Pesticide products are not healthy for your garden and can enter our waterways through run off and stormwater.  There are many effective, less-toxic products available in stores to manage pests and diseases.  Please use pesticide products only when needed, not when it rains, and according to the instructions on the label. 

For information on eco-friendly products, pest control and sustainable gardening check out our partners’ websites:

• Contra Costa County Master Gardeners | UCANR.edu

• Our Water Our World (OWOW) | OurWaterOurWorld.org
  • Less-Toxic Pesticides Ingredients List | OWOW
  • Healthy Gardens | OWOW
  • Lawn Care | OWOW
  • Roses | OWOW
  • Pesticide Use and Disposal | OWOW
  • Hiring a Pest Control Company | OWOW

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an environmentally friendly approach of selecting the least toxic solution for a specific pest problem, so as not to pollute local waterways. Learn more about IPM practices and resources at our Pesticides webpage for businesses and landscapers.

Anyone can help prevent the use of pesticides or sprays in your community. Residents, help your neighborhood mosquito-free by checking your yard for anything that can hold water: clogged rain gutters, open trash bins, buckets, pet bowls, birdbaths, fountains, flowerpot saucers, tires, wagons and toys, leaky hoses and sprinklers, uncovered boats, unmaintained swimming pools, and more. Watch this Public Service Announcement:

“We Need You” | Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District (YouTube). Dumping out any standing water can prevent mosquitos from spreading.

Although leaves and organic waste are biodegradable, their breakdown process robs valuable oxygen from the water.  This process can stress and even kill fish and aquatic life.  By composting your grass clippings, yard waste, and other biodegradable materials (e.g. banana peels and eggshells), you will return valuable nutrients and moisture to the soil.

What you can do to help:

• Never put yard waste in storm drains or creeks
• Use your green waste container
• Leave grass clippings on the lawn
• Learn how to compost at home or about compost services available in your area by visiting Contra Costa County’s Solid Waste and Recycling webpage on Composting and Gardening Programs | cccrecycle.org.

When it rains, pet waste left on lawns, beaches, trails, and sidewalks washes into storm drains and waterways.  The waste and the pathogens it contains (nutrients, bacteria, parasites, and viruses) end up flowing directly into our waterways where it can harm human health and the environment.

What you can do to help:

• Picking up after your pet is a simple thing you can do to keep bacteria out of waterways.  When walking your pet, bring a bag, clean up the waste, and then dispose of it in a trash receptacle. 
• At your own home, make sure to clean up after your pet.  You can set a schedule – such as once every other day – and always make sure to clean up before it rains!
• DO NOT COMPOST PET WASTE! Contrary to popular belief, dog waste should not be used as a lawn fertilizer. While some animal manure can, under carefully managed conditions, make useful fertilizer, parasites carried in dog and cat feces can cause diseases in humans and should not be incorporated into compost piles.