Say no to pesticides

Dear Editor:I am concerned with the use of pesticides in this area. Right now is the time that homeowners need to decide if they want their lawns, gardens and trees sprayed. For what? An aphid outbreak? A pine weevil outbreak? Weeds out of control? Killing the pest does nothing to solve the pest problems.To solve a pest problem, it is necessary to change the conditions that have allowed the pest to thrive. Simply killing pests, instead of solving pest problems, leads to routine and repeated use of pesticides. Almost a billion pounds of conventional pesticides are used in the U.S. every year, and this use has continued for decades. This enormous quantity would have decreased if pesticide use was truly solving pest problems.Pesticides are hazardous to human health, causing a wide variety of health problems including acute and persistent injury to the nervous system, lung damage, injury to reproductive organs, dysfunction of the immune and hormone systems, birth defects, and cancer. Pesticides are hazardous to children, pets, fish and birds, and our water systems. Please question is it necessary? What are my organic, non-chemical alternatives? Is it worth my health, my children’s health, my pets, for the sake of dead bugs or dead weeds?Ginger JanssenBasalt