Resources

Our Home Page told you how to take action by being a F.R.I.E.N.D. Now here are some resources to help you do it.

PUBLICITY RESOURCES. Here are tips on how to publicize their continued pesticides use or failure to respond.

Resources for general media strategy and templates:



Sample posts for Social Media.


Help us get pesticides out of our community! We asked [name of business] to stop applying pesticides, but they so far have [refused]/[not given us a response after multiple requests]. Contact them at [phone and/or email] politely ask them to stop putting these toxic chemicals into our community!


Hashtags for Social Media


Use #pestprotest and #pestprotest[YourTown and State] so your posts can be found easily and will contribute to the overal awareness and effectiveness of the Pest Protest movement!


Press Advisory


If you decide to have an in-person rally, protest or picket, send out a Press Advisory several days in advance to let the media know about it and give them the opportunity to plan to attend and cover it. Email the press advisory to your local newspapers, broadcast media and other sources of news coverage. Their websites typically will have contact information.


See sample advisories at:


Press Release


After an event has taken place, or for a campaign development that does not require advance planning by the media (for example, an announcement of your social media campaign), send a Press Release to your local media list.


See sample press releases at:


COMMUNICATION TEMPLATES. Check out these sample communications to pesticides users.

Tailor these communications to your circumstances. Be direct, but polite!


Initial Communication to Pesticides User


Good morning.


I live in [______], and today I saw pesticide notice signs on the lawn outside your building, so I'd like to bring that to your attention and kindly request that you not use pesticides there in the future. Please consider this request an initial step in the PestProtest action plan as noted at https://www.pestprotest.org.


Pesticides are harmful to our environment, including many classes of creatures we rely on for a healthy ecosystem. They also wash off of the property into nearby areas and waterways when it rains.


Additionally, pesticides are not really necessary. There are many reference materials for ways to achieve lawn maintenance using natural and non-toxic products and techniques. For example: https://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/pesticidefreelawns/resources/Read%20Your%20Weeds-Organic%20Lawns.pdf


Please let me know if you will refrain from applying pesticides on this property. We all share a common environment, and I and many of our neighbors would appreciate your consideration.


Thank you.


Follow-up email, letter or on-line submission


I am writing to request an update on my previous request that ________ stop applying pesticides on its grounds. As you will recall, I originally emailed you on [DATE] as an initial step in the PestProtest action plan listed at https://www.pestprotest.org. I then received a call from _____________, who said she would be in communication with management about this matter. I have since left two voicemail messages for ________ but have not received a call back.


Kindly provide me with an update on the status of this request.


Thank you for your consideration.


Escalation communication


Dear ______:


Further to my letter of [DATE] and my prior communications [LIST PRIOR COMMUNICATIONS AND DATES IN A FOOTNOTE], I am again requesting that _______ stop applying pesticides on the grounds of its store at [LOCATION]. Because I have not received any response to my prior communications, following the PestProtest action plan as noted at https://www.pestprotest.org, I plan to inform the public about this pesticides use and request their assistance in bringing this to your attention.


On or around the week of [DATE], I plan to publicize on social media and elsewhere that ______ is applying toxic pesticides in our community and will ask local residents to contact you to request that you stop this practice.


If you would like to reach me to discuss this matter or inform me of any developments regarding your pesticides policy, please see my contact information above.


Thank you.