![]() Nineteenth-century research focused on compounds made from plants, including chrysanthemum. Ancient Sumerians used elemental sulfur to protect crops from insects, and medieval farmers and scientists experimented with chemicals like arsenic. This presents a real risk for biodiversity and environmental health. This means that pesticides can cause harm to the wider ecosystem, instead of just their intended targets. ![]() Not all pesticides and formulations are created equal - some chemicals can harm a wide variety of non-target species, and some application methods have high potential to drift off target. For example, fumigants are applied as gases to the soil, and “systemic” pesticides are absorbed by leaves before spreading through the rest of the plant. Pesticides come in a variety of formulations, depending on their target and purpose. The former boost soil fertility, making crops more productive, while the latter protect crops by controlling weeds (herbicides), insect and animal infestation (insecticides and rodenticides) and fungal/mold diseases (fungicides). Industrial agriculture relies on two types of chemicals: fertilizers and pesticides. Consumers can help reduce the demand for products grown with pesticides by purchasing organic or low-spray produce and by joining organizations fighting against the powerful multi-billion-dollar pesticide industry. The escalating use of pesticides in recent decades has become a public health hazard, an environmental disaster and has even caused the evolution of “superweeds,” which require increasingly toxic pesticide formulas to kill. More than 1.1 billion pounds of pesticides are applied annually to crops in the US 1, mostly in combination with seeds that are genetically engineered to withstand them. Our industrial agricultural system relies heavily on pesticides, which control weeds, kill insects and stave off fungi.
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