At Moms Across America, we are committed to promoting health and wellness in our communities. One area of concern that often goes overlooked is the use of toxic chemicals in landscaping practices, particularly within Homeowners' Associations (HOAs).

We believe it's time to raise awareness and advocate for nontoxic alternatives that prioritize the well-being of residents, pets, and the environment. We have had a report of ten dogs dying in one HOA recently with a few weeks after the spraying of glufosinate, a weedkiller. Please take action to be aware of what is being sprayed, when and the safe alternatives that can be used.

To further this mission, we've drafted an open letter addressing the misconceptions surrounding herbicide use and the importance of transitioning to safer, nontoxic landscaping practices. Our goal is to empower residents to engage with their HOAs and push for positive change that benefits everyone.

Join us, using the template below, in advocating for nontoxic landscaping and making our communities safer and healthier places to live. You may use this letter and customize it for your own HOA, taking out or adding in information as needed. You can find more information to aide your appeal at https://www.momsacrossamerica.com/toxin_free_town_campaign under Toxin Free Town campaign. Together, we can create positive change and promote a greener, more sustainable future for all.

Name
Address

Dear HOA Board/Developer:

There is a lot of misinformation surrounding herbicide use and safety so I would like to share the truth to inform your decision making regarding the healthy maintenance of our grounds.

1. Toxicity: It has been said that organic herbicides are NOT safer than chemical herbicides such as glyphosate, glufosinate, 2,4-D, etc because they can be harsh to the skin. This is not true. While it’s accurate that pesticide organic, natural applicators could be harsh to the skin, due to the acidity of the natural and nontoxic vinegar in the formulas, they are not toxic like chemical herbicides. I wish to assert that the property would be healthier and safer if managed by permaculture, organic landscapers, or with nontoxic herbicides that have not been proven to cause cancer, reproductive damage (contribute to sperm damage and miscarriages), neurological and nervous system damage, liver and kidney disease and more at very low levels as glyphosate has.
   
   
2. Litigation: The pesticide applicator, Lee Johnson, as featured in the film, “Into The Weeds” was the first to sue Monsanto for the connection to non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and glyphosate herbicide Roundup/Ranger Pro. The propaganda released in response to Mr. Johnson’s win suggested that Lee Johnson did not wear protective gear. I have confirmed with the law firm that represented him that he did, in fact, wear protective gear even though the manufacturer's (Monsanto) Safety Data Sheet (SDS) at the time did not require it.
   
   “Lee wore a Tyvek suit—we do not think he was in violation of any personal protection labeling,” stated Michael Baum, Attorney, Senior Partner Wisner Baum April 20, 2024. Mr Johnson won a $289 million verdict for using glyphosate herbicides as directed. He did not break federal law, as the Clemson University representative claimed.
   
   
3. Protective Gear: It is true that the pesticide applicators have not been wearing full protective gear as directed by the 2020 Bayer Safety Data Sheet. This is highly concerning not only for their health, but for the financial stability of our development/neighborhood. If any of the pesticide applicators decided to sue our Home Owner Association (HOA) management for requiring the use of cancer-causing, reproductive damaging chemicals, resulting in large payouts, the viability of our community would be at stake. I strongly urge you to take necessary and immediate precautions to mitigate litigation and direct the landscapers to switch to nontoxic herbicides such as any of the several options I provided on the “Ten Alternatives to Roundup” document (created by the law firm Wisner Baum, with photos added by Moms Across America). This document has been downloaded over 100,000 from their website and hundreds, if not thousands of entities such as school districts, home owners associations, cities, villages, counties, and even countries around the world have restricted or banned the use of glyphosate and other toxic chemicals. We are requesting that your community does the same, for the sake of the viability of our community and the health of your investors/homeowners, their pets, wildlife and marine life.
   
   
4. Soil testing is also recommended to support soil mineral and organic matter that would nourish your desired plants and deter the undesirable ones. Without this step, jumping to the last resort of spraying toxic chemicals is hasty and irresponsible. Fertilizing, pruning, hand pulling, consistent mulching (start with three layers of cardboard, “nothing will get through,” and mowing (weed whacking) are all steps that should be taken before using chemical sprays. This is the protocol that should be followed by property management.
   
   
5. Location of spraying: Many dog owners walk their dogs on the grass (which could have been target/spot sprayed), sidewalks, and trails which are all being sprayed with chemicals that have been designated “definite animal carcinogens” by the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer. Direct dermal contact, especially daily, even at low levels, does increase the risk of cancer and death of beloved pets.
   
   
6. Time of spraying: Several homeowners brought up that they have witnessed pesticide spraying during windy times. Drift, and low levels of exposure is a major concern given that even minute amounts – 1 part per trillion – for example have been linked to an increase in aggressive breast cancer in animal studies. Low amounts of glyphosate herbicides can be even more harmful because of their hormone-disrupting properties. In human studies, an increased presence of glyphosate in the body in women who lived near farms where glyphosate was being sprayed, showed “Maternal glyphosate and AMPA levels associated with shorter gestation, or pregnancy length, are significantly higher among women giving spontaneous premature births.”

Glyphosate poses a serious risk to human health to continue allowing the use of glyphosate or any harmful chemical in any amount, even ultra low levels, on your property. Thank you for your consideration of these important issues to keep our community healthy with thriving pets and wildlife.

Sincerely,