. In our efforts to rid our crops, homes, and gardens of weeds and pests, we have surrounded ourselves with mixtures of chemicals with only minimal understanding of how they affect our health.

Annually, Americans use more than 4.5 billion pounds of pesticides. Each year, thousands of people in the U.S. become ill as a result of acute pesticide poisoning. Yet we are just beginning to understand that even low levels of pesticide exposure can be hazardous. Studies have linked low level pesticide exposure to cancer, damage to the nervous and reproductive systems, developmental and behavioral abnormalities including AD/HD, disruption of normal hormonal function, and immune dysfunction. Three separate studies published last month linked pesticide exposure during pregnancy to decreased IQ in children.

Paul Tukey, a Maine resident, is an internationally-recognized critic of garden chemical use, and proponent of natural lawn and garden-care methods. Mr. Tukey’s concern about pesticides and herbicides began with his own experience with acute chemical sensitivity to products he used in his lawn care business. He went on to found the magazine and TV show, People, Places & Plants, and subsequently the non-profit SafeLawns Foundation,which promotes natural lawn care methods, and is the author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual. For more information on the May 25th event, contact Carol Hubbard at 207-650-9911

http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/events/19397351/

By Heather Colpitts

The issue of cosmetic pesticides will be examined when the documentary A Chemical Reaction is shown at a special viewing May 18.

The Canadian Cancer Society, in partnership with Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS), Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s School of Horticulture and the Green Ideas Network, are inviting residents to learn more.

“The documentary, A Chemical Reaction, is 75 minutes of pure inspiration that a community can come together and overcome great odds to effect change,” said Nichole Marples, LEPS cxecutive director.

The film is a bonus Green Wednesday event. Green Wednesdays are monthly environmental gatherings at Kwantlen. The regular series wrapped up in April but the different organizations involved teamed up with the CCS for this showing, which starts at 7 p.m.

A Chemical Reaction tells the story of a community initiative that eventually resulted in Canada’s first bylaw to ban the use of all chemical pesticides and herbicides, in the town of Hudson, Que.

The bylaw withstood a challenge by the chemical industry in the Supreme Court of Canada and so far the provinces of Quebec and Ontario have implemented provincial bans on the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides. So far 168 Canadian municipalities have adopted similar bylaws.

“We hope that this public screening will help to further educate our communities on the health risks associated with unnecessary cosmetic pesticide use,” said Mandip Kharod, the Canadian Cancer Society health promotion coordinator.

Admission is by donation and Kwantlen has paid parking. Refreshments are provided by the partner organizations A Bread Affair and LadyBug Organics but people are asked to bring a mug.

People planning to attend are asked to register in advance for planning purposes. Contact one of the following: 604-599-3311, Gary.Jones@Kwantlen.ca, 604-532-3511 or nmarples@tol.ca.

To learn more about A Chemical Reaction, go to ifightcancer.ca or chemicalreactionmovie.com.

© Copyright (c) Langley Advance

http://www.langleyadvance.com/Growing+reaction/4797221/story.html

The village of Sparwood welcomed lawn expert Paul Tukey with an electronic greeting spanning the town's entrance.

After a whirlwind five-day tour that included more than 20 speeches, professional and homeowner training sessions, movie screenings and school assemblies, the Kootenay region of British Columbia in Canada appeared ready to join the vast majority of their countrymen and say no to synthetic lawn and garden pesticides.

Hosted by the Canadian Cancer Society and Wildsight, the SafeLawns tour through the mountainous region just to the west of Alberta included the Elk Valley on Monday April 18, Golden and Invermere on Tuesday April 19, Kimberley on Wednesday April 20, and Cranbrook on Thursday April 21.

“Here in the East Kootenays four communities have adopted cosmetic pesticide bans and more are interested in taking action,” said Patti Moore, health promotion coordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society. “Paul Tukey’s visit showed everyone from the golf course superintendents, to the municipal workers and homeowners what is possible to achieve without toxic substances. I know he really opened some eyes.”

Here are a few more shots of the SafeLawns tour that celebrated the 20th anniversary of North America’s first-ever lawn and garden pesticide ban in the town of Hudson, Quebec . . .

Among Sparwood's claims to fame is the world's largest truck.

These Kootenay children were proud to be pesticide free.

