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<p class="spacer">&nbsp;</p>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#006857" width="720">
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            <td bgcolor="#ffffff" align="left"><a href="http://www.spcpweb.org" target="_blank"></a>
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                        <td valign="top"><a href="http://www.spcpweb.org/donate" target="_blank"><img height="124" border="0" width="688" src="http://spcpweb.org/images/header_update_spring_2011.png" longdesc="SPCP" alt="Safer Pest Control Project" title="Safer Pest Control Project" /></a></td>
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                                    <p><strong>Follow us on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Safer-Pest-Control-Project/197910109803?ref=ts" target="_blank" title="Facebook">Facebook</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/SPCProject" target="_blank" title="Twitter">Twitter</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Safer-Pest-Control-Project/197910109803?ref=ts" target="_blank"><img height="16" border="0" align="absMiddle" width="16" src="http://spcpweb.org/images/facebook.png" alt="Facebook" title="Facebook" /></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/SPCProject" target="_blank"><img height="16" border="0" align="absMiddle" width="16" src="http://spcpweb.org/images/twitter.png" alt="Twitter" title="Twitter" /></a><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/SPCProject" target="_blank"></a></strong></p>
                                    </td>
                                    <td width="10" valign="top">&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
                                    <td align="right" width="100" valign="top">
                                    <p><a href="http://www.spcpweb.org/donate" target="_blank"><img height="29" border="0" width="96" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/images/donate_header.gif" alt="Donate Now" /></a></p>
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                        <p class="headline"><strong>SPCP in the News</strong></p>
                        <p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/3lc3gfx" target="_blank" title="Watch video">Watch Executive Director Rachel Rosenberg discussing dandelions in the City of Chicago parks</a>, and listen to her discuss dandelions with Mike McConnell <a href="http://tinyurl.com/5sqo7a2" target="_blank" title="Listen to audio">on this WGN Podcast</a> (Rachel starts at 15:45).</p>
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                        <p class="headline"><strong>Lawns to Lakes: Natural Lawn Care Worshop is a Hit <br />
                        with Attendees</strong></p>
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                                    <p>More than 100 participants from lawn care companies, municipalities, schools, homeowner associations and community organizations gathered on March 23rd for a day-long conference on Natural Lawn Care at Oakton Community College. This seminar was funded through a grant from the U.S. EPA's Great Lakes Regional Initiative (GLRI). It delivered cutting-edge information on Natural Lawn Care (NLC) while emphasizing that what we put on our lawns ends up in our watersheds due to runoff and has a significant impact on the health of our communities. Through comprehensive presentations by noted lawn care expert, Chip Osborne, and other speakers, attendees learned the basics of NLC as well as the benefits and challenges of integrating NLC into a lawn care program. Through educational events such as this conference, Safer Pest Control Project helps to build capacity within the green industry and our communities to promote the reduction of pesticide use on lawns and landscapes.</p>
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                                    <td width="10" valign="top">&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
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                                    <p><span class="headline"><strong><img height="194" border="0" width="300" src="http://spcpweb.org/images/natural_lawncare_speakers.png" alt="Natural Lawn Care" title="Natural Lawn Care" /><br />
                                    </strong></span><span class="note"><em>With a wide range of expertise, speakers and sponsors presented a full day of sessions on Natural Lawn Care.</em></span><br />
                                    </p>
                                    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img height="68" border="0" width="220" src="http://spcpweb.org/images/logo_great_lakes_restoration.png" alt="Great Lakes Restoration" /></td>
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                        <p class="headline"><strong>Busy with Bed Bugs</strong></p>
                        <p>Safer Pest Control Project continues to develop programs and policies for the prevention and eradication of bed bugs for the City of Chicago and State of Illinois. Not only does SPCP work with the City of Chicago as its designated agency addressing the resurgence of bed bugs, Executive Director Rachel Rosenberg also serves as a member of the <a href="http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcbedbugs.htm" target="_blank" title="Bed Bug Task Force">Bed Bug Task Force for the State of Illinois</a>. The Task Force is a group of industry and government experts charged with developing and presenting to legislators a comprehensive series of guidelines and recommendations for the State to address the increasing problem of bed bugs. Coordinated by the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Task Force is currently conducting a series of meetings throughout the state.<br />
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                                    <p>SPCP fact sheets on bed bugs are now featured on the <a href="http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/bacp/supp_info/bed_bug_information.html" target="_blank" title="City of Chicago">City of Chicago's website</a>. This enables SPCP to reach an even broader audience of concerned citizens with vital and timesensitive information on protecting themselves from bed bugs and the importance of reducing pesticide use.<br />
