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            <p>visit us online at <a href="http://www.spcpweb.org/">www.spcpweb.org</a></p>
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            <p class="larger"><strong>Autumn 2008</strong></p>
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                        <p class="headline"><strong>INDEX</strong></p>
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                        <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/OMVKPUYL/Fall2008Newsletter3%20%282%29.html#01">SPCP's Childcare Program Wins Award From U.S. EPA</a><br />
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                        <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/OMVKPUYL/Fall2008Newsletter3%20%282%29.html#02">Dandelion Complaints Plummet Due to SPCP Campaign</a><br />
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                        <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/OMVKPUYL/Fall2008Newsletter3%20%282%29.html#03">Staff News</a><br />
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                        <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/OMVKPUYL/Fall2008Newsletter3%20%282%29.html#04">City Herbicides Vacant Lots</a><br />
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                        <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/OMVKPUYL/Fall2008Newsletter3%20%282%29.html#05">SPCP Partners with Three Cities to Reduce Pesticides</a><br />
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                        <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/OMVKPUYL/Fall2008Newsletter3%20%282%29.html#06">Natural Lawn Care for Schools</a><br />
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                        <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/OMVKPUYL/Fall2008Newsletter3%20%282%29.html#07">New IPM Contract for City Buildings</a><br />
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                        <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/OMVKPUYL/Fall2008Newsletter3%20%282%29.html#08">Bed Bugs on the Rise in Chicago</a><br />
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                        <a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/OMVKPUYL/Fall2008Newsletter3%20%282%29.html#10">School and Childcare IPM Training</a><br />
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                                    <p class="headline"><strong>SPCP'S CHILDCARE PROGRAM WINS AWARD FROM U.S. EPA</strong></p>
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                                    <p><img width="140" height="205" border="0" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/newsletter/archive/Rachel_Award.jpg" /> With the generous support of our donors and building on 14 years of experience, Safer Pest Control Project has made great strides this year. Every day, our efforts improve the lives of thousands of Illinois residents by reducing their exposure to pesticides in the environment. <br />
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                                    On October 21, the U.S. EPA presented SPCP with its Environmental Justice Award for our groundbreaking work to reduce pesticide exposure in Illinois childcare centers. SPCP was one of 12 organizations in the nation to receive the award. We are so pleased that our work will continue to serve as a national model. With the support of the Grand Victoria Foundation, The Searle Funds of the Chicago Community Trust and Illinois Department of Public Health, we have created a unique model to provide comprehensive training on safer methods of pest control in childcare facilities throughout the state of Illinois. <br />
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                                    Also in October, SPCP brought natural lawn care expert Chip Osborne to Chicago to train turf professionals and school grounds managers on natural lawn care. SPCP's goal is to ensure that a qualified pool of professionals is available to provide natural lawn care services. Check out the growing list of professionals on our website. We thank the Boeing Company and U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office for sponsoring the training workshops. <br />
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                                    Sadly, Chicago lost one of its most enthusiastic supporters of sustainable agriculture this summer when Abby Mandel passed away. Abby was a great friend to SPCP and served on the SPCP Advisory Council. Abby and I had a special relationship, as she was my next door neighbor when we were growing up. I was deeply impressed with her visionary work in creating the Green City Market&ETH; which today is a thriving and vital part of our city. Abby will truly be missed. <br />
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                                    With the harsh economic times we are experiencing, I'd like to emphasize how valuable your contributions are for SPCP's continued success in creating a healthy and safer environment. Thank you for your support! <br />
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                                    <strong>Rachel Lerner Rosenberg</strong> <br />
                                    <em>Executive Director</em><br />
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                                    <a href="http://www.spcpweb.org/donate/"><img width="146" height="47" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/donatenow.jpg" /></a> <br />
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            <p class="headline"><strong>DANDELION COMPLAINTS PLUMMET DUE TO SPCP CAMPAIGN</strong></p>
