<h1>Midwest Grows Green: Community Engagement<a href="http://midwestpesticideaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/KeepOnGrass_sign_generic1.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2389 " src="http://midwestpesticideaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/KeepOnGrass_sign_generic1-200x300.jpg" alt="KeepOnGrass_sign_generic" width="165" height="248" /></a></h1>
MPAC has created the Midwest Grows Green Community Engagement program to help homeowners and other land managers understand the impacts of their practices and learn how to make them more sustainable.  Several resources have been developed to help concerned residents educate and engage their communities on natural lawn care. We work with community activists and organizers to create a campaign that encourages the adoption of natural lawn care practices to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that are harmful to health and the environment.  With community input, MPAC develops customized resources and events promoting natural lawn care that reflect specific community concerns.
<h3 style="padding-left: 30px;">Why is it important to engage your community on natural lawn care?</h3>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">As communities expand, land is increasingly devoted to lawns. Unfortunately, the use of synthetic lawn care products has led to the pollution of our waterways through runoff and negative impacts on the health of people, pets, and wildlife. Many people are unaware that up to 10 times more chemical pesticides are applied to lawn turf per acre than farmers use on crops. In fact, lawn care pesticides are the pesticides most often detected in urban watersheds. This is because polluted runoff from lawns flow into storm water drains which bypass water treatment facilities and empty out directly into rivers, lakes, and streams. In addition, climate change is likely to magnify these negative impacts in the Midwest, with longer growing seasons pointing to the use of more lawn care products and increasing storminess resulting in more flooding and storm runoff emptying directly into waterways.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><a href="http://midwestpesticideaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/pesticide_lawn_cropped.jpg"><img class="alignleft wp-image-2649 " src="http://midwestpesticideaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/pesticide_lawn_cropped-300x262.jpg" alt="pesticide_lawn_cropped" width="276" height="241" /></a>In addition to water quality issues, conventional lawn care creates many environmental stressors and health impacts. For example:</p>

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	<li>Fifty percent of water used for lawn watering is wasted, and demand for water is expected to increase with growing population and greater drought occurrences.</li>
	<li>Of the 30 pesticides most commonly used on lawns and landscapes, 16 are toxic to birds, 24 are toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms, 11 are toxic to bees, and 11 are endocrine disruptors.</li>
	<li>Research has linked pesticides to cancer, asthma, birth defects and neurological, behavioral, reproductive, hormonal, and immune system disorders in humans. Infants and children are most vulnerable to the health risks associated with pesticide use.</li>
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<h2>Resources</h2>
Here are some examples of resources which MPAC has created for community engagement:

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<h4><strong>Keep On the Grass Pledge</strong></h4>
This piece is designed to encourage homeowners and other land managers to take the <a href="http://midwestpesticideaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/MWGG_Pledge.pdf">Pledge</a>  to commit to a healthier community by eliminating synthetic chemical use on their lawn.  It can be distributed at community events such as block parties and farmers markets.  Those who sign the pledge can receive a free “Keep ON the Grass” sign to place on their sustainably managed lawn indicating it’s safe for all activities at all times.

<a href="http://midwestpesticideaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Pledge_Generic.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-2610" src="http://midwestpesticideaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Pledge_Generic-135x300.jpg" alt="Pledge_Generic" width="168" height="373" /></a>

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<h4><strong>Tips on Keeping our Yards Green &amp; Waters Clean</strong></h4>
This pamphlet can be customized for community needs. It gives tips on how to reduce water pollution while maintaining beautiful outdoor spaces that are safe for people and pets to enjoy.

[caption id="attachment_2309" align="alignnone" width="350"]<a href="http://midwestpesticideaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/MWGG-Tips-on-Keeping-Yards-Green-and-Waters-Clean.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2309" src="http://midwestpesticideaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/MWGG-Tips-on-Keeping-Yards-Green-and-Waters-Clean-300x231.jpg" alt="MWGG-Tips-on-Keeping-Yards-Green-and-Waters-Clean" width="350" height="269" /></a> Click to view the pamphlet.[/caption]

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<strong>For more information about this and other Midwest Grows Green programs, contact Midwest Pesticide Action Center at <a href="mailto:general@pesticideaction.org">general@pesticideaction.org</a> and “Midwest Grows Green” as the subject.  Or, call us at (773) 878-7378.</strong>