Students at the Invermere High School help grow and prepare organic meals year-round at the school's own greenhouse facility.

Municipal leaders in Invermere joined the festive dinner.

The meal, which included organic greens and vegetarian lasagna, was nothing short of spectacular.

Invermere Mayor Gerry Taft celebrated his town's pesticide prohibition during his speech introducing SafeLawns Founder Paul Tukey.

Marion Stotts, left, and Heather Leschied helped organize the dinner and movie with North America's leading natural lawn proponent.

Paul Tukey addresses the auditorium crowd in Invermere during his how-to informational session after the screening of the award-winning film, A Chemical Reaction.

The Canadian Cancer Society's Patti Moore and Robyn Duncan toured a local organic garden (where the snow was still evident!).

All the students K-5 at the Amy Woodland Elementary School were treated to an Earth Day assembly titled Did You Know You Can Eat Your Lawn presented by Paul Tukey.

Tukey then made his way across town for a second assembly for the students of TM Roberts Elementary School.

Students were prepared with signs and speeches of their own for the big day.

The Cancer Society and Wildsight hope Tukey's visits will bring more villages in British Columbia to post signs like this one.

What a spectacular region . . . and as Tukey kept reminding us, it's important to keep it that way.

“Seeing the film galvanized the people in the town to take action . . . ”

“If Canada can ban lawn chemicals, we should, and can, do it here, too . . . ”

THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS we have heard in the past 16 months since the film, A Chemical Reaction, premiered at the Montreal World Film Festival in Montreal. Director Brett Plymale’s film about Hudson, Quebec, the first town in North America to ban lawn and garden pesticides, has motivated tens of thousands of filmgoers to take action in their own communities.

Some folks are simply making changes in their own yards after seeing the film. Others are talking to neighbors. The most motivated activists are talking to mayors, town counselors and even state legislators. The film has been screened at least 100 times inside council chambers.

With several screenings in the coming week, the film is going strong from Maine to Manitoba. Some folks have screened the film in their communities five times or more and not a day goes by without someone asking, by phone or email: “How do we get the movie to play in our town?”

That answer is simple, really: Make it happen!

SafeLawns.org is a small organization and we don’t have the staff to organize screenings by ourselves, so we rely on individuals and groups from cities and towns and across North America to help us get the movie out there. We never signed a so-called “distribution deal” with a studio, so that we retain total control.

So if you want to bring the film, A Chemical Reaction, to your town, here’s a checklist:

THE BASICS

1) Pick a date. Try to avoid major competing events in the same town. Perhaps, however, you can find a compatible event such as a flower show where people are already congregating for a similar reason.
2) Pick a day and time. There’s lots of debate on this one about what’s better: weeknights, weekends, or weekend afternoons. The general consensus is that Wednesday and Thursday evenings around 7 are great — except for people with very young children. Weekend nights can run into social conflicts. Sunday afternoons have been really popular. One note: children really seem to like the movie and come away full of questions about how their own lawns and parks are treated, or not, with chemicals.
3) Who are the other potential stakeholders? In other words, who is interested in helping promote the movie? Look for: garden clubs, church groups, watershed associations, conservation groups, universities, Cooperative Extensions, organic food stories and co-ops etc. Parent-teacher associations are excellent. These are the people who are really motivated to make the world a better place for kids. It’s a good idea to find at least a couple of collaborators right from the start; others will join in later.
4) Pick a venue. So far we’ve shown the film everywhere from the massive Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, to a church basement in Concord, N.H., and everywhere in between. Basically anywhere a DVD can be played, the movie can be screened. As filmmakers, we love theaters. Nothing beats it. But college auditoriums work great and are often less expensive. Community halls are fine, though the PA and lighting can sometimes be challenging.
5) Assess your equipment. We’ve had a few horror stories about DVD players that didn’t work, or PA systems that sounded muffled, or even lights that couldn’t be shut off due to timers. Try to test all this in advance of the big night.
6) Decide which version of the film to show. Two versions now exist, including the full-length 75-minute feature film that includes all the great background information, as well as the 55-minute classroom version. The longer film has more emotional impact; the shorter version can be watched over lunch to get the point across.

