Tuesday Tip for a Greener Planet –
KILL THE WEEDS-NOT YOUR FAMILY AND PETS THIS SUMMER
Are you trying to achieve that picture-perfect, weed-free, lush grass and garden? Aiming for this perfection using traditional means may be effectively killing your weeds but did you know it’s also exposing you, your family, and pets to lethal levels of toxins?
In a study by the journal Toxicology, it was reported that Roundup (made by Monsanto) weed killer and others containing glyphosate are toxic to human reproductive cells and threaten to cause prostate and testicular cancer. “Symptoms could be so subtle, they would be easy to overlook. These herbicides really lock in on testosterone,” says Theo Colborn, President of The Endocrine Disruption Exchange.”
The researchers’ most disturbing finding was that ingredients labeled “inert” when combined with glyphosate increase mobility and more direct access to the cells. “These chemicals are designed to kill cells,” according to Vincent Garry, professor emeritus of pathology at the University of Minnesota. And, the research shows that they don’t discriminate between human and plant cells.
How can the FDA allow this?
Herbicide manufacturers are subject to fewer rules in the testing of ‘inert’ ingredients than they are for active ingredients, explains Caroline Cox, Research Director at the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, Calif. The FDA requires testing for birth defects, cancer, and genetic damage only on ‘active’ ingredients and we’re exposed to all with many common weed killers. This goes undetected when analyzing the ingredients separately. When all are combined, the effects are amplified significantly.
Our options
Hmmm, weeds in your garden or infertility and deadly toxic exposure to everyone that comes in contact with your yard?? Fear not, there is another option! Here are a few of the k.o. kidz top picks for organic weed killer and weed removing success:
- Spray
Quick acting and all natural organic weed killer! Mix 1/2 gallon white vinegar (everyday 5% household white vinegar works fine), 1 cup epsom salts, and 1-2 tablespoons dish soap. Soap helps the solution stick to the weeds. Funnel into spray bottle and drench weeds on a dry, sunny day for best results.
Weeds will die within several days and won’t return. (Be careful not to drench soil in grass or garden areas that you would eventually like to use for growing). Pour left over solution into airtight container, label (you can drink it but oh, that’s nasty!), and store in cool, dark spot indefinitely.
- Smother
A great way to re-use your newspapers, paper bags, and junk mail too! Cover low-growing weeds like clover and crabgrass with several layers of paper to block sunlight. Paper (it’s biodegradable) can also be placed on the soil and covered with mulch to prevent weeds from growing in the first place!
- Divide and Conquer
Lawn edgings and retaining walls are a long-lasting solution for keeping weeds at bay. Recycled bricks, rocks, and scraps of pressure-treated decking boards are all cost-saving, eco-friendly options that can add an artistic element to your yard as well.
Find more homemade organic weed killer solutions at goodhousekeeping.com.
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