The use of
pesticides to protect food from insects and produce-eating diseases has always been
controversial. The main reason for this is the
detrimental effects that pesticides have on the
natural environment, and any wildlife that unwittingly stumbles upon
a feast of poison. Pesticides are not used singularly for produce, often times people will use a whole slew of chemicals on their
lawn to control "
that pesky ant problem".
The
majority of people don't even bother to research the possible
consequences of using the toxic brew, especially considering it is so close to their
home. There are common pesticides that can cause
infertility,
cancer, and a variety of other serious problems in humans as well as the house-hold pet or
wildlife. Most people aren't aware of the fact that most
apple orchards use such a large amount of chemical on their produce to keep pests away, that even after a
thorough washing, it is still best to
peel the apple skin off. The pesticides can leave sores in the mouths of those
sensitive to them, especially
infants. Granted, infertility and other health problems are not the first thing a person would
think of when trying to
control a pest problem, but they should be.
One of the biggest
problems with pesticides used on produce farms as well as home gardens and lawns, is
groundwater pollution. If the pesticides someone gratuitously applies to a lawn or garden happen to find their way into the water that they, or neighboring towns use, it can cause
serious health problems. There really isn't any way to completely
prevent that from happening, so it is generally best to
refrain from using the chemicals, especially around homes with young
children.
However, this still leaves the issue of how to keep crops and home lawns free of
creepy crawlers. (Though, it should be noted that I personally don't see why people should think that
simply because they decided to put their house in the middle of an insects
living area, the insects should leave.) There are pesticides that are less
harmful, as well as ways to apply them that
reduce groundwater pollution and other
health risks. That, of course, leads to yet
another bridge to cross.. how to get people to use the possibly more
expensive alternatives that are safer for the environment, rather than the cheaper,
dangerous ones. Yet another
on-going mission to try and convince people that their
lives are more valuable than money.