Lawn chemical poison plants, animals, and people by direct contact, by dusts and vapors which are breathed in, and through leaching into the water table. Little children and pets are particularly at risk because they don't pay attention to "signs" and they have "earthy habits." They have small body masses which makes a dose of lawn chemicals more potent to them than to an adult.

But adults succumb also. A lawn chemical company worker who asked if he could wear a protective mask while applying treatments was told, "No, you might alarm the customer." We should be alarmed! Symptoms of toxicity include: rashes and dermatitis, nausea, convulsions, respiratory problems, organ damage, and immune dysfunction.

And what are the alternatives? If your lawn isn't growing well, have a sample of your soil tested for mineral and nutrient deficiencies. Cornell University labs will do this through our local Cooperative Extension at a nominal cost to the consumer. Often a simple application of a high calcium lime dust will improve lawn vigor and give weeds less of an opportunity to grow. Mowing your lawn at a 3 inch setting (above the ground) will minimize shock to grass blades and leave enough rebound strength for vigorous growth.

Identify your weeds and learn about them. Have you ever noticed that during a dry spell, the weeds are the only green part of the lawn? Why destroy them when they require less effort on your part than the grass? And are dandelion blossoms so ugly and harmful that we must endanger so much to eliminate them?

If you accept the Gaia Theory that the biota of Earth works in concert for the maintenance of an environment conducive to al life, then perhaps weeds have a function in maintaining a balance not only for our lawns, but for ourselves. Many lawn weeds are sources of concentrated nutrients -- in fact, most are more nutritious than the garden vegetables we coddle and certainly more so than what we buy at the supermarket. Dandelions are rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium and bioavailable iron. They are both cleansing and nourishing to the kidneys, liver and gallbladder, organs overstressed by our eating and living habits. All parts of the dandelion are edible and delicious. (But don't gather them in or near a poisoned lawn!)

To give weeds a chance is to give mankind a chance. We will not destroy the earth by our foolishness -- only ourselves for the rest of creation is pro-life!