WHEN LOOKING AT the big picture, it seems absurd to tell our children, “Eat your fruits and vegetables,” and then negate some or all of the benefit by serving them pesticide-laden produce.   It is inevitable in modern society that we will be exposed to toxic substances, no matter how careful we are.   This makes it even more important to limit this exposure as much as possible, especially when it involves younger age populations. 

It is also extremely shortsighted to not consider the deleterious long-term effects that modern farming techniques are having on the health of the Earth -- the consequences of which will be suffered by our young people.

In toxicology circles they say "the dose makes the poison," but one must be very cautious when dismissing the effects of a certain toxin, one that by itself may have been shown to have no definite untoward effect with small dose exposure (especially when the tests are often performed by the companies who sell the product).  The long-term effects of the thousands of individual new chemicals that our bodies are exposed to are not known. 

There are also quite possibly synergistic harmful effects of these chemicals – in other words, it is very possible that the total effect of a combination of chemicals is greater than the sum of the effects of these substances when taken independently, i.e. the presence of one chemical may enhance or potentiate the effects of a second chemical.

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The USDA defines organic foods as those that are produced without synthetic pesticides or synthetic chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical additives.

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    A PESTICIDE is a generic term for a substance that is used to combat pests.  Under the pesticide umbrella are insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and rodenticides – used to kill insects, weeds, fungus, and animals.  Herbicides are the most heavily utilized, accounting for about three-fourths of all pesticides applied in the U.S.

 In terms of food or fiber production, a pest is a human derived definition applied to any organism that competes with us for resources.  Of course, Nature does not consider any organism to be a “pest,” any more than it considers a human being to be a pest.

Some pesticides are found naturally in plants (e.g. Neem and Pyrethrins), or are minerals (e.g. Sulfur).  These are far outnumbered by a plethora of man-made (synthetic) chemicals.  Both natural and synthetic pesticides are toxic to humans, but synthetic pesticides have been associated with a greater degree of hazardous environmental and human health impact. 

The Environmental Working Group notes that eating an organic diet can lower the pesticide levels in your body by up to 90%.

SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES  

    ORGANIC FOOD production regulations do not allow food items to be labeled "organic" if they have been treated with synthetic pesticides. 

One problem with synthetic pesticides is that they often contain substances called persistent organic pollutants. The word organic does not always imply a good thing, and in chemistry this usually refers to a substance containing carbon. 

Persistent organic pollutants are typically lipophilic (fat loving) novel substances that resist environmental degradation.  These substances bio-accumulate in fatty tissues and are not easily degraded, because organisms lack previous exposure to them, and therefore have not evolved the detoxification and excretion mechanisms necessary to break down and eliminate these toxins. 

Persistent organic pollutants, similar to heavy metals, will also bio-magnify to greater levels as they move up the food chain.  A familiar example of bio-magnification is seen with mercury.  Mercury gas is a byproduct of coal burning.  Winds blow mercury gas over the sea, rain brings it down into the ocean, and then bacteria change it to a more toxic form.   Algae are exposed to the mercury, and are consumed by plankton.  The plankton is then consumed by small fish, which are subsequently eaten in large quantities by predatory fish, effectively magnifying the levels at each step of the way.

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Persistent organic pollutants are not easily degraded, because organisms lack previous exposure to them, and therefore have not evolved the detoxification and excretion mechanisms necessary to break down and eliminate these toxins.

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When humans consume persistent organic pollutants, obtained from either plant or animal food sources, they put themselves at greater risk for developing cancer.  You can read more at this NIH website here. These substances can also disrupt endocrine, immune, and neurological systems. 

 It is also important to consider that ingested pesticides may be harmful to beneficial human gut bacteria, which are extremely important to the health of our digestive tract as well as the rest of our body.  Pesticides are designed to kill living organisms.

Pesticides are not only dangerous due to relatively immediate effects on humans, but also for the long term environmental consequences of their use.  A Scientific American article discussing pesticide drift notes that the Pesticide Action Network cites research showing that upwards of 95% of pesticides ultimately end up reaching a destination other than the intended species.  This results in the death of many beneficial species, and pollution of air, water and soil.

It is important to consider the effects of synthetic chemicals on all life forms in the soil.  Soil works best when left alone to follow its own natural interconnected and very complex living rhythms, rather than being treated as lifeless dirt that merely acts as a substrate to hold fertilizer and prevent the plant from falling over. 

