HACKENSACK, N.J. -- You can live "green" and still have a lush green lawn, advocates say.

With lawn-care season in full swing, a number of eco-conscious organizations are trying to educate homeowners about ways to battle weeds and nourish grass without polluting the environment with pesticides, fertilizers and gas fumes from the lawn mower.

They say a lawn can be just as green with corn gluten and organic fertilizers and they're pleading with residents to stop using so many pesticides and to stop overwatering.

They're urging homeowners to switch to push reel or electric mowers. A typical gas-powered mower emits as much pollution as 11 cars, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Jane Nogaki, pesticide program coordinator of the New Jersey Environmental Federation, said many suburban homeowners wrongly think they can't have an attractive lawn unless they use a "four step" program of pesticides and fertilizers.

"I once heard someone say we need a 12-step program to get people off these step treatments," Nogaki said. "It's like a chemical addiction."

While many homeowners might think chemical pesticides are necessary to grow grass instead of weeds, Nogaki said they only kill weeds in the short term. She said the better method is to pull weeds or spot treat them with organic products, and then rake in more grass seed.

Lawn pesticides, which have been linked to increased risk of cancer, asthma and immune disorders, are particularly harmful to children. In addition, chemicals used on lawns can run off into streams that feed drinking water reservoirs.

With concerns about pollution and global warming increasing, more people have begun to seek eco-friendly lawn care advice and products, said Paul Tukey, founder of the Web site, SafeLawns.org.

"Ten years ago, it was impossible to get 10 people in a room to talk about organic lawn care," Tukey said. "Now I go places to speak and there are 100 people in the room."

In 1995, only one half of one percent of the lawn products on the market was labeled "organic." This year, the figure has grown to 10 percent, Tukey said, and the fertilizer industry has promised an increase to 50 percent within the next five years.

Consumers, however, are being cautioned to check the labels on any products labeled "natural" or "organic-based."

"A lot of companies will dupe people by saying 'organic-based' or 'natural,' which isn't necessarily truly organic -- and even some products labeled 'organic' aren't necessarily organic," Tukey said.