Good Neighbor Team

Contact: Team Chair: Linda Q.                                                       100granniesiowacity@gmail.com
or  https://goodneighboriowa.org/

Mission
Our team encourages change in our paradigm of beauty. Let us move away from a perfectly manicured look; toward appreciation for the benefits of diverse lawns. We are a local partner to a statewide public education initiative, Good Neighbor Iowa, of the University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Energy & Environmental Education. This program aims to reduce unnecessary urban pesticide in order to protect child health, water quality, pets, pollinators and biodiversity. https://goodneighboriowa.org/

Good Neighbor Team Meeting:
Third Monday of most months, 4:00 – 5:00 PM at Iowa City Public Library or Calder Park. Check 100Grannies calendar for location. Come join us! 

News:

Kris Johnson’s LTE 26 April 2024

Linda Quinn LTE 23 April 2024

Linda Quinn and Mary Dix LTE 19 April 2024

Tena Kapp’s LTE 22 Mar 2022

Announcements

Environmental T-shirts, stickers, etc. from RayGun (Link)

Check out our book, Granny Green’s Friendly Yard, available for checkout at Iowa City Public Library & Coralville Library, and for sale at Prairie Lights Book Store and Maker’s Loft ($10 copy)

Photos

One of our grandchildren enjoys dandelion play in her backyard,
which is a safe haven from the risks of pesticides.

Good Neighbor team present story hour program for Tamarack Preschool with reading of Granny Green’s Friendly Yard book.

Our team joined the UI Environmental Coalition student group to protest and demand Ban Pesticides on Campus.

Digging for worms was a big hit in our kid’s activity.  Dirt from pesticide-free lawns had worms, while chemically treated soil lacked worms.  Touching live worms was a novel experience for many!

Surprise!  Not just people but bugs visit our table exhibit at the Iowa City Farmer’s Market. This Katydid stayed for hours!

Priority for our team’s work is young children. https://goodneighboriowa.org/evidence-of-harm/ Has many references for learning how pesticides affect young children.

Publicity – Letters to the Editor – 

26 April 2024 “Ditch the pesticides” LTE by Kris Johnson. Little Village

23 April, 2024 “Out of place blooms help our environment” LTE by Linda Quinn. Press Citizen.

19 April 2024 “Embrace pops of color in your lawn” LTE by Linda Quinn and Mary Dix. Little Village

22 March, 2022 “Be a responsible land steward in your yard” LTE by Tena Kapp. Cedar Rapids Gazette

3 March 2021 “Would you rather have a lawn that looks like a golf course or a park?” Press Citizen, Linda Rice and Gary Lawrens0n also published Little Village 1 March 2021

2 June 2020 “Keep it natural,” LTE by Linda Quinn. Little Village

18 Mar 2020 “Be a Good Neighbor with a Diverse Lawn,” LTE by Mary Kirkpatrick

17 Mar 2019 – “The changing culture of lawn care,” The Gazette, Linda Quinn. Excerpt: “Pesticides and fertilizers have many risks. Children are especially at risk of exposure which, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, is linked to prenatal and childhood cancers, neurodevelopmental delays, and behavioral disorders.”   [More…]

Resources

Andy Douglas’s op-ed PC-6-20-2018 Be a good neighbor: Avoid using pesticide on your lawn.  or click Be a good neighbor in Press Citizen

Removing pesticides from our lawns:

IPR podcast 5/3/17 Charity Nebbe Good Neighbor Iowa: Challenging the Idea of a Perfect Lawn

http://www.press-citizen.com/story/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2017/09/19/good-neighbor-care-your-lawn-without-chemicals/678896001/ Iowa City Press Citizen- Letter to the Editor

http://www.thegazette.com/subject/life/home-garden/good-neighbor-iowa-to-fight-perfect-lawn-mentality-20170423  Cedar Rapids Gazette article

http://www.qconline.com/radish/good-neighbor-iowa-cracking-down-on-pesticides-encouraging-alternatives/article_cdd97329-729c-5cf6-baea-578008297da2.html  Radish Magazine article

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/opinion/lawns-grass-ecology.html New York Times article

Report by American Academy of Pediatrics: Pesticide Exposure in Children

History
The state-wide campaign of Good Neighbor Iowa was launched on Earth Day 2017 at University of Northern Iowa. 100Grannies recognized this effort as one of the easiest and most significant climate-friendly actions that homeowners can take. Our committee was formed to help other local leaders – Backyard Abundance and New Pioneer Coop – working toward the common goal of a safer environment for future generations.