The photo above shows the NatureZap being used to kill a weed by exposing it to heat and light.

At a Glance

Researchers at Edwards Air Force Base have been testing a weed-zapping wand as a pesticide alternative. The wand combines heat and light to wilt and destroy the pesky plants. This innovation is more environmentally sound than pesticides, which leave behind toxic remnants that could harm humans and wildlife.

The U.S. Air Force has defended our nation for decades, but now they’re researching a safe way to protect our gardens as well.

Officials at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in southern California have been testing a weed killing wand called NatureZap that uses light in a controlled area to zap pesky plants and their roots. The service branch is researching the wand as a more environmentally sound alternative to herbicides.

“, so it’s an endangered species problem,” Dr. Danny Reinke,412th Civil Engineering Group, principal scientist for conservation issues, said in a release. “One of the problems using herbicides like DDT, which killed insects really well, [is] it was concentrated in the shells of eggs of birds that ate the insects that were killed,” he added. “Using toxic chemicals in general is probably not a good approach.”

Toxins left behind by herbicides can also have negative impacts on humans. The Women’s Cancer Resource Center demonstrated that one of the ingredients in these herbicides, , as well as a damage to the kidney and liver, according to a separate release from the AFB.

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NatureZap was developed by the company Good Neighbor, which was granted funds by the Edwards AFB Small Business Innovation Research (SIBR) office.

According to the company’s website, . Heat is used to wilt the weed’s leaves, while infrared light penetrates the leaves and root crown to destroy the plant’s chloroplast, which it needs to undergo photosynthesis. The plant’s structure is killed off by the combination of the two, while blue and UV lights penetrate the ground and expose the roots to light. This severely damages the entire weed and its roots, which leads to its decay and eventually it dies off.

“,” company president Jon Jackson told TakePart. “We get about a 70 to 80 percent die-back without regrowth.” He says their product is particularly effective on ragweed, dandelions and crabgrass.

“If it truly works, I think it will be very successful because change cannot come quickly enough in the world of pest management,” Center for Biological Diversity scientist Nathan Donley told TakePart. “Most weed-killing chemicals in use today have been around for more than 50 years. Innovation is nonexistent in this realm.

“If the federal government can reduce its pesticide use, the money saved can be used to advance other conservation efforts,” he added. “Pesticides aren’t cheap, and a lot of costs of their use aren’t paid up front. They’re externalized to the community in terms of increased health care costs or environmental restoration.”

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The NatureZap is relatively cost-effective and simply plugs into an electrical outlet to charge, according to the release.

“The NatureZap is nice and simple to use,” Good Neighbor wrote on its website. “You just plug it in, place it on top of the weed, and press the button once for small weeds, twice for medium sized weeds, and three times for large weeds.” The device also allows you to target weeds growing in between cracks and stones in the pavement.

The company says you could see results as early as three days in the summer and up to two weeks in the early spring and late fall.

“What we like about [NatureZap], from an environmental perspective, there are no toxic chemicals, no toxic residue, no ground disturbance,” said Reinke. “Endangered species don’t do well with weeds.”

“Chemical applications have lasting damage,” said Jackson. The NatureZap's light and heat comes and goes with the press of a button. It could have a long-lastingimpact and won’t leave toxic remnants behind.

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