Good Humor Trucks No More

When my children were young and played outside early evenings during the summer months, it never failed that as soon as they heard the ring of the Good Humor truck, they would come running home to get money for their favorite ice cream treat. They were always warned to be careful running around the truck as it was a potentially dangerous vehicle at the end of the day. You can click here to find out what to do if your child is ever involved in a truck accident, luckily mine never were.

In this same neighborhood where I’ve lived for more than 20 years, I’ve watched a new generation of kids kicking soccer balls and riding their bikes around my cul-de-sac as soon as the warm weather hits. Today though, the Good Humor Truck no longer comes to visit my neighborhood. Instead, TruGreen ChemLawn trucks have taken its place.

There is never just one ChemLawn truck that comes rambling into our community. Instead, we have several ChemLawn trucks, driving around the neighborhood at all times of the day, diligently going to their client’s homes. As a matter of fact, on the walk that I took this morning with my dogs, two trucks passed by me within a matter of minutes.

For sure, TruGreen ChemLawn trucks do not bring screams of delight from children who are running madly to purchase their goods (and it’s not because they don’t have a bell that rings). But these trucks do offer plenty of other good stuff to those folks who have signed up for their service.As a matter of fact, 3.5 million homes think they know what ChemLawn offers: and feel that it will benefit them. That is approximately the number of households that use ChemLawn, the number one lawn care company in the

U.S.I guess these folks are under the impression that having really green lawns is a good thing: which in fact, it would be if we didn’t have to use tremendous amounts of water and pesticides to get lawns to maintain their ‘greenness’ throughout the growing season.Research has linked pesticides used by ChemLawn to vomiting, dizziness, nausea, headaches and chronic illnesses such as lymphoma, leukemia, bladder cancer and learning disabilities. This clearly includes not just adults but our children, our pets and all other living creatures, let alone the employees of ChemLawn who suffer the daily exposure to the pesticides.

And don’t think that because a pesticide has been registered with the Environmental Protection Agency that this ensures it safety. The registration does not guarantee that a product has been carefully tested for effects on the environment, humans and animals.

Here’s the lowdown on the ingredients used by ChemLawn:

All 32 of ChemLawn’s pesticide products include ingredients that can harm the environment, our water supplies and beneficial insects.

“13 of 32 (41%) of ChemLawn’s pesticide products include ingredients that are banned or restricted in other countries.”

“17 of 32 (53%) of ChemLawn’s pesticide products include ingredients that are likely carcinogens, as stated by the EPA and the International Agency for Research On Cancer.” ***

So, what’s it going to be? Good Humor or ChemLawn trucks. You decide for yourself. I just hope it’s not going to be a toss up.

***Statistics taken from PANNA (Pesticides Action Network North America)