                                    </p>
                                    <p>Senior Program Associate Holly Thompson attended the two-day <a href="http://epa.gov/pesticides/ppdc/bedbug-summit/2011/2nd-bedbug-summit.html" target="_blank" title="Bed Bug Summit">U.S. EPA Bed Bug Summit in D.C</a>. This conference focused on general education and featured small breakout sessions that allowed for an exchange of ideas and concerns. It was a great opportunity to share SPCP's experiences and efforts in Chicago.</p>
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                                    <td width="160" valign="top"><span class="headline"><strong><img height="201" border="0" align="right" width="220" src="http://spcpweb.org/images/city_chicago_website.png" alt="City of Chicago" /></strong></span></td>
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                        <p class="headline"><strong>Coming Attraction</strong></p>
                        <p>Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and Safer Pest Control Project are collaborating on developing a novel environmental health training module for CPS staff, nurses and teachers. The module will be available online and will cover Integrated Pest Management (IPM), green cleaning, diesel exhaust and asthma management. The creation of the module is the culmination of 10 years of ongoing collaboration with CPS on IPM and other environmental health issues. This project is funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control.<br />
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                        <p class="headline"><strong>Website Provides New Resources</strong></p>
                        <p>According to our recent survey, our free fact sheets are one of the most valued resources that we offer on our website. Not only does Safer Pest Control Project add new and updated fact sheets each year, the growing popularity of our website (<a href="http://www.spcpweb.org" target="_blank">www.spcpweb.org</a>) and its free resources now have an international audience that helps spread the word about our work and about the importance of reducing pesticide use. Last year, SPCP had over 190,000 visitors to the website and over 6,500 fact sheets were downloaded.<br />
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                        <p class="headline"><strong>6 Ways You Can Reduce Your Pesticide Exposure</strong></p>
                        <p><strong>1.</strong> <a href="http://spcpweb.org/download.php?factsheet=TenStepsColor5.pdf" target="_blank" title="Download Fact Sheet">Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for pest control in your home</a>.<br />
                        <strong>2.</strong> <a href="http://spcpweb.org/download.php?factsheet=NaturalLawnCareforHomeowners.pdf" target="_blank">Care for your lawn or yard in an environmentally friendly way by following the principles of natural lawn care</a>.<br />
                        <strong>3.</strong> <a href="http://spcpweb.org/download.php?factsheet=pesticidesinschoolsColor4.pdf" target="_blank">Find out how and when pesticides are being used at your local school</a>, and <a href="http://spcpweb.org/download.php?factsheet=LawnCareAct2009Factseet.pdf" target="_blank">make sure the school is complying with state laws</a>.<br />
                        <strong>4.</strong> <a href="http://spcpweb.org/download.php?factsheet=yardsignFinalColor.pdf" target="_blank">Look for signs</a> (such as dandelions) that your local park has limited its use of pesticides. If they haven't, <a href="http://spcpweb.org/download.php?factsheet=NaturalParkHealthyPark.pdf" target="_blank">start a conversation with them about adopting a natural lawn care program</a>.<br />
                        <strong>5.</strong> <a href="http://spcpweb.org/download.php?factsheet=neighborsFinalColor.pdf">Reduce pesticide use in your community by talking to your neighbors and city leaders</a>.<br />
                        <strong>6.</strong> Choose organic produce, when possible, focusing on the fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide contamination.<br />
                        <br />
                        For more information on these items, check out our <a href="http://spcpweb.org/resources/index.php#factsheets" target="_blank" title="Visit Fact Sheets">free fact sheets online</a>.</p>
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                        <p class="headline"><strong>Save the Date</strong>!</p>
                        <p><img hspace="20" height="57" border="0" align="right" width="79" vspace="20" src="http://spcpweb.org/images/logo_ladybug_bash.png" alt="Ladybug Bash" />Please plan to join us for the 5th annual Ladybug Bash on Friday, November 4, 2011 at Evanston's SPACE for an evening of music, food, and a great silent auction. Last year's event raised more than $24,000 to help Safer Pest Control Project create healthier, pesticide-free schools, homes and outdoor spaces. We are looking for volunteers to help us plan this year's event. If you are interested in being on our Special Event Committee, please contact Kristin Weiss at <a href="mailto:kweiss@spcpweb.org">kweiss@spcpweb.org</a> or 773/878-7378 x 208.<br />
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                        <p><strong>Safer Pest Control Project</strong><br />
                        4611 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 107<br />
                        Chicago IL, 60640<br />
                        773/878-7378<br />
                        <a href="http://www.spcpweb.org/" target="_blank">spcpweb.org</a><br />
                        <br />
                        <a href="http://spcpweb.org/newsletter/SPCP_Update_Spring2011.html" target="_blank">View this email as a web page </a><br />
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                        <a href="http://www.spcpweb.org/donate" target="_blank"><img height="29" border="0" width="96" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/images/donate_header.gif" alt="Donate Now" /></a><br />
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