This week we will be addressing how exactly pesticides are destroying not only the environment but you as well. We get it, bugs are annoying, especially the flying ones. Mosquitoes, Flies, Gnats – they just annoy to no end until we snap and SPLAT! That’s when we break out our bug sprays and pesticides when those buzzing creatures destroy our plants and lawns.
However, most pesticides don’t just harm insects and other pests. They harm the entire ecosystem. Hawks, owls, squirrels, skunks, coyotes, foxes, snakes – and depending on where you live; deer, mountain lions, and bobcats can all be affected by pesticides even though they are not the intended target. Here’s a bigger picture. Imagine you have a backyard in which there is grass on the lawn. For this example’s sake, we’ll keep this simple.
There are worms in the dirt. One day you decide to use pesticides on the grass. Then, in the evening, heavy rain washes the pesticides into the dirt. The worms ingest the pesticides along with the dirt. They die quickly, which means that no robins can eat them. That leads to the robin’s predators, foxes or hawks, starving too. They have to eat those robins to survive, and if the robin’s aren’t available anymore due to a decrease in worms, the entire food chain disappears. All because of those pesticides. Keep in mind, that was just an example, however even the examples have truth in them.
When pesticides are sprayed onto gardens and crops, the wind can blow it off, to other areas – harming more ecosystems and environments. When it rains, it can contaminate nearby streams, lakes, ponds, and rivers, eventually flowing into an already threatened-by-carbon-acidification ocean(s). Or they can seep into groundwater, making its way through the water system and your water filtration system straight into your glass of water, making you very sick. Pan-uk.org found out that long term exposure to pesticides have been linked to some development of Parkinson’s disease, asthma, and cancers, including leukemia and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
All in all, most pesticides do more harm than good to the environment, however, there are many alternatives. Either choose natural pesticides* (they are everywhere nowadays) or choose none at all. Plants have their defense system against pests. How do you think they have survived this long? If you choose pesticides, keep in mind you are choosing to continuously destroy your outdoor space, no matter how beautiful it looks. Always look for simple and living, not beautiful and dead!
*Nature Shield Insect and Pest repellent is not only eco-friendly but is cost-efficient too! Neem oil or Insecticidal Soap are also excellent options considering they use natural oils as a repellent. Or you could always plant a couple of carnivorous plants in your garden!!!