Health and the Environment

HillSide tackles pest control using the safest chemicals and fertilizers available. One of the major issues facing our industry is the use of pesticides in a standard lawn care program. Most programs call for the use herbicides (weed control) and insecticides (insect control). Hillside promotes a philosophy of Integrated Pest Management or IPM. Simply put, IPM is using the best mix of cultural techniques and discreet use of chemical products to care for turf.

It is HillSide’s position that we use the least harmful chemicals and fertilizers available. We also consider ways of implementing IPM to achieve the best results in the most responsible manner for our clients. We do not over- or under-treat properties for the sake of the almighty dollar. All of our employees are registered with the Maryland Department of Agriculture after they receive four weeks of supervised training. All of this adds up to one thing: a safer, better lawn care service for our diverse customer base.

We use “2,4-D” which is the most commonly used and widely researched weed control pesticide. It has been subject to over 4300 studies since its inception in 1947. All studies conclude the risk to public health is negligible. EPA classifies 2,4-D as a class “D” compound, or not classifiable as human carcinogen. It is not banned in any country around the world. It breaks down in a matter of days or weeks and is not capable of bioaccumulation in the environment.

A Healthy Lawn

Turfgrass is a positive factor in helping the environment stay healthy and green. It provides a natural, comfortable and safe setting for fun and games, releases oxygen into the air, controls pollution, reduces soil erosion and purifies and replenishes our water supply. The U.S. Congress has said, “Turfgrass sod in urban and communities can aid in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, mitigating the heat island effect, reducing energy consumption and helping with global warming trends.”

We believe that healthy turf is essential to having a desirable home and domestic setting to live a happy and healthy lifestyle. Hours of enjoyment can be attained with the constant presence of a nice lawn. Good turf doesn’t occur naturally. It needs to be consistently fertilized and cared for to be thick, dense and vigorous.

Quality turf can also enhance a person’s mental health and ability to have recreational activities at home. Doctors say people recover faster in a hospital when given a landscape view as opposed to seeing walls or buildings from their window. Healthy turf can have the same effect in our daily lives.

Turfgrass can also assist in noise abatement and glare reduction in congested areas. Studies have shown that turfgrass absorbs harsh sounds better than pavement, gravel or bare ground. Overall, plush, green grass improves our surroundings making the world a better and more pleasant place to live. We can all help restore the earth with something as simple as turfgrass- the earth’s living skin.