Spring brings many things. A host of these are very desirable, especially for those of us who have been cooped up in our homes for the past several months. How many of us have feverishly wished for a favorable weather forecast so that we can plant flowers, ride bikes, walk dogs, orchestrate lawns, and listen to chirping birds? Yet, spring also brings us a medley of a different sort-a toxic soup of chemicals. Much of this soup isn't thrust upon us from the outside; disturbingly, we choose to expose ourselves, our children, our neighbors, and our pets to these harmful chemicals. In 2013, Americans spent over $700,000,000 on pesticides (cumulatively weighing over sixty-five million pounds) for use on their lawns alone (1). One would think …show more content…
You see, most of the chemicals that we use on our lawns and gardens are neurotoxins, endocrine disrupters, immune inhibitors, teratogens, or carcinogens-in other words, they interfere with our brains, our hormone and antibody production, and/or cause birth defects or cancer. Shockingly, many of them haven't even been tested to determine exactly what impact they do have on us. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "most pesticides have not been adequately tested to determine their effects on people or the environment" (2). How is this possible? Simply put, when it comes to thousands of chemicals, the U.S. government largely puts the onus on us (the citizens) to show that they are too dangerous rather than asking companies that manufacture them to show that they are safe. In the area of pesticide production, chemicals do not need to (and therefore generally don't) undergo a battery of safety tests. Unfortunately, an increasing body of evidence suggests that these chemicals would fail such tests.
We should be suspicious of the chemicals recommended for lawns and gardens for three reasons. First, key elements of the chemical industry have violated public trust in the past. Second, many chemicals that were once considered "safe" have been subsequently been banned or restricted in use. And third, as a general principle we should avoid introducing toxic
What has been brought to light in recent years is the effects of these chemicals on the body’s immune response. By introducing these toxic chemicals into the body, the potency of the immune system is compromised. More commonly than not, the body’s magnificent defense system will kick in and destroy foreign invaders but all it can take is an overwhelming amount of chemicals to slow or even shut down the body’s response systems. A large amount of these types of chemicals introduced into the body at one time would be considered acute toxicity and could even cause death. Additionally, a small amount of these poisonous substances brought into the body over a long period would be considered chronic toxicity and can have detrimental effects on the body’s natural response (Hoernschemeyer 55-57). This information is startling enough to want to make a change from conventionally grown food to pesticide-free organic
Some research studies show that these chemicals are also the cause of birth defects in children. With the increase in the use of these chemicals, there will be an increase in birth defects. According to research done by the University of California, pregnant mothers who live within a mile away from crops that are sprayed with pesticides are more likely to develop autism in their babies. If the use of pesticides continues to grow, one day the human race with completely diminish.
In order for a pesticide to be approved for use it needs to pass a few tests. The government examines the ingredients to ensure they are within safe boundaries, they also examine which crops and where it would be applied, how much you need to use for it to be effective and how often it needs to be used and also how it must be stored and how it can be disposed of (United states environmental protection agency 2016). With all of these regulations in place, it is extremely rare if not impossible for an unsafe products to pass through
This article talks about what a pesticide is and how it affects people. This is relevant to my research topic because I will be using pesticides on plants to measure the growth. In order to do this, I will need to know what a pesticide is and what it does. A unique feature of this article is that it includes videos explaining the topic, and links at the bottom of the page to look further into pesticides. A strength is that the article is very specific and on-point. However, it doesn't show much more than just what a pesticide is. There is no bias in this source.
This suggests that the roadsides was once beautiful and bloomed with healthy and lively vegetation; however, they are now destroyed due to the use of pesticides. From these examples, it can be shown that even though pesticide is beneficial, its deadly effects outweigh its benefits; in addition, it is a dangerous substances to the environment, organisms, and even human.
The chemical pesticides used in farming affect the quality of water because of run off which then go into lakes or rivers. In chapter four, Carson concentrates on the water pollution caused by pesticides. The pollution can be unsafe for use and causes fish to die. An example used is a study done by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1960 that showed that “our waters have become almost universally contaminated with insecticides.” (pg.41) The pesticides are especially threatening to groundwater which is an important source of drinking water for humans. Consequently, the chemicals in pesticides can cause cancer and other harm effects on our health. Another issue is that the pesticides in water and can mix with other chemicals and become a new chemical. Therefore, it can lead to the creation of an unknown chemical with harmful
America the Beautiful! So why are we destroying it everyday with the use of pesticides? It has been proven that pesticides have affects on it's surrounding, although made to improve earths resources, they typically take there negative effect on the environment in time. Pesticides affect more than the environment; they also affect the animals and humans living in the environment. There are alternative, to this major problem but, we as the caretakers of earth must act fast. In the following paper I'm going to share with you what pesticides are. I'll tell you why they are not safe to use and some of the affects of pesticides. Last, I will talk about some new alternatives there are
It is also shown that pesticides are partly responsible for the rising cancer rates and birth defects among children (“Pesticides”).
