Sarasota, Fla.-A small group of protesters for the Toxic Action Center gathered in Sarasota, Fla., recently to put pressure on TruGreen ChemLawn, the largest lawn care company in the U.S., to stop using pesticides and go exclusively to organic fertilizers. Local reports said Toxic Action Committee members had gathered 700 “pledge cards” from local residents promising to boycott TruGreen’s services until the company turns to more natural lawn care methods. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune quoted TruGreen Corporate Vice President Norman Goldenberg, however, as saying the company’s natural products are not as popular because they are more costly and not as fast and effective. “We have experimented with every kind of natural ingredient,” Goldenberg was quoted as saying. “It takes much, much longer for them to take hold and they don’t make the lawn greener. People want a lawn looking good as fast as they can and for as long as they can have it.” Goldenberg stressed that TruGreen uses only commercially available products, follows all safety guidelines and regulations for application, and informs residents and neighbors before applying lawn chemicals.
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