Dog walks have led me to write this letter. Dogs’ noses are like gravity, they drop to the ground to sniff. Dog paws move us forward and my eyes keep a lookout for little square signs posted at the edge of lawns, triggering fear, anxiety and disgust. I pivot and change directions before the dogs drop their noses into grass that has pesticide pellets or sprayed pesticide (insecticide & herbicide included in pesticide; “cide” means “a killer of”).

If my eyes don’t catch the sign, my nose usually burns or picks up the scent of pesticide. But not always. Our one-year-old shepherd dropped his nose in a lawn with pesticide pellets that had been applied an hour or so before we appeared. At the moment, though, I didn’t know the timeline.

After our walk, I visited the occupant of the home where the pellet application had occurred. I was hoping the application had been the day before. But it wasn’t. The person I talked to was understanding, asked if my dog was okay, and asked for my

cell number to notify me of the next application. He also gra-
ciously said he would talk to the owner of the property about the need for pesticide. He said he wouldn’t use it if it were his home.

I like this common saying because it’s a simple way to think about the environment: Dandelions won’t kill you but pesticide will. Ongoing research continues to gather data from people exposed to pesticide, from applicators to farmers. Pesticide is found in urine, in rainwater, and in polar ice, according to research I’ve read. I watch birds land in our yard and squirrels poke around in thedirt and feel relief knowing they experience “nature” that isn’t tainted by any human-made chemicals on the grass or seeped into the soil.

Less is more. Less pesticide across our community is my wish for all living creatures. For pollinators and all the soil critters that work to strengthen our ecosystem. Giving up pesticide is a big “ask.” What beautiful and life-affirming things could you do with your lawn if you didn’t use pesticide?

Gretchen Reeh-Robinson
Mount Vernon