Our Mission

Founded in 2016, Non Toxic Communities seeks to assist the growing movement of grassroots groups advocating for local pesticide reform by providing the resources and solutions they need to be successful.  

First met in 2015 while working for organic policies in our respective cities and officially launched as NTC in 2016 to fill the need for support in grassroots campaigns for local pesticide reform.

Are your friends and neighbors who care about protecting public health and the environment from the effects of toxic pesticide use.

Advocate for organic lawn and land care in our neighborhoods, parks and schools.

Have played an integral role in implementing successful policies in our own municipalities.

Believe that all communities have the right to be healthy. This means clean air, clean water and an environment free from toxic chemicals.

Help citizens advocate for public health where they live.

Hope that our experience can help and inspire you to create your own non toxic community.

Are here to give you the support and resources you need to get started on making changes in your HOA, school, city, and community.

Our Board

Diana Carpinone 

Diana is the mother of one very active boy and the founder of Non Toxic Dover NH.  She has been working with her municipality to eliminate toxic pesticides from city spaces since 2013.  Diana enjoys nature, gardening, reading, writing, and learning about the diverse scientific issues related to human and environmental health.  She is an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional (AOLCP), and a dedicated advocate for safer alternatives to toxic pesticide use. Diana is enthusiastic about promoting an organic soil-based approach for managing landscapes, educating others about the importance of native plant restoration and how local actions can make a real difference with urgent public health and environmental problems.  She is looking forward to being a part of the solution by making change on the national level with Non Toxic Communities.

Kathleen Hallal

​Kathleen is a mother to three boys. When her children were struck by autoimmune issues she became aware of the dangers that exposures to toxic chemicals pose in our children’s environment. Kathleen is doing her part to encourage communities to take a hard look at the chemicals that are being used, and to eliminate children’s exposure to toxic pesticides on school grounds and in parks. With the help of scientists and medical professionals, she led the movement in Irvine, CA by starting with the schools, and then working with a group to approach the city. As a founding member of Non Toxic Communities, an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional (AOLCP) in her role as Head of Climate and the Environment on the Irvine Mayor’s Council,  she looks forward to helping more districts, cities, and homeowner’s associations adopt organic landscaping methods.

Rachel Linden

Amanda Plunkett 

Rachel is passionate about life affirming healing practices, raising collective consciousness and environmental protection. She has a history of protecting life and the environment as a farmer, permaculturist, herbalist, oilist, master gardener, Accredited Organic Land Care Professional (AOLCP), professional landscaper, business owner, licensed Real Estate Broker, events & education coordinator, local community representative and community action leader. Rachel was the Co-Director of the California “Healthier Eating Tour” and is the current Executive Director of Green Lifestyles Network, Inc. a 501(c)3 nonprofit providing education, advocacy, and networking for a wide variety of collaborative environmental and life-affirming organizations and ventures. She is currently working on the Organic Action campaign and its accompanying online education.

Amanda is the founder of Bee Rooted, a company dedicated to advocating for healthy environments. As an Environmental Illness survivor, she feels she has a special relationship with bees as they too are sensitive to minuscule environmental changes. She uses her experience to spread awareness for healthier environments, and naturally care for pollinators. She has an Organic Lawn Care Accredited Professional Certification, is an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional (AOLCP) and plans to use her knowledge to educate municipalities, business owners and citizens about caring for properties without toxic chemicals. Amanda also has experience as a public speaker, and hosting educational workshops. She is enthusiastic about using her skills to educate public and private entities about sustainable landscaping practices on behalf of Non Toxic Communities.

Our Advisors

M. Tom Carrasco

Jeff Cordulack 

M. Tom Carrasco grew up in the Salinas Valley, one of the worlds richest agricultural areas. As a third generation of the green industry, he learned from his father about sustainability. Tom has a degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). He has nearly 20 years of experience and has developed agronomic programs focused on IPM and organic land management, taught turfgrass management at National University in San Diego, and is an experienced arborist. His company MTC Horticulture, consults with landscapers, HOAs, as well as cities. Tom and his wife have 7 children, enjoy an outdoor lifestyle, and compete in triathlons together. Tom’s love of nature and desire to hand down a healthy world to future generations drives his passion to help make organic land care practices the standard in our communities. Tom brings a deep understanding of soil science, landscape operations, landscape maintenance finance, and public speaking to our advisory board.

