The Effects Of Ddt On The Environment And Human Health Essay

Malaria is a disease characterized by fever and flu like illness that according to the CDC “if not treated can lead to jaundice, kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death” (CDC p.2. There are four types of malaria: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae with the most common type being plasmodium falciparum. (CDC p.1) ).. This disease can only be transmitted by an interaction of blood as the parasite lives in the red blood cells of the infected host individual. This can be due to blood transfusions, sharing of syringes or by its common vector, the Anopheles mosquito.Because of its vector being a mosquito malaria is common in areas with warm temperatures and causes the most damage in poor developing

DDT is a very controversial product… but why? DDT was a pesticide used in the 1950s and it was very effective at killing mosquitoes. This was good because mosquitoes carry a very deadly disease called malaria. But soon the government banned its use in the USA. It supposedly has been decreasing the populations of bald eagles. They think that it makes the eggshells thinner, so when the eagle it trying to keep the eggs warm it might break the eggs on accident. Many people are happy about this ban and others are not. Some researchers feel that evidence supports a ban on DDT while others feel that it is an over reaction to an environmental concern. DDT has been shown to help control the malaria parasite. Evidence supports the banning

When the United States regulators approved Monsanto’s Bt’s corn, which is genetically modified, they were aware that it would add deadly poisons to our food supply according to Jeffrey Smith. He claims that was what it was designed to do. The DNA of this corn was rigged with a gene derived from a soil bacteria called Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) which creates the Bt-toxin which is hazardous to humans and animals alike. This Bt is a pesticide, which literally makes the bugs stomachs bust open which kills them. Monsanto and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ensured its consumers that only insects would be hurt. The Bt-toxin would be entirely destroyed in human’s digestive systems and have completely no impact whatsoever on anyone who consumes it, but later studies show this information was false (Smith, 1). In fact the toxin appeared in a majority of the blood tests.

We are keeping our food reliable through the use of GMOs. GMOs can provide food that can be helpful for conditions in the world. They can be manufactured to fit to threatening conditions, such as drought. They can also be used to withstand diseases that have the potential to cause famine. Blights can cost millions in damages, and with new resistance technology being tested we could save millions of dolars and millions of crops. "Blight-resistant potatoes would be one of the first major foods genetically engineered to incorporate defenses against plant diseases, which annually destroy some 15 percent of the world’s agricultural harvest." These foods can even be modified to prevent bugs from consuming or ruining a crop yield. This resistance to famine can help us become less concerned about starvation due to unfavorable conditions. The crop yield can remain the same. Those opposed to GMOs may claim that they increase pestacides and harm the environment. This is completely false. "It is a matter of fact that GM crops have drastically cut the use of such pesticides. GM cotton, containing a built in insecticide, uses 50% less chemical insecticides. In 1998 around 1000 tonnes less insecticide was used in the US cotton belt than before the introduction of GM cotton. That insecticide was mainly sprayed from planes. Only a small percentage reached its target. The rest drifted into the wider environment killing

DDT should not be used because of its toxicity to humans, animals, and the environment. DDT is a harmful pesticide that, when consumed by humans, can cause several dangerous diseases and also lead to problems involving birth. DDT should not be used because of its negative impact on the environment, and its devastating effects on wildlife.

Approximately eighty percent of food eaten in the United States contains GMOs, but not many people know what they are actually consuming from their food sources (Prah). Genetically modified organism, also known as genetically modified organisms engineered in a lab by scientists that alter the genes of plants and animals. By fixating DNA from other organisms into America’s food sources, they create substances that are detrimental to the health of human beings. In addition to this, these genetically modified organisms are completely foreign to the plants and animals they undergo; their genes can become damaged from inserting the genes of the organisms. This unnatural process can interfere with a metabolic pathway in the plant or animal. In addition, studies have shown that on average forty-four percent of people had the “Round-up Ready” herbicide, glyphosate, which is used on genetically modified crops, found in their bodies (Stonebrook). Both, the genetically modified organisms and the chemicals used on them, cause several problems to occur in humans and other organisms which consume GMOs. These include tumors, damaged immune systems, allergies, and infertility; this is dangerous to the health of humans and to their regular body processes. Americans have the right to know what is going into their bodies and how these man-made GMOs are affecting them. By the government

The companies are tricking farmers into thinking that their seeds are better for the environment, when really they are not. “Toxins from Bt seeds are released through the roots and can last in the soil for at least 234 days”. The main reason why DDT in soil lasts so long is because it “binds strongly to soil particles” (Deepak). These toxins can be leached down into the groundwater, contaminating water sources. Bt toxin can also be absorbed through other plants roots and then be eaten by animals, poisoning them. Farmers claim that they save money by using Bt seeds because they do not use pesticides, but the difference in cost is made up by the cost of the seeds: “Thompson’s soybean and corn yields are well above county average and even as the US government continues to bail out indebted farmers, Thompson is making money. He profits from both his healthy soil and crops, and from the fact that his “input” costs for chemical fertilizer, pesticides, and so forth-are almost nil” (Halweil). Thompson is an organic farmer who does not use many pesticides and makes a profit very close to what a typical farmer makes. Although Bt seeds supposedly use less pesticides, they still release toxic chemicals into the ground which is extremely harmful to the soil.

