Organophosphates are like the primary insecticide used worldwide. How do you replace it? I don't see anywhere where they propose an alternative.
You don't replace it. Instead, we need to adjust our thinking when it comes to growing food.
Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
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Re: Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
#12Re: Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
#13Organophosphates are like the primary insecticide used worldwide. How do you replace it? I don't see anywhere where they propose an alternative.
You don't replace it. Instead, we need to adjust our thinking when it comes to growing food.
So you mean, grow much less of it, and at greater cost? You know what else presents a risk of "reduced IQs, memory and attention deficits"? Malnutrition, the world's most potent inhibitor of intelligence.
Re: Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
You don't replace it. Instead, we need to adjust our thinking when it comes to growing food.
So you mean, grow much less of it, and at greater cost? You know what else presents a risk of "reduced IQs, memory and attention deficits"? Malnutrition, the world's most potent inhibitor of intelligence.
Essentially, yes. The "green revolution" is an illusion and its effects cannot be sustained. We need to gradually back down to a place where humans can grow enough food for themselves without also poisoning themselves and without exhausting soil fertility.
Re: Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
#15https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/rmpp_6t... EPA has this little chapter on organophosphates. Seems like this class of pesticides is well known to be toxic to humans.
I think there will be a time in the future when we'll look back and think how crazy people were in 2018 pumping all kinds of known toxins into the environment. It will probably be the same incredulity we have when we look at people using radium toothpaste in 1920 or the mad hatters working with mercury the whole day and going crazy.
Re: Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
#16Organophosphates are like the primary insecticide used worldwide. How do you replace it? I don't see anywhere where they propose an alternative.
I mean, its sorta why GMOs exist. To reduce the need of pesticides that are sprayed on farms. I've always considered GMOs to be the lesser evil when compared to standard pesticide usage. Not all produce have a insect-resistant type however. So pesticides are still needed to protect certain plants.
How does it work in practice though? Monsanto's RoundUp hasn't been getting rave reviews lately ...
Re: Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
#17Organophosphates are like the primary insecticide used worldwide. How do you replace it? I don't see anywhere where they propose an alternative.
Distributed farming. If you grow all your food in one area, guess where the insects are going to go...
The monoculture status quo certainly takes some of the blame. In a balanced ecosystem, no one pest can gain a foothold because the ecosystem supports natural predators, and the foodsource is spread out enough that the pest population won't reach a critical mass.
Re: Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
#18Organophosphates are like the primary insecticide used worldwide. How do you replace it? I don't see anywhere where they propose an alternative.
I mean, its sorta why GMOs exist. To reduce the need of pesticides that are sprayed on farms. I've always considered GMOs to be the lesser evil when compared to standard pesticide usage. Not all produce have a insect-resistant type however. So pesticides are still needed to protect certain plants.
I do not agree with the current bout of GMO scaremongering, but I think your first sentence is off the mark. I heard from the friends on the biotech side (and sorry, do not have a citation) that many current GMO cultures are engineered specifically for high pesticide tolerance so farms can pump in pesticides to kill all other flora and fauna without killing specific crops.
So, GMO good (or allows for significant benefits), current products kind-of pretty bad. My 2c.
Re: Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
#19Let's "kill 2 birds with one stone" and also fight the obesity crisis by having children pick weeds. Call it a "Synergy class between botany science and physical education".
Edit: The suggestion that children learn a basic trade, while getting exercise, and providing economic benefit, seems very unpopular. Please suggest a better solution for these problems - maybe you think adults would benefit more from this?
Re: Ban organophosphate pesticides to protect children's health, experts say
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
You don't replace it. Instead, we need to adjust our thinking when it comes to growing food.
So you mean, grow much less of it, and at greater cost? You know what else presents a risk of "reduced IQs, memory and attention deficits"? Malnutrition, the world's most potent inhibitor of intelligence.
>So you mean, grow much less of it, and at greater cost?
Yes.
>You know what else presents a risk of "reduced IQs, memory and attention deficits"? Malnutrition
Okay, so no matter what we're reducing IQ, memory and attention. So why not ban them?