Mulch as an Alternative to Pesticides Spring is here, and so are weeds. Many people are determined to eliminate weeds as quickly as possible, and this can mean reaching for the bottle of weed killer. But what if there was a natural, safe way to prevent weeds from appearing in the first place? There is!
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HELPING COMMUNITIES HELP THEMSELVES: AN INTERVIEW WITH SUE CROTHERS, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, RIVER FOREST, IL
Our work with activists across the region to reduce the use and impacts of pesticides has been extremely gratifying. Take a moment to get to know Sue Crothers, one of the community activists MPAC is currently working with to reduce pesticide use in River Forest. MPAC: You serve as President of the River Forest Parks
Ticks: What to Watch For
As winter approaches and many insects become dormant, ticks remain active despite the dropping temperatures. As ticks are notorious for spreading illnesses such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tularemia, being able to identify ticks is important for your safety. Like spiders, ticks are arachnids and have eight legs. Ticks most commonly found
Interview with Amy Bartucci of Go Green Park Ridge
Amy Bartucci is the founder of Go Green Park Ridge (GGPR), a group dedicated to raising environmental awareness in Park Ridge and inspiring people to take action to make a difference. Amy is making a difference by leading a subcommittee of GGPR tasked with moving the Park District to more sustainable lawn care and landscaping practices like natural lawn care. MPAC along with
Natural Lawn Care: Three Steps YOU Can Take This Fall
Autumn is an important time of year for keeping your lawn healthy and attractive without the use of dangerous chemicals. Here at MPAC, we advocate for Natural Lawn Care, a method of approaching lawn care issues that provides safe and healthy recreational spaces. As the seasons change, precipitation levels increase and temperatures drop— the time
Forgo the Fog: Alternatives to Mosquito Fogging
Summer is peak mosquito season, complete with annoying bites and fears about West Nile virus. While mosquitoes can be a nuisance, Mosquito Abatement Districts (MADs) do not necessarily have to resort to fogging in order to control mosquito populations. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Mosquito Control Association, the airborne
Commercial Use of 2, 4-D
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now allowing the use of an herbicide called 2, 4-D. Some farmers argue that this herbicide is needed to combat the problem of superweeds that are resistant to less toxic herbicides like glyphosate. Dow Chemicals and Monsanto created genetically engineered corn and soybeans that were resistant to the
Superweeds: An Emerging Threat
Superweeds are weeds that have built up a resistance to the effects of herbicides used in agriculture to kill them. Weeds such as marestail (horseweed) and palmer amaranth (pigweed) are rapidly growing problems for farmers, pushing them to apply more herbicides, like 2, 4-D and Roundup, more often. These products have been shown to harm human
Prevent Mosquitoes in Your Backyard
Summer is here, and with it comes mosquitoes. Besides their annoying bites, mosquitoes are the main carriers of diseases such as West Nile Virus. Their peak breeding season is during the summer months when mosquitoes can take advantage of the heat and standing water leftover from spring and summer rains. While the City of Chicago takes
Chicago Park District Continues to Limit Use of Pesticides
For the fifth year, the Chicago Park District is partnering with Midwest Pesticide Action Center to offer park visitors a safer and healthier park by limiting the use of pesticides in our parks. Each spring, residents may see dandelions growing in neighborhood parks throughout Chicago, signifying a chemical-free park that’s safe for play. “The Park
