Often the first chance a child gets to play outside is in the family garden and yard. Children live close to the ground. They crawl, tumble, roll in the grass, and play on floors and carpeting. Infants and toddlers put their fingers and random objects into their mouths.

Children in families that use pesticides are 6.5 times more likely to get childhood leukemia than those who do not use pesticides. Yet, 90% of Americans buy over 2 billion pounds of pesticides each year for their homes and lawns.

Urban use of pesticides is 10 times greater, acre for acre, than agricultural use. "If I have to get out a magnifying glass to read the warning label about health risks to children and pets, I refuse to buy that product," advises Kim Phillips, former environmental chair for the Texas PTA and Advisory Board Member for Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides (TAP).

Benefits Of Insects Working With Nature

The best way to deal with troublesome outdoor insects is to allow them to control themselves. Nature provides beautiful checks and balances if we allow them to function.

Using pesticides to control insects upsets this balance. Research shows that a mere 1% of the pesticides applied to plants ever reaches its ultimate target, the bad bugs. The remaining 99% pollutes and poisons the soil, air, water, beneficial (predator) bugs, animals, and ultimately we the people.