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            <p><img width="200" height="203" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/newsletter/archive/DandelionLogo.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" />The Chicago Park District and SPCP collaborated on an educational outreach campaign that addressed the presence of dandelions in city parks. Every spring, many dandelion complaints are received by Aldermanic offices. Since the Park District does not use herbicides on the majority of the turf areas (excluding the Museum Campus, Grant Park and Millennium Park), dandelions crop up. <br />
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            SPCP created a flyer and poster emphasizing that dandelions are an indication that no herbicides are used on the lawns. The tag line on the flyer and poster is A Healthy Park is a Natural Park. The flyer includes tips for homeowners on natural lawn care. The campaign was a big success and complaints were down almost 95 percent. <br />
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            <p class="headline"><strong>STAFF NEWS</strong></p>
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            <p><img width="77" height="103" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/newsletter/archive/Holly_Thompson.jpg" />We welcome new program associate Holly Thompson, who will manage SPCP's housing and childcare programs. Holly earned her undergraduate degree from Trinity College. Most recently, she studied Spanish in Mexico and Central America where she also volunteered with community organizations on a variety of public outreach programs. Holly has six years of experience working with low-income and indigenous populations across the U.S. and the world. <br />
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            Also joining the staff is program assistant, Abby Ghibaudy. She will assist the staff in all program areas and will help answer your questions on the phone. <br />
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            Thank you to our two incredible summer interns: Elle Spacek, who is studying sustainable agriculture at the University of Iowa; and Isaias Espinoza, a sophomore at Stanford University. Elle and Isaias contributed greatly to SPCP's work over the summer and helped set the stage for ongoing work in many program areas. <br />
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            SPCP offers opportunities for interns to help with various projects throughout the year. If you are interested, visit our website for information. <br />
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            <p class="headline"><strong>CITY HERBICIDES VACANT LOTS</strong></p>
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            <p><img width="117" height="176" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/newsletter/archive/PesticideSprayer.jpg" />This year, SPCP learned of the City of Chicago's extensive use of the herbicide Roundup on empty lots. Through our partnership with the Respiratory Health Association, we met with community members who were concerned about the health risks of herbicide use on lots adjacent to their homes in the Englewood area. The Englewood community is disproportionately affected by asthma and other environmental stresses, and we decided to investigate. <br />
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            The goal of the herbicide spray program run by the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation is to keep the city's almost 17,000 empty lots weed-free. The herbicide Roundup had been found by the department to be the most effective, economical and practical method. The department is not required to notify nearby residents before spraying, and no procedure was in place for residents to ask that lots near their homes not be sprayed. <br />
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            As a result of SPCP's involvement in this issue, the city has agreed to create a new 311 code that residents can use to request that adjacent lots not be sprayed. We have asked the city to promote this new code on its website and through Aldermanic offices. <br />
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            SPCP has also asked the city to promote alternatives to spraying. Some safer weed control options include the use of city-supplied woodchips on vacant lots, pulling weeds by hand, and promoting and planting gardens through neighborhood associations. <br />
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            SPCP will continue to work with the city to move away from the use of Roundup and to find a more sustainable method of protecting residents from involuntary pesticide exposure. <br />
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            <p class="headline"><strong>SPCP PARTNERS WITH THREE CITIES TO REDUCE PESTICIDES</strong></p>
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            <p>Funding from the Grand Victoria Foundation will support SPCP as we begin the first initiative in Illinois to comprehensively address municipal pesticide use. The program's goal is to work with local governments on lawn care and indoor pest control in a coordinated effort to reduce pesticides. Evanston, Lisle and Orland Park are partnering with SPCP by serving as pilot sites for this effort. <br />
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            Pesticide applications are often handled by several related, yet separate, local entities, including park districts, city government, school districts and other governmental agencies. Bringing decision makers together to promote a sustainable approach to pest control, whether weeds or bugs, helps cities address the underlying causes, save money and improve the environment. The goal of this program is to help municipalities design effective pest control programs that reduce communities' exposure to pesticides. <br />
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            <p class="headline"><strong>NATURAL LAWN CARE FOR SCHOOLS</strong></p>
