I wish they would do away with lawn chemicals in general. They are everywhere in our neighborhood. I'm considering getting my dog boots -- you can see the little chemical balls all over the sidewalks here. I wash his feet when we come in, but I'd rather he not touch them at all.

I'm with you, Allie. I hate getting that stuff stuck between my toes -- and it's tough to fight the urge to lick it off! Yuck.

I use corn gluten on my yard. It is safe and seems to green my yard up. It also helps with weeds. I use white vinegar for on the spot weed control. It works great for the grass that grows in between the cracks of the sidewalk.

I live in the woods and have found that Diatomaceous Earth works great on ants and scorpions. I am also fostering some stray kittens on my back porch, I have yet to see any fleas since I sprinkled that around. My vet's office thinks I am nuts, but I don't have fleas.

I use Diatomaceous Earth on my carpets when I have flea outbreaks. It's perfectly safe for humans and pets alike. In fact, some companies use it in food storage areas. When humans or pets ingest it, it's kills intestinal parasites like worms, so I even bought some in pill form to take myself... just in case.

Keep up the good work everyone! If each takes care to sweep their own porch, the whole world will be clean! Sometimes it seems overwhelming--the issues that need addressing are pervasive and many times more than any one of us can handle. I have found one easy aid for my biggest cat (18 pound former "runt of the litter") who had pustules form under his chin while boarding at the vet a few years ago. They excised one and could not determine the cause. However, it was obviously painful for Smokey. I started bathing the sores severa times a day (after lightly scraping them with a fingernail to open the scabs) with warm hydrogen peroxide. They began to heal immediately. He still gets an occasional single small one somewhere around his head (seems to coincide with some stressor like a car trip)....and it still responds immediately to the warm peroxide treatment. He actually seems to be relieved when he gets this bathing as he is most cooperative during the process. Maybe this will help someone out there.

I can tell you that the OUTSIDE of many pet food bags is also toxic! I have an almost immediate response to any chemical and I cannot carry a pet food bag without wearing a long sleeved shirt!! I break out in an immediate rash. I suspect that, when these bags are stored, the area is sprayed with a pesticide to keep rats and such from gnawing on the food bags! I buy organic pet food and immediately empty the bags into a large covered container at home and dispose of the bags.

The northwest coalition against pesticides is a good source of information on herbicides. ncap.org You can sign up for free email non chemical gardening and house hold tips.
One can get on a states chemically sensitive list, which means that the lawn care companies must call you the day prior to spraying. If you call the state and get the form then your doctor can fill it out and mail it in. This is for people who are allergic to these chemicals.
There are some organic landscaping companies. Of course you can start your own. If you get your lawn in good shape first using organic means then you can show your neighbors how to do it too.
Food that is not grown organically does not have phytonutrients or natural plant poisons that plants manufacture in response to bug preditors. These phytonutrients and "poisons" are important for the health of our own immune systems. Iknow this because my husband is a physician and a doctor of naturopathy.

Karen

Dear Trisa and others; Re Smokey's problem with pustules/abscesses on his chin. I had a cat that got repeated chin abscesses - for no apparent reason. Did the same thing you did (didn't break surface, but bathed with hydrogen peroxide until they started to heal - on advice of my vet). The vet said that he had seen this problem with cats who ate out of plastic dishes - which was what I was using. When I switched to glass or stainless steel, my cat stopped getting the chin abscesses and never got them again. Hope this is helpful.
Katie

If only more people just became AWARE...Those toxins that are sprayed on lawns are evil.Just think people walk around barefoot on that and in the skin it absorbs and on to the bloodstream it goes... We use a corn based fertilizer also and have the greenest lawn on the block, we do have a few dandelions but who cares, they add that little punch of color! We have 3 cats and they are leashed trained and love to go out and eat the grass and I have a HUGE bed of catnip that they munch on regularly.
We also have native bees in spring, the ones that live in the ground and don't bother people but are good for that plants and earth, many many birds and squirrels in our yard because it's TOXIN free. The butterflies and hummingbirds are also in abundance, my neighbors are jealous and want to now how we attract them and I say "Stop spraying your grass with the cemicals and thay will come."

What products have you used on your lawn that you can recommend?

We have weeds, ants and our grass is not growing and missing in patches. What do you suggest?

My boy is a big grass eater too!

Does anyone have any information on the health, safety issues of grass that is watered with reclaimed water??