We are killing birds with kindness. We put out bird feeders to lure them into our gardens,
but the pesticides we use to care for our lawns and gardens are lethal. Homeowners
should think twice before engaging a chemical company or buying chemicals and
personally applying them to their lawns. Medical records indicate that pets and people,
especially children, suffer from ailments in places of high-pesticide use.

In trying to understand the West Nile Virus in the summer of 2000, Officials of New
York State discovered that West Nile, which appeared in 14 people out of 18 million
state-wide, was not nearly the threat first imagined. They discovered that the real danger
was from pesticides. As a result they have recommended that New Yorkers reconsider
how they care for their lawns and families. As part of the effort to monitor the virus last
year, the state asked counties to report on bird deaths. Of the more than 80,000 birds
turned in at state request, only a few thousand died from West Nile. The single leading
cause of death among these birds was pesticide poisoning, from chemicals used on lawns
for aesthetic reasons. Diazanon, Dursban and other compounds used for lawn and garden
care in the attempt to control grubs, fungus and weeds. Citizens who labour for the
perfect lawn also keep backyard bird feeders. They are apparently unaware of the conflict
between the two pursuits. Birds are "indicators" of environmental perils. They warned
about DDT in the 1970s. Now they're warning us that it's time we kicked the pesticide
habit, for their sake and our own.

From article passed to us by Great Lakes Laboratory, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
867 Lakeshore Road Burlington, Ontario Canada L7R 4A6
phone: 905 336 6425 fax: 905 336 6437

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