On this episode of TMSOG we dive into sustainable living, eco-friendly habits, and practical solutions for a healthier planet, and we tackle an important topic: reducing pesticide use on lawns. For many homeowners, a lush green lawn is a point of pride, but maintaining that perfect lawn often comes at a cost—both to our health and the environment. Chemical pesticides and herbicides, commonly used to control weeds and pests, can contaminate water sources, harm beneficial insects, and pose health risks to humans and pets. We must be aware of the dangers to chemical exposure specifically 2,4-D, or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, a widley used herbicide and plant growth regulator that controls broadleaf weeds by disrupting their growth processes, often used in products for lawns, farms, and other areas. Studies have linked occupational exposure to 2,4-D and other chlorophenoxy herbicides to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Parkinson’s disease. So, what can we do to maintain beautiful lawns while reducing pesticide reliance? Victoria Alzapiedi, our resident garden, wildlife and healthy yards guru joins us to discuss how we can coexist with nature and wildlife by reducing pesticide use on our properties and what the alternatives are to spraying pesticides. We encourage you to grow meadows in lieu of lawns and to plant native trees and shrubs to protect pollinators. Victoria is a co-founder of New Castle Healthy Yards, and is a member of the Town of New Castle Conservation Board, as well as the Westchester Climate Smart Communities Task Force. She is also a member of Friends of Buttonhook, which is working to save a 20.3 acre forrest in the Town of New Castle. In addition, she is the co-founder of the New Castle Pollinator Pathways Coalition, and started the Facebook group “The Nature of Westchester” an active community of nature lovers which has grwon to almost 5000 members. Victoria is also a Native plant gardening consultant and coach providing eco-friendly planting recommendations. For more info go to New Castle Healthy Yards on Facebook, check out mynativegardenoasis.com. If you want to help protect the environment please donate to https://earthjustice.org/ https://www.beyondplastics.org/ If you can donate to help lawyers defend our constitution go to https://www.aclu.org/
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A Special shout out to Neil Richter for all of his help and engineering wizardry in getting TMSOG up and running each week.
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