Negativity and derisiveness project an elitist image

**T* <t*@thewritegardener.com>**

I was just in touch with one of the Scotts' folks, Keri J. Butler,
ScottsMiracle-Gro, Director, Public Relations, and gave some feedback on
their and GWA's recent Web teleconference. As a writer, I try to stay as
objective as possible so that my readers don't get the feeling that I'm
deriding someone or something. It's not my intention to promote negativity
within the gardening community. When I give talks I have to use two
different approaches. Since I'm a master gardener I can't fully promote
organic gardening over any other type of gardening, Penn State's policy is
for instruction in Integrated Pest Management. On the other hand, when I
speak as a garden writer, I promote the use of organic gardening methods,
and am in fact an organic gardener myself.

I think backyard gardeners do all they can to limit their use of harmful
chemicals when gardening and landscaping. I would hope that all corporate
suppliers of gardening products, a company such as ScottsMiracle-Gro, are
well aware of the consequences of selling harmful products.

Someone once told me that local gardening columnists are the ones who have
their hands truly in the dirt and are feeling the pulse of the gardening
public. As one of those columnists, I'm just not feeling any skips in the
beats of the gardening public as they continue to use synthetic gardening
products. However, I am beginning to see a shift in awareness of
environmental problems, and as Martha Stewart says, "that's a good thing."

I
TC Conner
The Write Gardener
Member Garden Writers Association
Penn State Certified Master Gardener Volunteer
My Web site (plain and simple): www.thewritegardener.com
My Blog: www.thewritegardener.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/WriteGardener
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Terry-Conner/1202883459
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tc-conner/b/b12/780
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