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            <p><img width="108" height="144" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/newsletter/archive/Girl_Drawing.jpg" />Turf and grounds managers from schools across Illinois attended SPCP's Natural Lawn Care workshop in early October. They learned how to successfully use natural methods to maintain athletic fields and school grounds in order to protect students from exposure to the dangers of synthetic lawn chemicals. If you or your school district are interested in learning about future workshops, please call Ruth Kerzee at 773-878-7378 ext. 204. <br />
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            <p class="headline"><strong>NEW IPM CONTRACT FOR CITY BUILDINGS</strong></p>
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            <p>SPCP assisted Chicago's Department of General Services in creating a new pest control contract that utilizes the principles of IPM for its 400 buildings. The department is the only city agency that currently requires the use of IPM in its pest control contracts. <br />
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            The new IPM contract will focus on monitoring and prevention rather than monthly spraying. The contract requires collaboration between building tenants and the pest control operator to notify about problems and to request assistance. The goals of the contract are to protect the health of the tenants and to reduce the use of pesticides in city buildings. SPCP will continue collaborating with the city by providing training and additional outreach material on pest prevention methods. <br />
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            <p class="headline"><strong>BED BUGS ON THE RISE IN CHICAGO</strong></p>
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            <p><img width="138" height="144" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/newsletter/archive/BedBug.jpg" />Like many cities across the U.S., Chicago is experiencing a bed bug resurgence. Bed bugs were eradicated from most homes in the 1950s and '60s when the use of DDT for cockroaches had the extra benefit of also killing bed bugs. It is unclear why bed bugs have come roaring back, after a 40-year hiatus, but back they are! <br />
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            Early detection is vital to getting rid of bed bugs. You (or your landlord) will need to hire a qualified and experienced pest control company to properly assess and treat the situation. Conduct a background check by requesting and checking references. If one apartment or room is infested, the Pest Control Operator should monitor all adjacent apartments/rooms. Also, make sure that treatment includes the following essential steps: inspection, education, steam cleaning and the judicious use of the most effective but least toxic pesticide choice. The use of pesticides alone will not solve the problem, as this persistent pest requires a combination of strategies. <br />
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            Over-the-counter sprays, bombs and fumigants are largely ineffective against bed bugs. A bed bug infestation needs to be treated professionally and with an Integrated Pest Management approach. <br />
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            Five steps to prevent and control bed bugs: <br />
            &bull; Buy a mattress bag and cover the opening (even a zippered opening) with duct tape. Pull your mattress away from the wall and keep your sheets tucked in so that they do not touch the floor. <br />
            &bull; Seal all cracks and crevices in walls, floors and bed frames (especially wooden frames), including the baseboards. Bed bugs are as thin as a piece of paper, so be thorough. <br />
            &bull; Launder everything on the highest heat setting and then seal all cleaned materials in bags until the problem is under controL - this may take up to a year for difficult infestations. <br />
            &bull; Steam cleaning can effectively kill bed bugs and their eggs, but be sure the steam is at least 120o F. It's useful on furniture, too. <br />
            &bull; Be on alert for a full year after an infestation is found, and report any sign of suspected re-infestation to your Pest Control Operator. A follow-up inspection should be scheduled for 1-3 weeks after treatment. <br />
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            <p class="headline"><strong>SCHOOL AND CHILDCARE IPM TRAINING</strong></p>
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            <p><img width="193" height="126" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/newsletter/archive/Girl_Coloring.jpg" />SPCP has been awarded its third grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to provide training for schools and childcare centers on how to develop and implement IPM programs. This year, we will focus on providing one workshop in each of five IDPH designated regions in Illinois. Go to our website at <a href="http://www.spcpweb.org/training">www.spcpweb.org/training</a> to find out when a training is scheduled for your region. <br />
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            <div style="float: right; margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> <a href="https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/SaferPestControlProject/OnlineGiving.html"><img width="191" height="60" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.spcpweb.org/donate/support_etapestry.jpg" /></a> </div>
            <p class="headline"><strong>DONATE TO SAFER PEST CONTROL PROJECT</strong></p>
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            <p> Safer Pest Control Project relies on individual donations to support our work. One benefit of your donation is the complete version of the newsletter. Please take a minute and contribute! You can use the link provided here, or call us at (773) 878-7378. Thanks! <br />
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