Presentation Topic Grow Smart, Grow Safe® is a gardener’s guide to choosing safer pesticides and garden products. GSGS has been around since How did this expensive and difficult to publish booklet survive the budget cutting and technical advances of the last 16 years? How does GSGS reach consumers now? What’s planned for the future? How can your agency take advantage of this online tool? The project team will discuss the technical basis, the online user interface and the value of partnerships in the development of today’s Grow Smart, Grow Safe® ( ).
What is Grow Smart, Grow Safe®? Grow Smart, Grow Safe® is an easy way for consumers throughout the Pacific Northwest to make smart choices in lawn and garden products that are safer for people, pets and the environment. Products available in area stores are rated low, medium or high hazard to help shoppers make smart choices. It shows how your favorite lawn and garden products rate. All products in GSGS are registered for home use in Washington and Oregon. Master Gardener organizations in both states have approved it’s use. Gardening without pesticides is always the safest choice and GSGS offers great tips on natural yard care, soil building and pesticide-free gardening.
The value of partnerships Local Hazardous Waste Management Program partners with Philip Dickey and Washington Toxics Coalition to create the First Edition of Grow Smart, Grow Safe®
Metro provides assistance 2008 – After 5 th edition WA Toxics no longer has capacity to do reviews. Fate of GSGS unknown – Metro offers to participate. Funds Steve Gilbert and Toxipedia to do the rankings, provides book design for the Sixth edition.
Thurston County steps up 2010 – 6 th edition very successful but costs of using consultants aren’t sustainable. Paper versions out of date as soon as printed Thurston County offers their pesticide active ingredient ranking system and expertise to be the science backbone of GSGS.
Science Thurston County Pesticide Ratings Hazard-based + risk evaluation Active ingredients only Reviews linked through GSGS App Referenced
Science Grow Smart Grow Safe Ratings Human toxicity Pets and wildlife Aquatic life Water Pollution
Science Human Toxicity Evaluation Mutagenicity Carcinogenicity Reproductive toxicity Developmental toxicity Applicator risk Post-application risk
Science Pets and Wildlife Evaluation Post-application risk Bioaccumulation Aquatic Life Evaluation Post-application risk Bioaccumulation Water Pollution Mobility potential Persistence potential
GSGS hits the web at LHWMP 2010 – All collaborate to develop criteria, LHWMP builds a database to blend Thurston County science with product shelf surveys for a machine-based sorting mechanism GSGS web site launches as part of
Usability = new website 2011 and on - Thurston County and Metro fund additional active ingredient reviews Usability studies funded by Metro on the website clearly indicate an independent web presence is critical for all partners to be able to fully utilize the site for their residents The new site rg launches. rg
Take GSGS to the store – finally! 2013 – Metro funds assistance starting development of a phone app or mobile website concept – LHWMP funds technical expertise to assist with final app development process. Submitted to the Apple App Store in May 2014.
Cooperation, patience, integration, generosity 2014 – 2015 – Use technical knowledge to make full circle back to printed version, mobile site, Android app.
How can your agency take advantage of this online and mobile tool? Grow Smart App for iphone Accessible anywhere