57 Ways - 4. Identify Fruits and Vegetables That Need Fewer Pesticides

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57 Ways To Protect Your Home Environment (and Yourself)

Caring for the Home Landscape

1. Aim for a healthy lawn rather than a perfect lawn
2. Cut the grass without gas
3. Prevent insect, disease, and weed problems in the garden
4. Identify fruits and vegetables that need fewer pesticides
5. Select native trees and shrubs that will thrive in your yard
6. Keep your tress healthy and safe
7. Plant “wild” in your backyard
8. Attract birds and butterflies to your backyard

Using Alternatives to Traditional Pesticides & Fertilizers - Where Practical

9. Scout for pests on the landscape
10. Consider microbial insecticides
11. Consider botanical insecticides & insecticidal soaps
12. Conserve beneficial insects
13. Monitor & control insects with traps
14. Use pest barriers in your garden
15. Solarize soil
16. Consider the potential of natural fertilizers

Using Chemicals on the Landscape - If Necessary

17. Know what to ask a lawn-care company and arborist
18. Understand pesticide toxicity
19. Read the pesticide label
20. Apply pesticides accurately and safely
21. Apply fertilizers accurately and safely

Storing & Disposing of Hazardous Chemicals

22. Store hazardous chemicals safely
23. Dispose of pesticides safely
24. Dispose of auto products safely
25. Dispose of paints and solvents safely
26. Dispose of adhesives, areosols, household cleaners & other hazardous waste safely

Managing Yard, Food & Other Household Waste

27. Reduce household waste
28. Recycle paper, glass, & aluminum
29. Reuse and respond
30. Recycle grass clippings
31. Create a compost pile
32. Use yard waste as mulch
33. Dispose of tree residues

Protecting Your Drinking Water

34. Know when & how to test your water
35. Test your water for coliform bacteria & nitrate 36. Test your water for pesticides - if necessary
37. Know the signs of contaminants in drinking water
38. Select effective water-treatment methods
39. Prevent contamination from septic systems
40. Know the pros & cons of bottled water

Protecting the Indoor Environment

41. Prevent contamination by lead
42. Test your home for radon
43. Reduce radon levels
44. Control dust, dust mites & other allergens
45. Reduce pollution from combustion equipment
46. Prevent contamination by formaldehyde and asbestos
47. Recognize tht it's not always necessary to control indoor insects
48. Select the right household pesticide
49. Control household pests with less toxic alternatives
50. Select household cleaners wisely

Conserving Energy & Water

51. Design new homes for energy effciency
52. Save energy in heating & cooling
53. Insulate & seal your home
54. Choose energy-efficient appliances
55. Save money & energy with compact fluorescent light bulbs
56. Use plants & other landscape tools to conserve energy
57. Conserve water in & around the home

4. Identify Fruits and Vegetables That Need Fewer Pesticides
	Virtually all fruits and vegetables are attacked by insects and disease-causing organisms, but some crops suffer less insect and disease damage than others. Here are some examples of crops that require minimal effort in controlling insects and diseases.
	If these crops are started from disease-free seeds or transplants, and if they are grown on well-drained soils, Midwestern gardeners can produce acceptable crops without repeated pesticide applications.
	Other crops often require more protection with pesticides and are frequently difficult to grow in the Midwest. Losses will differ somewhat each season, and so will the amount of pest control needed. Spray only the crops in your garden that have pest problems, rather than spraying the entire garden.
	Also, specific varieties of some crops will differ significantly in their ability to withstand attack by insect pests and especially by plant diseases. Apple varieties, for example, vary considerably in their susceptibility to apple scab, a common and sometimes devastating fungal disease.
	Although the availability of disease-resistant fruits and vegetables is widely known, insect-resistant plant varieties have been more difficult to develop. Therefore, examples of insect resistance in vegetables are few. Butternut squash is more resistant to the squash vine borer than other winter squash. Among summer squash, zucchini is the most susceptible.
	Hybrid varieties usually offer the best tolerance to diseases and insects. Commercial hybrids combine such desirable characteristics as uniformity of plant and fruit type, uniform maturity, disease tolerance, improved quality, and increased overall vigor. Hybrid plants are usually stronger, healthier, and more productive than open-pollinated varieties.