Just One Thing: Green Pesticides for Your Lawn and Garden That Won't Put Your Health at Risk

July 21, 2010 — -- Chemical-free products with natural ingredients can effectively control pests while going easy on the environment and people's health.

This morning on "Good Morning America," Paul Tukey appeared on the show to discuss the chemical-free alternatives to pesticides for lawn and garden care.

Tukey, of safelawns.org, discussed innovations that include eco-friendly fruit and vegetable sprays, insecticidal soap and mosquito and tick control. Some of the products contain food-grade ingredients, making them far safer for humans, animals and the environment than their synthetic chemical counterparts.

About 80 million pounds of synthetic chemical pesticides are used on lawns and gardens in America each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Not only are the chemicals harsh on the environment, they pose significant health risks.

A study by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that people who reported exposure to pesticides had a 70 percent higher incidence of Parkinson's disease than those who didn't have exposure.

It might come as a surprise, but homeowners apply 10 times more pesticides than farmers do, according to the National Academy of Sciences.

Tukey discussed the benefits of the following products: