Pesticides: Feeding the World

2842 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Pesticides and their harmful effects

Pesticides: Feeding the World

Every day, new worries arise concerning over-population and the future of earth. People are afraid of starvation and endemic diseases. The problem with present food production is not of land shortage, but of yields too low to feed a doubled world population. Plant geneticists are creating hybrid plants that have higher yields and more resistance to unwanted and harmful organisms. Even with the new plants, pesticides must be applied to reap the hybrid's full potential.

What follows is some common misconceptions about pesticides and their use. Humans ingest about 10,000 times more naturally occurring pesticides than they do man-made ones. In fact, the risk you expose yourself to by drinking a daily glass of apple juice from fruit treated with the pesticide Alar is 58 times less than the hazard of consuming natural carcinogens in one mushroom. Pesticide residues remain only on the surface of produce. They are not absorbed by fruits or vegetables. Rinsing with clear running water will remove most of any trace residues. Organic food growers often use pesticides derived from natural sources to protect their crops. Many man-made pesticides are less toxic than naturally-occurring ones. Without the availability of crop protection products, it is estimated that current world fruit and vegetable production would decline by as much as 40% and fruit and vegetable prices would increase by up to 70% (Crop Protection Institute, 1997). Even with today's technology, food production would be considerably lower and the number of individuals suffering from malnutrition would be dramatically increased if pesticides were not used.

Changes in Farming

Farming has changed and advanced incredibly in the last tw...

... middle of paper ...

...Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. (1997). The Pros and Cons of Pesticides [Online]. Available: http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/epb/factsheets/pesticides/pro_con.html [1997, September 28].

Avery, Dennis T. (1995, June). How Pesticides Help Prevent Cancer. Consumers' Research Magazine, pp. 11-12.

Byrd, John D. Jr., Ph.D., David R. Shaw, Eric P. Webster (1997). PesticidesBenefits and Risks [Online]. http://www.ces.msstate.edu/pubs/pub1962.htm [1997, October 7].

Crop Protection Institute. (1997). Facts & History of Pesticides [Online]. http://www.cropro.org/history.html [9/16/97].

Hastings, John. (1993, September). Do Pesticides on Fruits and Vegetables Threaten Children?. Health, p. 12.

Riviere, Jim E. (1994, August 8). Stop Worrying and Eat Your Salad. Newsweek, p. 8.

Spencer, Leslie. (1993, October 25). Ban All Plants-They Pollute. Forbes, pp. 104-108.

Show More
Related

  • Pesticides and our Food Source: David Suzuki's “Food Connection” and “It Always Costs”

    503 Words  | 2 Pages

    David Suzuki, Zoologist and the writer of an essays “Food Connection” and “It always Costs”, from Essay Writing for Canadian Students with Readings, by Kay Stewart, Roger Davis, Chris Bullock & Marian Allen. 6thed Toronto: Pearson, 2008. 344-349, stated that food is what nourishes us, connects us with the Earth, and reminds us of the cycles of the seasons. Eating is an activity that we as humans do at least two times a day. We live in a world where the variety of food is immense, and we are responsible for what we eat. We decide what we are about to eat and how it will affect our bodies. In his essay “It always cost” he emphasized that technology nowadays constantly seems to seep its way into our daily routines. Everything we do is somehow connected with technology. We must understand that...

    Read More

  • Pesticides In The Movie Food Inc

    831 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many issues regarding the raising and producing of various livestock animals, and the use of pesticides on various types of crops. The movie Food.Inc does a good job explaining these issues, but in a very biased way. It makes agriculturists look like terrible people, when this is not the case.

    Read More

  • Industrialization Expansion in Russia and Japan

    1051 Words  | 3 Pages

    Russia, industrialized as a result of many peasant revolts. The revolts led to the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, they received land but the political chains were still in place. Many reforms were still needed. The military became based on merit, education was increased, transportation became more efficient with the introduction or railroads, and law codes were improved with local councils put in place called zemstvoes. These reforms and the great size and natural resources of Russia allowed it to build factories. Yet, the change experienced by the West had not, yet, occurred.

    Read More

  • Pesticides In Ground Water and Drinking Water

    369 Words  | 1 Pages

    What is a pesticide?A pesticide is a chemical substance used to kill pests, especially insects. A pesticide is also refered to as a biocide. Most pesticides are applied in spray form but occasionaly you will see pesticides that are in powder or pellet form. Pesticides are used on a variety of things, anything from crops like corn, barley, and wheat, to plants like petunias, marigolds, and rhodadendrons, which are usually found in small gardens greenhouses, and even in your backyard.

    Read More

  • Roundup

    2454 Words  | 5 Pages

    Cox, C. "Glyphosate, Part 2: Human Exposure and Ecological Effects." Journal of Pesticide Reform Winter 1995 Vol. 15, No 4.

