Film Review

Review submitted by Sue Reiderman

Film Review - A Chemical Reaction

There was a screening of an excellent documentary film, A Chemical Reaction, at the Middletown High school last Thursday night with approximately 150 people in attendance. The event was hosted by the Middletown group, Project Green Lawn, along with students from the Middletown Regional Agricultural Science and Technology Center. A discussion led by SafeLawn representative, Scott Reil, followed the film. The students put together a great display on organic lawn care that included numerous handouts for attendees to take home. In addition, the students organized a raffle with many prizes suited to the occasion.

A Chemical Reaction is an inspiring story about how one woman, Dr. June Irwin, and the little town of Hudson Quebec, sparked a movement that has led to the banning of lawn care pesticides across many parts of Canada. As a dermatologist, Dr. Irwin began noticing a connection between illnesses her patients were experiencing and the use of lawn care chemicals. She was so alarmed by her findings, she began a tireless campaign to ban these harmful chemicals in her town of Hudson. Her persistence and persuasive arguments eventually led to a ban on lawn pesticides in Hudson. The ban did not sit well with the lawn care industry, who relentlessly challenged the legality of the ban and took the case all the way to the Canadian Supreme court, where the tiny town of Hudson prevailed. Since that, now famous, supreme court decision, numerous towns and provinces in Canada have followed suit and banned the use of many dangerous lawn care pesticides and herbicides.

The film also stars Paul Tukey, a landscaper who became very ill from the chemicals he was applying. He now goes across the country educating people about the dangers of lawn pesticides and the many benefits of organics. For anyone who doubts organic lawns can be beautiful, take a look at the SafeLawn website www.SafeLawns.org, where many prominent organic lawns are featured, and you will find lots of organic lawn care resources.

Connecticut's own Nancy Alderman, President of Environment & Human Health, Inc., the organization that published the research study Risks from Lawn Care Pesticides, was featured in the film, and the Connecticut law banning lawn care pesticides in schools was also mentioned. The film made clear, that in response to what took place in Canada, the pesticide industry aggressively pushed through the preemption laws that are now in 40 US states. These laws make it illegal for individual towns to ban lawn care pesticides, as they did in Hudson. Bans on lawn care chemicals must be enacted at the state level, a much higher hill to climb. The pesticide industry wanted to ensure that what happenned in Canada would never happen in the US. Maine has no such preemption law, and much to the dismay of the chemical lawn care industry, Camden has banned lawn care pesticides.

Many people have the misconception that organic lawn care is expensive. Scott Reil explained that while organic is more expensive in the beginning, once established, an organic lawn pretty much takes care of itself. A chemically treated lawn, while cheaper to start with, constantly requires chemical applications for insects, weeds, and diseases, that can become quite expensive. The best lawn featured in the film was in the town of Marblehead, MA, where the municipality is using all organic methods. It was mentioned in the discussion that Chip Osbourne along with UMASS, have recently released data on the cost savings of using organics.

In Canada, the supreme court decision favored using the "precautionary principle," which basically means "better safe than sorry". In the US, however, chemicals are considered "innocent" until proven guilty. This means many people are sickened and suffer before any preventative action is taken. According to Scott Reil, change in this country is going to have to come from the bottom up. With that in mind, I'd like to encourage all Middletown residents to participate in Project Green Lawn by signing a pledge not to use chemical pesticides on your lawn, and to demonstrate your support for organics by putting their Chem- Free lawn sign in your yard. Please urge your friends and neighbors to do the same!

For more information on Project Green Lawn, to sign the pledge or obtain the Chem-Free signs for your yard, contact Kim O'Rourke, Middletown Recycling Coordinator at 860-344-3526 or via email: kim.orourke@cityofmiddletown.com

Many thanks to the City Recycling Division, Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District, The Jonah Center for Earth and Art, and the Mattabesset FFA Agricultural Communications Team for cosponsoring this event.