Pesticides have been used on crops around the world for many years to ward off unwanted weeds and insects. Unfortunately, these chemicals have been found to have toxic properties that can cause disease in humans, as well as threatening our food supplies and ecosystem as a whole.
Researchers in Europe have determined that the use of pesticides was directly responsible for the loss of diversity in insects that live in or around water, as well as freshwater invertebrates; some of the species more affected by the pesticides have disappeared altogether. This has lead to the ban of many pesticides in countries such as France and Italy.
America however, seems much more concerned with the dollar than with the health of its citizens (nothing new, right?). The agency that is supposed to protect individuals from such toxic chemicals, the United States Environmental Protection Agency uses outdated, scientifically unsound information which in turn leads them to approve for use, chemicals that are directly tied to disease. For example, Parkinson’s disease has been directly linked to pesticide exposure.
Our food supplies are threatened by the use of pesticides, as are our lives. One particular class of insecticides called Neonicotinoids is chemically almost the same as nicotine. This is particularly troubling since this particular class of insecticide is known to have detrimental effects on aquatic invertebrates and birds. Single grains that have been treated with this type of insecticide can kill a bird if ingested. The scary thing is that the seeds are treated with these chemicals which then leach into the ground they are planted in. When the crop grows the chemicals are absorbed into the plant itself so that anyone ingesting the plant is also ingesting the chemicals since they cannot be washed off. Even if you’ve never smoked a day in your life you could still be ingesting chemicals similar to nicotine just by eating produce grown with these chemicals.
Then there are the bees, which have been dying off at alarming rates. Bees are what make natural food production possible; they pollinate crops that are worth billions of dollars each year to the U.S. economy and also make millions of dollars of honey every year. The loss of bee colonies is costing millions of dollars in lower crop yields. Many researchers believe this is linked to the carcinogens in pesticides which is why many pesticides have been banned in Europe.
If you need help determining what types of organic foods are best for you and your family, a nutritionist should be consulted. Dieticians and nutritionists will evaluate what you are currently eating, make suggestions, and design diet plans to keep your family healthy and chemical-free.
Making money is an important part of our global structure, but it should not come above the health of our people. And as we know, an unhealthy population is costly. There are many natural ways to fight pests from invading our crops without harming our environment or ourselves.
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