To the editor:

It was nice to see your article about the use of chemicals on lawns. It may get some people to think about what they put into our environment. There certainly could be immediate negative effects for residents and pets.

However, I wish the article had discussed the big picture a little more. And with one fact I hope to explain why I think all pesticide and herbicide use should be banned. That use has been linked to the near destruction of the Gulf shrimp population. From Pennsylvania to Montana to Oklahoma City these chemicals are poured onto yards and end up in the Mississippi. The fallout is devastating. I can’t say what other negative effects linked to chemical runoff there are, but I’m guessing there are many. This should dissuade people from pursuing the perfect lawn with inorganic means.

Steve Pierce,

Baldwin