Child's Play Organic Lawns services South Bend, Elkhart, Granger and Mishawaka, Indiana. We also work in Southwest Michigan. We specialize in organic fertilizers and lawn care programs. Organic lawns are maintained using natural, non-toxic lawn products wherever possible. Organic lawncare emphasizes fertilization and proper maintenance techniques to minimize weeds, fungus, and insect damage. Natural, organic lawn care leads to a yard that is safe for kids and pets. Organic fertilizers help protect our environment and promote ecological sustainability. 12871 Industrial Park Drive, #16 • Granger, IN 46530 • 574.277.LAWN Office hours: M-F 8-5, Weekends by appointment. Voice mail is checked routinely. Please call ahead if you want to pick up products.

The Peanut Problem

If synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilizers are so problematic, why are they still allowed? "Safety" is measured by exposure, or how much contact causes damage. If you are a bug, a small amount of poison will kill you. However, to a fully grown adult, that same amount of poison may have a mild or no immediate affect. But what if you are a child, or a pet? The smaller the body, the more toxic the exposure. What if the chemical does not break down, but accumulates in the body? At some point, repeated exposure will result in toxic levels.

Let's use a different analogy. Some people are allergic to peanuts, others are not. Some mildly, some so severely they may suffocate without immediate medical intervention. Peanuts are problematic enough they are no longer served as a snack on airlines (they are an air born allergen). So, if peanuts have the ability to kill people, why are they not declared unsafe? Simply put, they are toxic only to people who react to them. By and large, peanuts are safe. We are not uniformly allergic to peanuts.

By the same token, humans are not uniformly reactive to chemicals. As stated earlier, people often mistake chemical exposure for allergic reactions. There is enough evidence, both empirical and anecdotal, to show chemical lawn products are not safe, especially when accumulated in the body over time. But, their safety is evaluated on the per exposure level.

Think of a dog running across a yard that has been treated with a synthetic chemical pesticide to control grubs. The first few steps he takes do not pose immediate threat. The next few steps begin accumulating pesticide on his pads. The farther he runs across the yard, the more pesticide he absorbs. Eventually his small body can't resist any more exposure and he reacts, often in the form of a seizure or uncontrolled muscle spasms. No one exposure to the pesticide caused the seizure. And no two dogs can take the same exposure before reacting. The same is true of children and adults.

Another rationale for chemical use is that the benefits outweigh the risks. In the case of peanuts, that's true. They are a viable food source. In the case of lawn care, that's not true. Not when an attractive, healthy green lawn can be attained using safe, natural products and by applying some basic maintenance techniques.