Ryan Anderson accepting the resolution from MWRD Commissioner Frank Avila
The MWRD Board of Commissioners recognized MPAC’s natural lawn care efforts by passing a resolution June 16th
A raindrop falls on your lawn. It trickles through the green, entrenched mass, absorbing whichever chemical, fertilizer, and sediment in its way. Jammed full of matter, the droplet jumps into a storm drain and joins the crowd of 1.4 billion gallons of waste and storm water droplets produced by the Greater Chicago area each day.
Using seven wastewater treatment plants, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago sorts through the billions of water particles to extract solid waste, harmful chemicals, and other sediment. Getting every chemical is next to impossible.
“What MWRD does each day to protect our waters and public health is incredible,” Midwest Pesticide Action Center’s (MPAC) Program and Communication Manager Ryan Anderson said. “But keeping these waters completely safe for humans, pets, and wildlife is a tall, almost insurmountable task. Anything MPAC, businesses, and individuals can do to prevent the release of these harmful chemicals and pollutants at the point of introduction goes a long way in furthering MWRD’s work.”
The MWRD Board of Commissioners recognized MPAC’s Midwest Grows Green (MGG) effort to reduce the introduction of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers into Greater Chicago area waterways by unanimously passing a resolution. Anderson accepted the resolution from MWRD Chairman of Finance and Commissioner Frank Avila at the Commissioner Board Meeting June 16th.
“MPAC has always been a leader in protecting public health, even assisting the MWRD with Integrated Pest Management and herbicide reduction policies,” Commissioner Avila said. “I am excited to see what they do next for natural lawn care and water quality improvement with their MGG initiative.”
The American home and garden sector applies more than 90 million pounds of herbicide product to lawns and gardens each year. Studies have linked these chemicals to various nervous, behavioral, endocrine, immune, and reproductive system disorders.
“Many do not think about it, but maintaining our nation’s largest crop, turf grass, requires an extraordinary amount of pesticides, fertilizers, and water,” Anderson said. “MGG is all about educating people on the costs and impacts that result from conventional lawn care, and providing individuals, businesses, and park/school districts with the solutions.”
Learn more about MGG at its webpage (bit.ly/MGGweb) and join the natural lawn care movement by taking the pledge (bit.ly/MGGpledge). See the resolution here.
