Pesticides and You…….Transition Streets 3.5
Large scale, industrial farming, both for food and for things like cotton, has relied on pesticides to maintain their production rates. Any monoculture is open to “weeds” and “pest insects” because the natural balance has been broken.
Quick information on Pesticides [pdf]
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The most common pesticides
1. Glyphosate: Also known as Monsanto’s Roundup
Used on GMO soy, corn, canola, and cotton, and in home gardens and public parks
May cause birth defects, neurological disorders, fertility issues, and cancer
2. Atrazine: Used to kill weeds
Will affect the endocrine system, and may cause increased risk of birth defects, infertility and possibly cancer
3. Chlorpyrifos: Widely used in home and garden settings
Often used on cotton, almonds, oranges, apples, and corn
May cause headaches, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and blurred vision
More severe effects include respiratory paralysis, increased risk of children born with lower IQs, and potential for ADHD
4. Metolachlor: Used on corn, soy, sorghum, and on lawns and trees
May cause cancer, difficulty breathing, nausea, convulsions, and jaundice
5. Metam sodium: Used as fumigant and pesticide for potatoes
May cause nausea, difficulty breathing, vomiting, damage to thyroid, hormone disruption, and birth defects
Tom Danby, Moonee Valley Sustainability, 2020