Monsanto is an American agrochemical corporation which manufactures pesticides and GMO crops. One of the most well recognized herbicides is Monsanto’s Roundup, which contains the carcinogen glyphosate. To prevent from killing the crops when farmers apply Roundup to their fields, Monsanto invented GMO versions of many staple crops such as corn, soybeans, and cotton which resist Roundup. Like the weeds, these GMO crops still absorb glyphosate, however the crops are able to stay alive through changes in their genetic makeup which make them herbicide resistant. The herbicide tolerance of certain crops has been adopted because it, “simplifies weed control to the use of a single herbicide and a flexible and easy management strategy” (Labrada, 2003), as well as decreasing the cost of weed control programs. As a result, Monsanto bought out most small farms and now owns 80% of the U.S. market share of corn and 93% of the U.S. market share of soy, which are then sold to modern food processing. Upwards of 75% of the processed food on American supermarket shelves contain genetically engineered ingredients. Not only are Americans consuming massive amounts of GMOs, which pose a huge health risk themselves, they are also consuming massive amounts of glyphosate, a chemical known to cause cancer and birth defects (Kruger, 2014). If society stopped consuming carcinogens, the cancer epidemic will be

Primarily, genetically engineered crops result in countless long-term, detrimental impacts on the environment. As the United States becomes increasingly dependent on such crops for a majority of its food supply, these harmful environmental impacts are becoming evident. Many GMO crops are modified to be herbicide-resistant, such as the Roundup Ready crop, which allows farmers to spray herbicides without causing damage to the plants. While the ridding of weeds increases the level of production for these farmers, their total elimination greatly interferes with the natural interdependency of the ecosystem. One impacted species includes the Monarch butterfly, as its population decline has been directly linked to the use of genetically engineered crops. The weeds being eliminated include the

Plant biologist Jonathan R. Latham believes that genetically modified organisms should have never left the lab because it's bringing concerns to him and the public of its potential risks. He mentions may concern or risk, one concern that he brings up is plants that contain their own insecticides. Which will include crops like “maize, cotton and soybeans” (Latham. Par. 9), which are called Bt plants. Bt plants are bug-fighting plants that were spread by moving some genes “from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis” (Latham. Par. 9). The people who make Bt believe that its toxins are inserted specific and safe, but there's a reason why people are doubtful about the safety and specificity. Another concern that the public has is insecticides,

1. DDT stands for Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane. It was commonly used a pesticide and it was also one of the first chemicals used widespread all over the world. It was created and used to try and end malaria and other insect-borne human diseases, and it had great effects in doing so. Also, it was commonly used for control in livestock production in agricultural areas. Although the broad use of DDT worked effectively in achieving the goal to slow down malaria, it created many controversies about the use of the common pesticide.

Not only are GMOs harmful to humans they affect many other communities. “GMOs are also responsible for killing off bees, bats, butterflies, and other pollinators, whose bodies are unable to handle the onslaught of altered DNA and chemicals that are characteristic of GMO technologies”(Bensen). This shows that GMO is not only an issue for humans but it directly affects the insect and animals communities around the plants. These are living organisms that these plants need for pollination. GMOs and the pesticides used on these crops to fight off the insects and weeds is creating more powerful weeds and insects called “SuperWeeds” and “SuperBugs.” “And this built-in resistance has allowed farmers to indiscriminately spray chemicals like Roundup on their crops without worrying about killing them. But this system is now failing, as the weeds and pests targeted by GMO technologies have mutated and developed resistance to crop chemicals and Bt toxin” (Benson). These chemicals are effective for a short period of time However these chemicals become ineffective, the offspring of the insects can be immune to the chemical. This creates a need for a new and stronger chemical mix. GMO seeds and destroy the soil and kill beneficial

Malaria has been a huge problem among many developing nations over the past century. The amount of people in the entire world that die from malaria each year is between 700,000 and 2.7 million. 75% of these deaths are African children (Med. Letter on CDC & FDA, 2001). 90% of the malaria cases in the world are located in Sub-Saharan Africa. Once again, the majority of these deaths are of children (Randerson, 2002). The numbers speak for themselves. Malaria is a huge problem and needs to be dealt with immediately.

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

In the past few years, society has been made more aware of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Because of this, GMOs are being replaced in diets with more natural and organic options. GMOs have been researched and found to cause adverse effects on human health because of the gene splicing, or genetic alterations that are done to create them through genetic engineering. Before this issue became an issue, many people were eating processed and even healthy foods without understanding what chemicals and toxins they were actually putting into their bodies. GMOs are infused into food without awareness because one never really understands what all those unpronounceable words, label GMOs, really are. Due to recent research, it has been found that genetically modified organisms are harmful and can lead to increased risks of disease and cancer.