One teaspoon of healthy soil can contain up to a billion bacteria (represented by over 10,000 different species), one million protozoa, twenty nematodes, and several miles of fungal strands called hyphae.  Working in concert with each other, as well as with earthworms and insects, the vast majority of these organisms are beneficial to plant life – aiding in nutrient cycling and disease suppression.  Our Earth has settled into a system that works very well when left relatively undisturbed.

Synthetic pesticides negatively affect this integrated ecology of the root zone of a plant.  These pesticides can also bind to minerals such as calcium, boron, and manganese, subsequently decreasing bio-availability to the plant.   

Pesticide use also reduces biodiversity, which is defined as the degree of variation in life forms.  Greater biodiversity is associated with greater health of an ecosystem.

BEE CAREFUL

    THE USE OF pesticides has contributed to the precipitous decline of many pollinator species such as honeybees.  The threats to pollinator species are many, and neonicotinoid type insecticides have been implicated as one of the culprits.  Also very damaging to pollinator species are herbicides, which eliminate crucial flowering food sources that these insects feed on.  Other threats to these species include land use change, environment pollution, invasive alien species, pathogens and climate change.   

It is not just honeybees (an introduced species from Europe) that are in trouble.  A report from the Center for Biological Diversity found that of the 1,400 North American native wild bee species studied, more than half are declining and nearly a quarter are at risk of extinction.

Declining bee populations are cause for immense concern, as 75 percent of our food crops and nearly 90 percent of wild flowering plants depend at least to some extent on animal pollination.  A wide diversity of wild pollinators is critical to pollination, even if managed honeybees are present in high numbers.

A study in The Lancet  estimated that a complete loss of pollinator services could reduce global fruit supplies by 23 percent, vegetables by 16 percent, and nuts and seeds by 22 percent – resulting in significant reductions in human micronutrient levels and food intakes.   Clover and alfalfa are also very dependent on pollinator species and are extensively utilized to feed livestock.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP

The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Guide to Pesticides contains a comprehensive ranking of produce relative to their pesticide levels.  As per the above discussion, it is by far better for you and the entire planet to eat only organic produce. 

If there are times when you do not have the option to eat organic food, such as when dining at restaurants or at the home of others, you may wish to refrain from eating fruits and vegetables that are included in the “Dirty Dozen" list.  Peeling helps, but remember that pesticides can also be taken up by the plant as a whole, and are not always located just on the skin. 

If organic foods are not offered or available, you may wish to consider eating from the “Clean 15” list.  Consider giving these lists to your local restaurant owners, family members, and friends.  Also, these recommendations can change so go online for updates.  Check out the EWG website, it is full of great information and evaluates 48 different fruits and vegetables for pesticide residues.

Here is the EWG’s 2018 SHOPPER’S GUIDE TO PESTICIDES:

DIRTY DOZEN (you should always buy these organic):  ranked in order of most pesticide residues found, starting with the highest – strawberries (USDA tests in 2015 demonstrated an average of 7.7 pesticides per sample), spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes, sweet bell peppers.

CLEAN 15 (lowest in pesticide):  ranked in order of least pesticide residues , starting with the lowest – avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, cabbage, onion, sweet frozen peas, papaya, asparagus, mango, eggplant, honeydew, kiwi, cantaloupe, cauliflower, broccoli.  Note, however, that sweet corn and papaya may be genetically modified.          

Remember that it is preferable to eat all organic food; as “Clean 15” foods are not usually absent of pesticides, they just have lower levels.

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Many farmers continue to spray dangerous pesticides on their crops, to lower their costs and increase their short term profits.  However, as profits increase so does risk tolerance – and inappropriately so. 

Some may argue that synthetic pesticide use is necessary to increase yields, to feed the large number of people in the world today.  But, that argument is simply untrue.  There are many currently available – but not commonly implemented – Agroecology methods (more on these later this week) that can significantly increase yields, at times even higher than methods that require synthetic pesticides.  These methods just cost the farmer more money. 

Furthermore, it is infinitely more appropriate to seriously address world overpopulation and land use concerns than to advocate for non-sustainable and dangerous agricultural techniques.

Next time:  GOING ORGANIC PART 2:  Growing Food Without Synthetic Fertilizers.