In January 2009, Pesticide Free Zone incorporated as a separate organization after ten years as a project under Health and Habitat. We established a Board of Directors and have a volunteer acting as the Executive Director. We are an all-volunteer organization. We obtained our 501 C 3 tax-exempt status from the U. S. Federal Government effective January 7, 2009. In 2012 we developed the Honeybee sign. In 2013, in collaboration with Alaska Community Action on Toxics, we developed the Salmon-centered sign, and in 2018 we worked with Beyond Pesticides to create the Organic Land Scape sign featuring the Dragonfly.
When first established in 1997 we were known as Marin Beyond Pesticides Coalition, the coming together of 44 Marin organizations and businesses working to change the way people view the use of pesticides. Created in a collaboration between Marin Breast Cancer Watch and the Health Council of Marin under the guidance of Pesticide Watch, our first objective was to get the County of Marin to reduce the use of pesticides in public spaces and implement an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. That goal was realized in December 1998 when the Marin County Board of Supervisors passed the IPM Ordinance. In 2009-10 the IPM Ordinance (PDF) and Policy was revised and was adopted by the Marin County Board of Supervisory on January 14, 2010. Today the IPM Commission is meeting and pesticide use is being reduced. Read about the IPM commission
Our goal today is to reduce the use of pesticides in schools and in private homes. A new group has formed to work with several school districts and the Marin County Office of Education to reduce pesticide use in schools. Kentfield School District was the first in Marin County to adopt an IPM Policy. The Pesticide Education Group (P.E.G.) is that new group, see Sample School Policy. See the full text of AB1006, Healthy Schools 2003.
Recipient of the 2004 Focus on Turtle Island Award, Marin Beyond Pesticides was community based organization under the 501 C3 umbrella of Health & Habitat.
We also have introduced our Pesticide Free Zone campaign, which consists of our Lady Bug yard sign which serves as a quiet reminder for everyone who sees it to think before applying poisonous pesticides. For the private home we ask that individuals sign the Pesticide Free Zone Pledge. Several cities in Canada have enacted no cosmetic spray ordinances. Fairfax, California enacted a Neighbor Notification Ordinance. Read that ordinance and think how nice it would be for your community. But the State of California through the Department of Pesticide Regulation has challenged the law and the city is going to fight to keep the Right To Know.
The City of San Anselmo is working on inaction of a Neighbor Notification ordinance. We applaud Boulder Colorado for their bold action of instituting Neighbor Notification. The Maximum penalty is $1,000 + 90 days in jail if the law is not followed.
Ancient Ways Acupuncture Center ··· Beyond Organic ··· Bolinas Community Public Utility District ··· Bioscape, Inc. ··· California Association of Naturopathic Physicians ··· Canal Community Alliance ··· Center for Ethics & Toxics ··· Citizens for a Toxic Free Marin ··· Commonweal ··· Ecologic Landscape ··· Ecological Options Network ··· Ecology House ··· Environmental Action Club – College of Marin ··· Environmental Action Committee of West Marin ··· Environment California ··· Environmental Forum of Marin ··· Environmental Health Network ··· Episcopal Church Women – Church of Our Savior ··· Global Garden Project ··· Green Generation Products ··· Green Jeans Garden Supply ··· Health & Habitat ··· Health Council of Marin ··· International Marin Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute ··· Marin Breast Cancer Watch ··· Marin Cancer Project ··· Marin Conservation League ··· Marin County School Nurses Association ··· Marin Family Action ··· Marin Homes for Independent Living ··· Marin Women’s Commission ··· MOW & SOW ··· Muir Woods Park Community Association ··· Natural Gardening Company ··· Permaculture Institute of Northern California ··· Pesticide Education Group ··· Quarry Road Association ··· Resource Renewal Institute ··· Schillinger Chiropractic Group ··· Sierra Club-Marin Group ··· Straus Family Creamery ··· Sustainable North Bay-Marin ··· The Arts & Healing Network ··· The Social Justice Center of Marin ··· West Blithedale Canyon Neighborhood Assoc.
We appreciate the support of the Flow Fund, The Jennifer Altman Foundation, The Earth Day Every Day Fund, Marin Community Foundation and the Collenette Family. Special thank you to Mill Valley Whole Foods Market.
In Marin County there are schools, municipalities and special districts currently using toxic pesticides. Pesticides pose recognizable risks to human health and the environment. Pesticide exposures cause special health and learning problems for children. We call upon public institutions to make the following changes to their pest management practices:
Immediately ban the use of the most dangerous pesticides, (EPA Toxicity Class I and II) and those suspected of causing cancer, endocrine disruption and reproductive harm.
Require on-site, public pre and post notification of all pesticide applications.
Adopt a written Integrated Pest Management Policy (IPM) emphasizing non-toxic means of pest and weed control.
Establish a Pest Management Committee comprised of appropriate concerned parties to oversee implementation.
Eliminate, within a reasonable time frame, the use of all pesticides except those least toxic, which are authorized for use by the Pest Management Committee.
Sign the Pledge