THE PROMOTION
This is always tougher than people think. Almost universally, excited local folks think that drawing hundreds of people to a movie is going to be a piece of cake. It’s not, ever. Here are a few keys:

1) The Initial Notice. Get the notice of the film screening to the local magazines and newspapers absolutely as soon as possible for their calendars of events. Many of these folks have long lead times.
2) Who Knows Who? Many communities have local gardening writers or radio hosts who are accessible. Are there other television hosts or newspaper reporters who might cover the arrival of the movie in advance? Prior coverage is more essential than post coverage and a well-timed article or TV piece can literally put dozens if not hundreds of extra eyeballs on the screen.
3) Social Networking. These days Facebook, Twitter and all the on-line stuff really does work. Old-fashioned networking is critical, too. Plan a girls’ night out prior to the movie with a group of a half dozen friends. Post a notice wherever people congregate in your town.
4) Posters and Postcards. We will provide electronic support with images that can be customized for your use. Larger posters in key areas are great, but creating something that can hang on the refrigerator is essential, too.
5) An Email Campaign and Web Sites. All of your stakeholders know people and probably have lists. Leverage all these. Ask people to post the event on their web sites and blogs. A good rule of thumb is to email people three times: one month out, one week out and two days out.
6) Mailing Lists. A direct-mail campaign for a one-time movie event can be cost prohibitive, but take a look at any mailing lists that exist within your circle of stakeholders. You’ll probably find a few people worth buying a stamp for.
7) Door Hangers. If there is a neighborhood where you suspect chemicals are being used and abused, consider a door hanger compaign asking: “Is Your Lawn Safe for Your Children?” with a notice of the movie. They may not come to the film, but they’ll see the message. Note: Check with your town hall to see if door hangers are legal; some municipalities have ordinances against these.
Send the notice to us for our calendar. We maintain an ongoing list of events, but too many times we only hear about the details of a screening after the fact. SafeLawns.org is a place where thousands of the most motivated people congregate daily.

MAKING IT UNIQUE

Paul Tukey on stage in front of several hundred master gardeners in Robinson, Illinois.

It’s fine to have a screening for 20 people and call it good. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that at all. To create a buzz in your town that could lead to real change — a bylaw, an ordinance or just a change in your neighbors’ behavior with regard to pesticides — then it’s a good idea to turn the movie screening into a must-see event. Here’s how:
1) Find Local Sponsors. In Burlington, Vt., the local organizers signed on Ben & Jerry’s, Seventh Generation, Gardeners Supply and Green Mountain Coffee as sponsors — which gave them a budget and access to mailing lists instantly. While not every town has iconic sponsor potential like Burlington, most towns do have businesses who are socially and environmentally conscious.
2) Hold a Networking Reception. For an hour prior to the film, invite your sponsors and stakeholders to set up tables. Invite local restaurants and food stores to set up booths. INVITE THE MAYOR, the town manager, the local elected officials. This is essential. Get a few key folks to commit early so you can use their names to draw others.
3) Plan a Panel Discussion. After the film, when the audience is still captive, pick three or four articulate members of the stakeholder community to talk about the issues just presented in the film. Remember, this isn’t just about lawn pesticides. The film covers community action, the Precautionary Principle, state pre-emption laws, homeowners’ rights, health and the environment. Ideal panelists include: doctors, elected officials, lawn care professionals, local activists. The panel can be as big a draw, if not more, than the movie.

THE FINANCES
A “home” screening for up to 20 people costs $30. Other fee structures depending on audience size can be found at http://www.safelawns.org/chemical-reaction/. If you would like to have activist/film producer Paul Tukey or the film’s director, Brett Plymale, in attendance, we do charge an honorarium plus expenses to cover our travel, lodging and meals. When I come to town, I’ll often be involved with several speeches and/or training sessions in the same day prior to an evening film screening. I always tell organizers to keep me busy to maximize the potential of the visit.

At one recent event, I appeared at a elementary school assembly at 10 a.m., met with the city council at lunch, trained a group of lawn care professionals about organic techniques in the afternoon. Then, after dinner with local organizers, we screened the film followed by a panel discussion that I moderated.
In the process, we touched hundreds of people and, even if they didn’t make a change instantly, I know we got them thinking about pesticide reduction, water quality and children’s safety.

Showing the film is an amazing tool. So, as I said already . . . if you’re motivated, make it happen!