America spends billions of dollars researching cures for diseases our grandparents rarely heard of. We are not just loosing family members to these diseases, but many of us have lost our pets to the growing list of cancers. And, all for the love of a perfect lawn.
Advertisers and community associations that demand uniform weed less turfs skew our sense of beauty. Those perfect lawns are cash cows for chemical companies and the health care industry.
Post World War II chemicals are marketed as ‘safe if used properly.’ They fly under the radar of lax regulatory systems put to sleep by chemical industry lobbies rich enough to influence regulation. In the earliest days of chemical lawn treatment, they provided HAZMAT uniforms to protect their employees. They soon recognized these outfits sent the wrong message. Today, the chemicals arrive in clean white vans with a friendly, puppy face on the side. A much more appealing, if not misleading, message. Employees, no longer protected by HAZMAT suits, believe the products are not harmful to people or pets, at least that is the corporate position given when concerns are raised. Every big box store sells variations of these products for those who rather do it themselves.
Here is a thought to ponder. It is the day after the lawn service was here. There are still tiny pellets, left on the driveway after the kids played basketball and wrestled out there before dinner last night. The brood has left for school. You grab the morning paper from the driveway, pull the wrapper off, and have settled down for a quiet breakfast. As you glance at the headlines, you move that buttery bagel to your lips with the same hand that retrieved the newspaper from the driveway. Tag, you’re it. You have just joined the statistical list of potential cancer cases.
It is time to think. What can each of us do to make a difference in today’s health care issues? Hmmm. What can we do?
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