Without chemicals, the grass is greener.

Byline: Randi Bjornstad The Register-Guard

Think about the hazardous chemicals that pollute area waterways, and household lawn herbicides are probably not the first example that spring to mind.

However, officials from the state Department of Environmental Quality, the city of Eugene and the nonprofit Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides all agree that misuse and overuse of some of the chemicals and pesticides that guarantee lush, green, picture-perfect yards threaten water quality and the health of fish and other aquatic creatures in local streams.

Some groups, such as the Pesticide Education Center in San Francisco, go even further, contending that overuse of lawn care chemicals may cause cancer, birth defects and infertility as well as health problems ranging from rashes and allergies to damage of various body organs.

To raise awareness of the relationship between green grass and healthy waterways, the DEQ and the city of Eugene will cosponsor a "healthy lawn demonstration" Saturday at the Amazon Community Center. A local landscaper will conduct workshops on creating healthy soil that nurtures an attractive lawn and suppresses weed growth at the same time, without the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and sprays.

"People love their lawns, and they want them to look good," says Jennifer Boudin, spokeswoman for the Eugene office of the state DEQ. "So we want them to be aware that some of what they put on their lawns inevitably washes off, gets into the stormwater system and ends up in our rivers."

Cutting down on chemical use actually can make lawns healthier without diminishing appearance, Boudin added.

When caring for a lawn without using synthetic chemicals, "the best defense is a good offense," said Bruce Kreitzberg of Back to the Roots Landscaping.

"The goal is to create ideal conditions for good, thick grass, and that will help keep weeds down naturally," said Kreitzberg, who will lead tomorrow's demonstrations. "What I will do is run down what I consider ideal maintenance for a lawn, and then people have to decide how much they're willing to do."

For example, most people keep their lawns mowed and watered regularly, he said. Beyond that, it's good to treat the grass with lime and fertilizer once a year. Aerating the soil to keep it healthy for beneficial micro-organisms needs to be done every couple of years, and thatching - removal of undecomposed material that smothers the soil - may be required every five years or so, depending on soil and water conditions.

Some believe that lawn area should be minimized in favor of native plants, but Kreitzberg said a properly cared-for yard can be ecologically acceptable.

"Grass makes sense from an aesthetic point of view - it's a place for the eyes to rest," he said. "Or for the kids to play."

At the same time, over-maintained lawns use up too much water, too many chemicals and, when kept up with gas-powered equipment, too much fossil fuel, Kreitzberg said.

Instead of using synthetic fertilizers, lawn lovers should consider a switch to organic fertilizers - they contain ingredients such as fish meal, bone meal, soybean meal and seaweed - which actually don't slough off nitrates that are washed into waterways.

"Using synthetic chemical fertilizer is kind of like taking vitamins and not eating vegetables," he said.

Although organic fertilizers don't give the "superfast greening up" that synthetic chemicals do, they last longer and don't need to be applied more than twice in a season, Kreitzberg said.

Nor do they pollute waterways the way synthetic chemicals do, said Kathy Eva, spokeswoman for the stormwater management program at the city of Eugene.

"We don't have specific numbers on how much of lawn chemicals get into local streams - that kind of testing would be very expensive - but there are strong indications that households generate a lot of runoff that ends up in rivers," Eva said. "Many cities have been really struggling to get people to change their habits to help protect the water supply."

Commercial and industrial businesses used to be considered the worst sources of chemical contaminants in water, "but those uses are much more closely monitored now and follow strict rules," she said. "But individuals are not monitored, and now we're seeing a lot of problems because of that."

Last year, a survey by the DEQ of homeowners in two Eugene neighborhoods and four neighborhoods in Tualatin and Tigard showed that Eugene residents use fewer synthetic garden chemicals than their Portland area counterparts. But the survey also found that few gardeners in either metro area - 3 percent in the Portland-area communities, 10 percent in Eugene - rely exclusively on organic products in their yards.

In Eugene, 60 percent of those surveyed said they use chemicals on their lawn, compared with 80 percent in Tigard and Tualatin. Weed-and-feed products, the most common chemical lawn application, find their way to 62 percent of the Portland area lawns, but only 38 percent in Eugene. Weed-and-feed products have synthetic fertilizers and herbicide chemicals that kill weeds.

Aimee Code, spokeswoman for the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, applauds the attitude of Eugene's yard stewards, although she would like to see chemical usage drop close to zero.

"Studies have shown the presence of 50 pesticides in the Willamette River, and 11 of them are above levels to protect aquatic life," Code said. "We need to do all we can to educate homeowners about this situation - I believe that if people know the effects of their decisions, they will make choices that are better for the environment."

HEALTHY LAWN DEMONSTRATION

What: Lawn care clinic, offering information about lawn care products, practices and problems; special kids' activity during 9:30 a.m. session

When: 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Where: Amazon Park, 2700 Hilyard St., Eugene, in the amphitheater on the south side of the community center building

Sponsors: City of Eugene and state Department of Environmental Quality

Information: 682-2739 or 686-7838, Ext. 235

QUICK LAWN CARE TIPS

Mow infrequently, using high lawn mower setting.

Leave clippings on lawn for compost.

Water infrequently but deeply to reach root tips.

If using chemicals, apply sparingly and according to directions.

- City of Eugene, Stormwater Management Program