The instinct to protect a child is universal. We teach them not to play with matches or ride their bikes into traffic.

Yet many well-intentioned parents think nothing of sending their children to frolic on lawns sprayed with dangerous pesticides that are all too routinely applied to yards, homes and schools where kids live, learn and play. Even when warning signs sprout like blades of Kentucky Bluegrass on suburban lawns (CAUTION: Pesticide application, keep off), many people shrug and assume if the chemicals are legal, they must not be that bad.

That is not necessarily true. Lawn pesticides alone have been linked to asthma, cancers, birth defects, learning disabilities, reproductive problems and other health concerns. They've also been linked to rare cancers in dogs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says no pesticide should be considered safe. Yet the warnings are often overlooked or trumped by the aesthetics of a dandelion-free yard.

That's why the Children's Environmental Health program at MEC aims to reduce the risk of exposure to such environmental toxics through education, coalition building and changing outdated state policies that fail to adequately protect children.

Pesticides are primarily manmade chemicals designed to kill life in the form of insects, rodents, fungus and plants deemed undesirable by conventional wisdom. They're used outdoors to beautify lawns and landscapes and indoors to control bugs. They're applied on farms, in schools, at parks, on playing fields and in lakes and streams. Golf courses, public buildings, day care centers and health care facilities all use pesticides.

The toxic chemicals don't stay where they're applied, however. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) 2005 National Report on Human Exposures indicated that almost 100% of the U.S. population (including children) has pesticides in their bodies.

MEC is a founding member of the National Coalition for Pesticide-free Lawns that advocates for safe and healthy environments. The purpose of this coalition is to protect children, families and pets from unnecessary exposure to toxic pesticides and to offer safe methods to maintain a healthy lawn. For more information, visit www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticidefreelawns.

MEC also helps coordinate the Michigan Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (MCAP), a growing coalition of health professionals, environmental organizations, child advocates and concerned citizens. The coalition is dedicated to creating positive policy changes at the state and local government levels and initiating informational campaigns to protect Michigan citizens from pesticide exposures. We are working closely with the Michigan Department of Agriculture to develop a collaborative effort to minimize pesticide use in and around schools. If you would like more information on pesticide use in Michigan or would like to get involved in any of the many pesticide issues, contact MEC Health Policy Director Tess Karwoski (tessmec@voyager.net).

PESTICIDE-FREE SIGNS

Do you keep your yard free from dangerous chemicals? Then educate your neighbors with this colorful "pesticide-free" aluminum enameled lawn sign. MEC has a limited number for sale. Call to confirm we're not sold out, and then send along $8 (check or money order only, sorry!) to get yours. You'll be telling the world your property looks sharp AND is safe enough for kids and pets!

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River, lake protection begins at home

The Muskegon County Conservation District has purchased billboard space to dramatize the impact that pet waste, lawn fertilizing and oil changing on your own property can have downstream. The billboards won notice in a recent story by Jeff Alexander of the Muskegon Chronicle.