Pesticides are a group of chemicals used to kill or repel unwanted organisms. Pesticides include chemicals such as insecticides for unwanted insects, herbicides for weeds, fungicides for fungus and mildew, and rodenticides for mice and other rodents.
Unfortunately, these toxic chemicals can affect any organism that comes into contact with them, not just the target organism, ultimately harming the health of our local ecosystems and waterways.
Insecticides advertised to target specific insects can also kill many species of beneficial pollinators, like bees and butterflies. They also harm predatory insects, such as ladybugs, that naturally control pest populations.
Pesticides also do not stay where they are applied and can seep through the ground into groundwater. Runoff from rain or irrigation can also carry these toxic chemicals into our local waterways, wetlands, and out to the ocean where they can harm fish, invertebrates, and other aquatic life that live in our coastal ecosystems.
Protect pollinators and clean water by pledging to maintain your yard or outdoor space without pesticides!