Also, of equal importance is the matter of chemicals being allied with affecting the human hormones and much more. “The National Institute of Health Sciences lists it as a suspected endocrine disrupter, and several studies point to its possible contribution to reproductive-health problems and genetic mutations,” Beem, E. A. (2016). Lawn Fertilizer Dangers: Are They Giving You Cancer? | Reader's Digest. We may not realize or distinguish it now, but we need to! We can’t even cipher why we have all of these disabilities forming. We are slowly killing ourselves and the things around us every day without vexing it.
If you have a yard you are most likely using pesticides. However, the traces of what’s left in your lawn after using pesticide treatments make your lawn much less inviting than it may look. Lawn care pesticides and chemicals which are effective at killing weeds and insects are toxic which may cause health issues to you and your family. Poisons are usually absorbed through the skin, by the mouth, vapors or dusts. Application of such harmful chemicals in the lawn area where your children and pets play can severely affect their health and put them at a higher risk.
Chemicals such as weed killer or miracle grow, do we really know what all chemicals are in those containers? The majority of us have no clue, or have never stopped to take into consideration what is being sprayed on our food or in our yards around our families. Pesticides for instance were meant to kill pest, not people and our wildlife. Each year hundreds or thousands of people become ill due to the use or consumption of pesticides and other chemicals. Our young children are the most vulnerable, rather than the adult, children tend to play outside and are closer to the ground where these chemicals are sprayed, which is harmful for their bodies. According to a report by the National Academies in 1993 they stated, “depending on dose, some pesticides can cause a range of adverse effects on human health, including cancer, acute and chronic injury to the nervous system, lung damage, reproductive dysfunction, and possibly dysfunction of the endocrine and immune systems." We as the children of God must take a stand and demand change on these chemicals that are harming each and every one of
As a Restricted Use Pesticide, the sale and use of atrazine can only be used for professional purposes, but not for residential use. Therefore, products containing atrazine are being purchased over the counter and used without supervision. This puts adults at risk of inhalation and possible absorption of atrazine’s chemicals into the bloodstream after oral and/or dermal exposure to the pesticide during application and as they do yard work. Farm workers are also at risk because they are performing farm work that includes applying atrazine to crops. Atrazine has been studied for decades to determine both its agricultural benefits as well as its human health impacts. Researchers and regulators performed meta-analyses to support policy decisions and drive the debate on whether the US should reduce/ban the use of
In the past decade, campaigns against excessive use of herbicides and pesticides to control pests and weeds as well as the use of other chemicals controlling plant diseases have been on the rise spearheaded by environmentalists.
One concern about pesticides and herbicide usage is the amount of residues left on the end product of crops sprayed with the chemicals, and their effects on human health. (Williamson, 2007, p. 184). However, these effects are closely tested and levels are strictly regulated to ensure there is no danger from possible pesticide residues. Since 1910, many rules, regulations, and agencies have been formed to monitor the safety of the pesticides and herbicides used in conventional farming. These chemicals must meet specific safety standards in order to be registered for use, and regulations on levels of each product safe for use are also put in place. (Tafel et al.,2007, p.184). All pesticides are rigorously examined to ensure they have no significant effects on human health, or the environment. The residues in the food chain are closely monitored, and regularly tested, to ensure they are below legal limits. In a recent survey of residues
In today’s society chemicals, whether you like it or not are a fact of life. Many people are afraid of chemicals and their effects on them and the environment. This is understandable because the truth of the matter is that chemicals can do some horrible things to humans, animals and the whole ecosystem. Some would say that chemicals should be done away with for these reasons. But this certainly is not true and most likely impossible. Chemicals can also have some very positive effects on our lives. Some uneducated people would argue that there should not be restrictions on chemicals. This is just as crazy as saying that chemicals should be done away with. If chemicals are regulated and people abide