Beyond Pesticides Ohio To Host National Forum
THE 28TH NATIONAL PESTICIDE FORUM
Greening the Community: Green Economy, Organic Environments and Healthy People
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio • April 9-10
For more information or to register,
visit www.beyondpesticides.org/forum
Beyond Pesticides Ohio, founded in 1985, is a grassroots organization whose mission is to protect families, especially children, by promoting safer pest control practices. The organization is involved with public policy, education and debates, and has steered a course toward safer pesticide use that Ohio cities, counties and state agencies have followed. It has helped establish safer pest control policies and laws in the areas of lawn chemicals, West Nile Virus mosquito control and school safety. The group’s work has led to the adoption of landmark legislation that has served as a model for other cities and states.
One of the biggest issues regarding pesticides is the myth that they’re safe. Unfortunately, most pesticides, even those registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have not been adequately tested. Consider these facts:
• Acute symptoms of pesticide poisoning are often mistaken for the flu. Longer term problems may include asthma, cancer and difficulty in learning.
• Even a small exposure to pesticides during a critical window of a child’s development could cause permanent damage.
• Dogs exposed to lawn chemicals increase their risk of cancer.
• A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds that household and garden pesticide use can increase the risk of childhood leukemia by as much as sevenfold.
Fortunately, there are safe alternatives to pesticides. Beyond Pesticides Ohio promotes safer pest control practices known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM is a common sense, science-based pest control program that focuses on prevention, sanitation, monitoring, trapping and baiting which significantly reduces, or in many cases eliminates, the need to spray pesticides. Spraying pesticides is considered only as a last resort. IPM is also appropriate for lawn care.
Beyond Pesticides Ohio and Beyond Pesticides of Washington, D.C. are hosting the 28th National Pesticide Forum in Cleveland on April 9 and 10. The conference is co-sponsored by Case Western Rerserve University’s Department of Environmental Health and Science. This forum will bring together nationally known scientists, policy makers, activists, doctors, businesses and the general public to share scientific findings and public policy that are important to health and the environment.
The connection between pesticides and other sustainability concerns will be a focal point of the conference. The impacts of pesticides on clean air, food, farming, lawn care, sewer systems, drinking water and watersheds will be discussed. The forum will introduce Beyond Pesticides Safe Lawns campaign.
For more information, contact Barry Zucker at 216-291-3424 or visit www.beyondpesticidesohio.org.