Caroline Brooks and Nancy Duncan are the weed man’s worst enemy.
Brooks and Duncan, students from Innis College’s Environmental Studies Program, are trying to completely eliminate chemical use on the landscaping at the University of Toronto’s federated colleges: Victoria, St. Mike’s and Trinity.
“Our ultimate goal is to see the U of T stop all pesticide use and publicly back the passing of the potential bylaw banning the cosmetic use of pesticides in Toronto,” said Brooks.
“We want to help in this issue because it’s so important and such an obvious thing that can be weeded out…everything so far has been positive,” said Brooks.
Brooks and Duncan will be starting public consultations in April.
The non-federated colleges (Innis, Woodsworth, University and New College) abide by U of T’s Environmental Protection Policy, which has been in effect for six years and tries to minimize or eliminate pollutants that are potentially detrimental, on all three campuses.
Brooks and Duncan have contacted Vic, SMC and Trinity to show them better lawn care alternatives, such as organic landscaping, which has been practiced far longer than chemical lawn care.
“We have assured the colleges that the initial cost might be more than spraying, but after the soil has retained health, the cost will be significantly less because the lawns will be less susceptible to pest problems,” said Duncan.
Organic landscaping uses “cultural practices,” such as watering and cutting the grass, to reduce weed growth and maintain a healthy and attractive landscape.
“We might have a few dandelions…. Some people eat dandelions! They’re not that bad and never harmed anyone. There might be other plants rather than a monoculture of just grass…so it might not look like the golf course that you see on television,” said Colette Boileau, coordinator for the Organic Landscape Alliance.
The cost of lawn chemicals is low, but it doesn’t reflect the health costs incurred, Boileau said.
University College practises Integrated Pest Management (IPM), using cultural methods instead of chemical spraying. Aerating, topdressing, fertilizing twice a year, and cutting the grass at three inches long so it outgrows the weeds help eliminate the need for synthetic pesticides.
Chemicals are used as a last resort, according to Peter Johnston, UC’s grounds supervisor. The college also uses automatic lawn sprinklers on the front and back campus.
Because the U of T is a federated institution, the federated universities do not comply with all of U of T’s policies, but instead adopt parallel ones.
“Personally, I do not like the chemicals. The organic methods may entail more labour and a slight addition to cost, but it’s something I can live with,” said David Prediger, manager of maintenance and grounds at Victoria College.
Prediger has been using chemicals for a while, using an herbicide (24D) to get rid of broadleaf on lawns. He has banned the chemical on campus and sent Weed-Man away, and is looking into more “green” methods.
Lawn chemicals don’t just threaten biodiversity—spraying can leave small amounts of residue on the skin, which can lead to health problems.
Vic’s heads groundskeeper, Milly Weidhaas, said the college will stop pesticide spraying as an initial trial. St. Michael’s College has also agreed to reduce the use of chemicals and look into the organic program.
Stephen Fish, facilities and services director at SMC, said he’s “currently investigating a number of establishments and doing a cost analysis to see if organic landscaping is financially reasonable.”
Elizabeth Abbott, Dean of Women at Trinity, said she is “against manicured grass lawns, period” because they involve the use of pesticides.
“I love, on the other hand, the planned but wildish-looking untended growth that are superb to look at, tend to foster native plants and are ecologically valuable,” Abbott said.
Trinity’s building manager could not be reached for comment.
