Bledsoe plans bill to expand
Pesticide Notification Registry

Grosse Pointe-based LocalMotionGreen has enlisted doctors, state legislators and other health experts to reduce the use of pesticides on lawns and gardens through public education and state law. Legislation to be introduced by Rep. Tim Bledsoe, D-1st District, would amend the Michigan Pesticide Notification Registry to allow access to all residents who want to protect themselves, children and pets from pesticide exposure. Residents who signed up on an online database would be notified in advance when dangerous chemicals are applied to adjacent properties.

Bledsoe will speak at a kickoff forum Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Grosse Pointe Academy, 171 Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms. Hormone-free ice cream and organic toppings will be served. He'll be joined by Dr. James P. Rosbolt and Dr. John M. Simon.

Rosbolt, a family physician with Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe, and medical review officer to the Air Force and Michigan Air National Guard, will talk about the direct link between pesticides and the risks for human health. Simon, a veterinarian, author and owner of Woodside Animal Clinic, will discuss the danger of pesticides to pets’ health.

"Pesticides are dangerous chemicals that can cause serious health problems – especially for children and pets – and people need to be able to take steps to protect their families from being exposed to them," Bledsoe said. "We need to reduce pesticide use in our communities to keep our families and our water and land safe. If pesticides are being applied somewhere, though, every resident deserves the right to know about this hazard to themselves, their children and their pets."

Companies are required to notify residents on the registry before applying pesticides near their homes.  Currently, though, only residents who provide proof of a medical need can sign up.

Pesticides are linked to asthma, learning delays, ADHD and cancer in people and pets, plus Parkinson’s disease, birth defects and more. U.S. homeowners use more pesticides per acre than the agriculture industry does, leading to serious health risks for pets and people, especially children, some experts say.

LocalMotionGreen’s new initiative, “GardenGreen." will work toward the goal of a community that uses no pesticides in gardening and lawn maintenance. LocalMotionGreen welcomes gardeners, parents, students, schools, congregations, hospitals, medical professionals and businesses to join this initiative.

Community members may sign up at the Aug. 18 event to participate in GardenGreen.

“We are seeking volunteers to promote gardening without pesticides in the Grosse Pointe community,” said Robin Heller, executive director of LocalMotionGreen. “Whether you would like to host a community event, be a stop on a tour of organic yards, distribute information to neighbors, or help identify pesticide-free areas, we welcome your support.”

LocalMotionGreen will provide information on how to garden without pesticides and where to find products and services locally. Topics covered include lawn maintenance techniques, building healthy soil, composting, insect control, native plantings, rain gardens and more.

The event is free of charge and open to all. If weather permits, festivities will take place on the pesticide-free front lawn of the Grosse Pointe Academy.

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