Jeff Cordulack is a Connecticut native whose career has focused on wildlife conservation, watershed protection, organic farming & landscaping, and a variety of sustainability/green living subjects.  He earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Natural Resources Management and Conservation Biology from Colorado State University and has traveled widely in the US, Mexico, Belize, and Southern Africa. He is owner of Organic Ways & Means, was the Executive Director of CT NOFA: The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut, and worked for the National Audubon Society for a decade before that. Jeff has taught thousands of people about nature and how to protect Earth’s biodiversity through simple everyday actions, innovation, and conservation planning. When not on the road promoting organics, Jeff can be found in the garden, tending to chili peppers, kale, and raspberries.

Chris Kassotis, PhD 

Brittany Cooper Phillips 

Chris Kassotis is an NRSA Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. He completed his PhD at the University of Missouri working with Drs. Susan Nagel and Fred vom Saal to assess unconventional oil and gas operations as a novel source of endocrine disrupting chemicals to water, and the potential for adverse human and animal health outcomes from exposure. He is now working with Dr. Heather Stapleton at Duke University to assess the potential for complex chemical mixtures in indoor house dust and other environments to promote fat cell development and potentially contribute to adverse metabolic health (obesity, diabetes, etc.) as well as to develop new assays to isolate and characterize novel endocrine disruptors in complex environmental mixtures.

Britt Phillips is an organic lawn and land care professional who works with home owners, businesses, and organizations to build and maintain healthy, safe lawns naturally. She has worked in all aspects of the landscape industry and has been focusing on organic lawn and landscape strategies since 2009. She has a passion for soil regeneration as it applies to the care of lawns and pastures. Britt is an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional (AOLCP) and also and advisor to the Organic Landscape Association. She is an experienced public speaker, and her passion is to remove pesticides and synthetic fertilizers from the land. She works to educate property owners and managers so they can make better and more informed decisions on how to manage their land and lawns.

Christina Shea 

Christina Shea is Mayor of Irvine, CA. Apart from her many civic duties, she is an independent business consultant and realtor. In 2016 she brought forward a proposal to make Irvine one of the first cities in the U.S. to use only organic pesticide abatement practices in its local parks, green belts, and open spaces. She is a member of the IUSD Liaison Committee, a Board member of the Director of the Transportation Corridor Agencies, and the Board member of the Irvine Community Land Trust. Christina has been named one of Orange County’s “Leaders of the Year” by the California Women’s Leadership Association and featured as one of the “Most Influential Women in Orange County” by the Orange County Metro Magazine. In 2008, she was recognized by Assemblyman Chuck DeVore to be the Woman of the Year for the 70th Assembly District.

Dr. Bruce Taylor, M.D. 

Dr. Bruce Taylor, a former professor and chair of the Dept. of Pediatric Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at Driscoll Children's Hospital, Corpus Christi, is board-certified in pediatrics and anesthesiology and has held a fellowship in genetics and metabolism at the Univ. of TX Health Science Center at Houston.  At Boston Children's Hospital, he also did a fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology.  Semi-retired, he teaches at the Univ. of New England and Univ. of Southern Maine. 

​Dr. Taylor has a special interest in the environmental etiology of disease and is a member of the Toxics Committee of Physicians for Social Responsibility, Maine Chapter, as well as a Town of Sweden selectman.

Our co-founder Kathleen Hallal is honored for her advocacy on the City of Irvine Wall of Recognition in organically maintained Bill Barber Park. The plaque was presented by Christina Shea, Irvine City Mayor and Non Toxic Communities advisor who worked with Kathleen and other community volunteers to bring forward a motion to update the City's IPM program in 2016. The CDPR recognized the success of Irvine's organic IPM in early 2020 with an IPM Achievement Award.

Our Partners

Our Projects

Press

Recognitions

We wish to thank the people whose hard work and assistance have helped to make our website and the resources on it possible: Allison of Allison Davis Creative for donating her graphic design skills, and Amanda of Bee Rooted for website build and design. Special thanks to Jessica, Leo, Michelle and Tara for their support.