Whitby Shores Community Forums

Hi there! I am a first time writer to the forum. It saddens me that it is because of a negative matter.

I am so disappointed in the widespread use of pesticides in this community!

In many areas there has been a ban on the use of this very damaging chemical. I can not wait to have it here. This ban should tell you alone that it is not safe to use.

The fact alone that when it is sprayed a sign goes up to tell you not to go on it should alert you that maybe it is dangerous to your health.

I know that if I am walking around in this beautiful neighbourhood ( which is everyone's rite) and I walk past a home that has used this and I get a wiff of the chemical I am left feeling very ill and very upset and left concerned for my health and the health of my unborn child.
Many articles warn that you should not breathe in pesticides especially if you are expecting.

All this to keep a few unwanted bugs out of your life ( it also kills the good bugs that we need). Remember it is to kill pests not necessarily weeds. Weeds can be picked out or use a natural based fertilizer to help cut down on the growth of weeds.

Please reconsider the use of pesticides. They are very damaging to your health. I feel my freedom to enjoy my own neighbourhood is being taken away from me as the use of pesticides increases.

Remember after the 24 hour ( I hear this is the time they ask you to wait before you go on your lawn) it is still unsafe for a child or even a pet to use or walk on your lawn.

It is important that we consider making changes to help improve our environment, not use things that will add more chemicals to the air we breathe.

Please do some research before you use this so you are aware of what you are doing to add to polluting our neighbourhood and the air we breathe.

Hi Hope! I just wanted to say that I was thrilled when I saw that a law was going into effect next Spring that will ban the use of pesticides in Ontario. Hooray!!! Safer environment for us, our children and our pets~

I have been begging for this law to go into effect for years now. Like Hope when I walk by somone's garden and smell pesticide it makes me feel sick.

Go to Canadian Tire - get a $25 Weed Hound and have fun pulling those pesky weeds out of the garden. There is great satisfaction knowing you have a great looking garden and have not harmed the environment or animals doing it.

When I walk around the subdivision I also see people cutting their lawn to within a 1/2" of it's life. Keep your lawn 2" - 3" long and you'll have far less weeds. We do this and both of our neighbours don't. They have 10 times more weeds than we do (and they use chemical herbicides/pesticides as well). There are also hundreds of natural and extremely effective "pesticides/herbicides/fungicides" that will rid your lawn and garden of nasty pests and diseases without causing harm to the environment and most importantly your family(ies). Nematodes, Diatomaceous Earth, Milky Spore, Neem Oil...All Natural Soap based products to control fungal diseases and pests on suseptable plants. All it takes is a little research and you and your garden will be a lot better off.

So if the product is safe why does it make people feel sick and get headachy when they walk by and why are companies supposed to put up signs warning people that the grass has been sprayed.

How can anything that kills stuff be harmless. Would you let your dog walk on it and then lick it's paws?

Remember cigarettes - doctors used to smoke them in their offices while seeing patients !!!!!!

Going down BrianC's path (and stirring the pot as I do) ... I know people that get sick and headachy just from the smell of tequila and sambuca (teenage debauchery). In small quantities both are considered harmless. In large quantities both have also been known to cause death.

So I suppose to BrianC's point, if used properly and in moderation pesticides may not be as harmful as some may think.

For the record, I have dogs and don't use pesticides on my lawn ... and I use pet friendly fertilizer (Ecosense).

"Some companies now just come and spot spray the weeds,,,,,and that's all that's really required."

So instead of spot spraying take the little buggers out by the roots and they're gone for good - about the same amount of time involved and no risk is involved. There is immense satisfaction (at least for this gardener) of pulling out a big weed roots and all.