“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

With Spring’s arrival, all sorts of people are out working in their yards.  It’s wonderful that this time of year gets people outdoors and beautifies our cities and towns.  However, for many people, their vision of a beautiful yard sends them running for chemical herbicides and pesticides to rid their landscapes of dandelions and other “pests”.

Unfortunately, many of these herbicides, such as the commonly-used RoundUp, contain chemicals that cause cancer, endocrine disruption, birth defects, and other health issues in its human users as well as in those people who live or play nearby and get exposed simply through proximity to use.  These chemicals also impact the animals, soil, and waterways in our local ecosystems.  This means: they end up in our drinking water – which puts them in all of our bodies – in addition to posing health issues to local wildlife.

If you want more details on the problems with RoundUp and other herbicides, you take a look at these articles:

15 Health Problems Related to Monsanto’s Round-Up

Weed-Whacking Herbicide Proves Deadly to Human Cells

Hazards of the World’s Most Common Herbicide

When we venture out to play, I tell my boys that lawns and parks with lots of dandelions are safe places to play, as they’re unlikely to be covered in poisons.

In our home, we consider dandelions to be pretty yellow flowers, a source of wishes, and free, local source of healthy greens.  Yes, you can cook dandelions or eat them raw (as long as they aren’t tainted with pesticides!)  I’ll post a recipe soon.

Early European settlers brought dandelions with them when they immigrated to America because they found the plant to be so wonderfully helpful.  Let’s take a cue from their wisdom and stop trying to eradicate them with poisons, which in the long-run harm us too.

How do you feel about dandelions?  How do you get rid of unwanted plants in your yard?