Lots of news, good tips for a healthier spring, updates and steps to protect our pollinators, our waterways, mitigate climate change, and protect our health.

But first, we have breaking news for you!

Our organization, Md. Pesticide Education Network in collaboration with Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility found the toxic "forever chemical" PFAS in Permanone 30-30, which is widely used by the Md. Dept of Agriculture and private vendors in thousands of Md communities. In letters sent to the agencies, we implore EPA and the state of Md to halt use of mosquito eradicating pesticides this season, until they have tested all such products for PFAS and find them to be PFAS-free. Read more about it here.

Please help support our work to protect our babies, bees, and the Bay!

Here's hoping! The Biden administration may act on regulatory changes for pesticide industry. Read about it here.

... and while we're hoping, we are acting. Here's a letter to the US EPA we signed onto urging the agency to go back to EPA's plan to ban chlorpyrifos. View it here.
 

Concerning news to motivate us all to action

Fertility crisis: Falling sperm counts and changes to sexual development caused by exposure to endocrine disrupting substances, including some pesticides are threatening human survival, a leading epidemiologist has warned. Read more here.

 

Popular flea collar linked to almost 1,700 pet deaths. The EPA has issued no warning. Read more here. 

Toxic toll 44%: Researchers have put hard numbers to unintentional pesticide poisonings and fatalities. Read about it here.

Two important 2021 reports to help you when shopping for produce

2021 list of the Dirty Dozen (most pesticide-laden) & Clean Fifteen fruits and vegetables. Read more here.

Consumer Report's ratings to get the health benefits from fruits & vegetables while minimizing your risk from toxic pesticides. Read more here.


 On the bright side... here are some tips for purchasing organic makeup 

10 natural & organic makeup brands your face will love. Read more here.

And for more options, see GoOrganic Md.org Visit the webpage.

 

Avoid the toxic kitchen chemicals that could damage your fertility. Take these steps to avoid exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in your kitchen. Read more here.

 

Create a welcoming home for pollinators in your garden. Xerces Society Buying Bee-Safe Plants helps you find plants free from harmful pesticides and includes tips and questions for the nursery. Read more here.

Ten ways for farmers to support pollinators. Read more here.

Neonic soil treatment hurts ground-nesting bees, first of its kind study finds, especially for those that pollinate squash and pumpkins. Read more here.

Pesticide breakdown products found in hundreds of US streams. Extensive environmental survey of pesticides and their transformation products reveals potential for hidden toxicity. Read more here.

Our farmworkers are relied on for our food, but they work under harsh conditions and are at increased risk for severe respiratory disease from pesticide exposure--worsened in the pandemic. Read more here.

A new study points to a stunning loss of topsoil in the Corn Belt from farming practices that have depleted this once-fertile earth. Diminished agricultural productivity & more carbon in the atmosphere, its a catastrophic loss of an irreplaceable resource. Read more here.
 

Encouraging data!  Organic agriculture's proven ability to lock carbon away in the soil is a critical tool for combating climate change.

New study by the University of Md and The Organic Center, digs into the specific ways organic farmers can take their climate change fighting power to the next level. Read more here

And... Rodale Institute is doing the longest running side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional farming in the world. Read more here                                                 

Tips for your home garden 

Engage the senses with a sensory garden. A garden that appeals to all the senses helps one feel fully immersed in the natural world. Read more here.

Building your garden from the ground up. Basic tips for improving garden soil quality. Read more here.

Please help support our work to protect our babies, bees, and the Bay!