CHICAGO - Pesticides have been used for many years. In earlier times they were a protection against fungi and insect pests. The great increase in the use of pesticides occurred with the development of new organic chemicals following World Wars I and II.
In addition to chemicals for the control of fungi and insects, new developments were nematocides, herbicides, rodenticides, avicides, defoliants, wood preservatives, etc. The use of chemicals helped increase productivity, but caused great concern about their effect on human health and safety. On the other hand, chemicals did help tremendously from the standpoint of protecting against diseases that were carried by insects, especially mosquitoes.
Summer is here and many are directly exposed to a variety of chemicals when gardening, mowing the lawn, or biking through the woods in the northwest suburbs. Adverse information has caused great concern about pesticides and this is especially so since our societies have undergone great changes from agricultural to industrial ones. Listed below are some essential pros and cons about pesticides:
-Contribute to the increased production of food
-Sanitize drinking and recreational water
-Protect private and public places from structural damage
-Save millions of lives from malaria, the black plague, and typhoid
-Rid areas of harmful pests that cause or carry diseases
-63% of pesticides used in lawns are carcinogenic
-Lawn pesticides are able to increase the risk of childhood leukemia by seven times
-Cause various forms of cancer, liver damage, asthma, and leukemia
-Promote genetic resistance and farmers lose more crops today than they did back in 1940
-95% of pesticides reach areas other than their target such as air, water, food, and species that weren’t targeted
-Kill natural pest enemies
Additionally, we rounded up some facts you may find interesting:
-About 90% of U.S. households use pesticides
-Approximately 110,000 pesticide poisonings are reported from the poison control center each year in the U.S.
-Suburban lawns use more pesticides per acre than agricultural land
-Eating organic food decreases our exposure to pesticides
-In 1986, the EPA reduced pesticide use by 1%
-In 1995, $255 million was spent on research on pesticides or pest management
-In 1995, the U.S. spent $10.4 billion on pesticide sales
-13 out of the 18 most commonly used pesticides have been found in the Great Lakes Basin
-Pesticide levels increase in the winter for children when more food is imported
Le Prestige suggests following healthier and more environmentally-friendly options in place of pesticides:
-Handpick weed pests; you save a few bucks on the chemicals and you also get quite a workout
-Fool the pest (crop rotation) and use insect perfumes
-Provide homes for pest enemies while scalding the them
-Use beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, bees, and spiders, to get rid of pests
Be sure to enjoy those summer days in the garden, but always be aware of pesticides, the silent killers.