Pesticide Free

Over the summer and fall I visited my dad and step mom in London quite a bit, while my boyfriend and I helped renovate a new house they purchased. Travelling around the city I noticed an incredible (and unusual) amount of dandelions growing along streets, on people's lawns, and in the most public and usually maintained places. I was confused, so I inquired with my step mom about the excessive dandelion dilemma in London. She told me there was a recent ban on cosmetic pesticide use in the city and it all began to make sense. However, I had not noticed an unusual amount of weeds at home in Niagara, and the ban is "Ontario wide" according to the City of London's website.

http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Growing_Naturally/Pesticidefree.htm

This ban got me thinking about Carson's literature, "Silent Spring," which we discussed in 4P18. As today is the American Thanksgiving, it is appropriate to note Carson's reminder that "a few years ago they went without cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving, rather than risk eating berries contaminated with a cancer-inducing chemical used improperly by some growers..." suggesting that such pesticides are a killer (New York Times, 1962). The book review we discussed in class notes that, "Carson gives most of her attention to insecticides, herbicides and fungicides, since these are the most dangerous of poisons," and likely the most utilized to adhere to the cosmetic standards the media sets as "right" for an aesthetically pleasing landscape. In fact, the City of London's website announcement of the ban specifically states, "Ontario’s Cosmetic Pesticide Ban prohibits the sale and use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes on lawns, gardens, parks and school yards, and includes many herbicides, fungicides and insecticides." Carson seemed to have little faith in the government to help instil her values, but it seems to have guided governments into a more eco-friendly mindset, despite the growing unattractiveness of  dandelion clad lawns (pun intended).

Enjoy your pesticide free cranberries this Thanksgiving! 
Marlee