rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/form/pledge-to-go-pesticide-free?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-form-area-pledge-to-go-pesticide-free' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> Leicester Friends of the Earth https://actionnetwork.org/groups/leicester-friends-of-the-earth https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/forms/photos/000/750/562/normal/Bee_Meadow_3_-_July_2013.jpg Pesticides are harmful to wildlife, to pets and to human health. Research has linked exposure to pesticides to a range of human health issues, including cancers, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), asthma, diabetes and fertility issues. The multi-national Global Glyphosate Study concluded in 2025 that there is no safe level of exposure to glyphosate when it comes to human health and that it can cause multiple types of cancer and DNA damage. Children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide poisoning because their skin is more permeable and they spend more time playing close to the ground. Pesticides also affect our wildlife. It is now known that glyphosate harms bees’ digestive systems and damages their ability to keep their colonies cool, which can be devastating in our increasingly hot summers. When insect populations are falling so alarmingly, we do not believe we should be doing anything to make the situation worse. Finally, our pets are vulnerable to pesticide poisoning, with single exposures having the potential to cause vomiting, diarrhoea, irritation to the skin or eyes, chemical burns, breathing problems, lethargy, disorientation, seizures and even death. There has been almost no research into the long-term effects on dogs and cats of exposure to the pesticides that cause cancers in humans. We encourage everyone in Leicester to take our pledge not to use pesticides in their gardens. * Pesticides is an umbrella term, meaning any chemical designed to kill living organisms. They include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. The most commonly used herbicide is glyphosate, often sold under the brand name ‘Roundup’. https://actionnetwork.org/forms/pledge-to-go-pesticide-free