    Read More

  • Socialist Opposition to Genetic Engineering

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    A debate is ragging over the advancements being made in genetic engineering. Scientist discovered that genes are the map of every aspect of a living organism, this has furthermore led to the prospect of altering this coding. By modifying one’s genes parents will one day be able to pick the color of their unborn child’s eyes and farmers will have the ability to develop plants that will produce bigger and healthier harvest. With the growing anticipation that some feel towards genetically modified crops others question it effects on the surrounding environments. Often pesticides are more heavily relied on for genetically modified crops and some cases have found pollination decreased in areas dominated by GM plants. Since there are so many aspects of genetic modification that have yet to be explored, much more research is required before distributing GM seeds internationally, but from the information already available the sides have begun to divide.

    Read More

  • Horrific Affect of Pestcides in A Fable for Tomorrow from the Book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

    906 Words  | 2 Pages

    Moreover, she shows how the pesticides have caused “several sudden and unexplained deaths, not only among adults but even among children” (29). By this, Carson greatly emphasizes how pesticides can not only affect animals but even humans.... ... middle of paper ... ...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Neolithic Revolution

    1779 Words  | 4 Pages

    With an ever increasing world population, massive third world hunger, and with an estimation that a child dies for every two seconds world-wide from starvation; this does not even take into account the number of people who are mal and undernourished, there is a great promise in the use of this technology to benefit not only the farmers, but also societies worldwide. We have been able to genetically modify plants so that they may be more resistant to insects, so that there is less pesticidal toxins sprayed. We have designed plants that require less water, less soil nutrients, preserving precious recourses. We have designed plants with higher yield, shorter seasons, plants that need less land to grow; we are said to be living in a time where we have the healthiest, most well-tested plants in the history of this

    Read More

  • Impact of Homonegativity on Society

    1434 Words  | 3 Pages

    Before beginning my research, I was very curious about the causes of homonegativity and how they translate into certain effects. Being that I have close friends and family members who have struggled with both internalized homonegativity and societal prejudices, I thought the subject was important to bring attention to. I did not predict how significant the effects of homophobia are on homosexuals, especially living in the most progressive era in U.S. history. Thus, homonegativity is a subject that needs to be taught based on the mental and physical wellbeing of those in the LGBTQ

    Read More

  • Sandburg Vs Carson

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    Carson shows the negativity towards the effects of pesticide

    Read More

  • Legal Drinking Age Essay

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    Legal drinking age varies by many countries. In U.S.A, There has been a lot of debate when it comes to the legal drinking age here in US. When it comes to law. There is always an opinion, some are for it and some are against. When it comes to the legal drinking age being 21 we are totally against it. Many people still say the government should prohibit using alcoholic drinks at the age of 18. Legal adults deserve to be treated as such it is time the arbitrary drinking age of 21 Was lowered to 18, because there is no evidence that the National Minimum Drinking Age Act is effective or protects the people it is intended to protect . The Notional Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed in 1984 in an attempt to decrease the number of drunk driving related accidents. The act threatens to decrease a state’s budget for high way construction and maintenance if it sets its drinking age under 21. According to Cuccoli , “ Keeping the drinking age at such a low age is leading to more cases of binge drinking,” (Cuccoli). Mothers against drunk driving reports that the number of alcohol related fatalities involving a vehicle decreased from 26, 173 to 16, 885 between 1982 and 2005.

    Read More

  • Clinical Psychology Definition Essay

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Oxford Dictionary online, clinical psychology is, “The branch of psychology concerned with the assessment and treatment of mental illnesses and disability” (“Clinical psychology”). While it’s true that a clinical psychologist works to treat and console one’s mental illness and disability, there is much more to what makes a clinical psychologist than what the definition says. To me, being a clinical psychologist means not only helping treat a mental illness but helping the patient cope with different life struggles they may face. A clinical psychologist out of the kindness of their heart opens their ears to people in need and helps them reach a goal of success and happiness.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Overfishing

    1623 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Overfishing occurs when more fish are caught than the population can replace through natural reproduction”. CITATION

    Read More

  • Choosing Psychology as a Career

    1552 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many associate psychology with sitting in a chair in a small office as someone taking notes, asking how you feel about a certain event or feeling, analyzing your deepest secrets and memories. However, it branches off into many other fields. A clinical psychologist’s main job is “to reduce the distress and improve the psychological wellbeing of clients” (Bond). This can include anything from depression, eating disorders, and addiction, to mental illness, family and personal relationships, and learning disabilities (Bond). A clinical psychologist usually will choose to have an emphasis in a certain field such as children and learning disabilities and work in schools or social work facilities, or mental illness and work in a hospital (Bond). According to Vicki Cohen, people “typically are referred or come to therapy because they have a symptom”. These are defined by emotional, social, and or physiological.

    Read More

  • Pesticides Essay

    1456 Words  | 3 Pages

    The pesticide is a controversial topic since farmers are used it to gain their yield. Especially, pesticide is discovered during World War II as a chemical weapon that mixture of multiple chemicals together to kill human. Therefore, Chantries redesign pesticide to kill an organism where and when we don’t want it. Because people want to go to the grocery store to buy the perfect product, pesticide makes it happens and with a little cost for farmers. Nonetheless, pesticide also is the expenditure of life expectancy, which directly threatens people and poses risk of mortality rate. Abusing the pesticide has multiple affects on our society, (Add). (Add thesis)

    Read More

More about Pesticides: Feeding the World

Open Document