Pesticide lawn treatments contribute to harmful toxic algal blooms, like those that Skaneateles Lake has suffered over the last few years. They also cause cancer, and a host of other health issues.

We demand that the town and the village of Skaneateles tirelessly take all actionable steps to ban these toxic lawn treatments, and succeed in doing that. Though district lines divide the town and the village, we are all a part of this lake, and we are one community.

Skaneateles used to be the second cleanest lake in the USA, behind Crater Lake in Oregon. Now there are enough neurotoxins in the water on some days during the summer to kill a dog. 

Sure, there are other contributing causes to harmful algal blooms, such as irresponsible farming practices, the addition of impermeable surfaces to properties in the watershed, and deforestation. 

But in addition, chemical lawn treatments continue to be a major health hazard for our water, and our community. This is a health issue, and an economic issue, as this lake is the jewel of our community.

As human beings, we all have the right to clean water, whether or not that is codified in our law. And pesticide lawn treatments obstruct that basic human right.

The TruGreen trucks have already made their rounds this year. But we demand to not see a single one of those trucks in Skaneateles in 2020, or ever again, and we demand that it be illegal for any person or business to use these chemicals, including those containing glyphosate.

Other towns and villages around the country are already doing this, even major cities such as Miami, and we are very behind the curve here.