Written by: Kiya Tavascia
Before pesticides were available in Canada, people made their own pesticide-like mixtures that included salts, fluorine, plant-derived products, mercury, copper, sulphur, petroleum oil, sulfuric acid, and some arsenites. The first pesticides became available after World War II and the most commonly used pesticides were DDT for insect control, phenoxy herbicides for weed control, and captan and a series of dithiocarbamates for the control of fungal disease of plants. Despite all their help, there are clear and harmful effects of pesticide use.
Pesticides are terrible for the environment, wildlife, and humans. They can inflict health problems and harm wildlife, both for the intended and unintended species. When it rains, the pesticides are washed off plants, carried into a nearby water source, contaminates it, then kills the wildlife in that space. These chemicals are not healthy for anyone to ingest and it is imperative we stop using them.
Today, many different forms of synthetic compounds are available. Pesticides sold today are tested before they are put on the market to ensure maximum safety. These tests look for possible side effects of tumor formation, birth defects, and genetic damage, as well as the environmental impact of the chemicals. Even through many tests, they are still not good for us or the environment.
Rather than using pesticides, farms should:
- Put up barriers/guards around plants (Works better for smaller farms)
- Make their own pest control using natural ingredients
- Plant crops that pests are not attracted to
- Try companion planting as a natural pest deterrent
- Get rid of any unneeded pots, debris, and boards where pests like to hide
- Hand-pull weeds before they take over
- Use cloth wrap covers to keep pests away while letting light and moisture in
- Mulch between plants
By trying some of these natural pest deterrents, farmers would be able to maintain a healthy garden, have little to no pests, and have food that is safe for people, wildlife, and the environment.
Works Cited:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/pesticide
Image Sources:
http://www.environmentnorth.ca/issues/content/articles/article/should-we-be-spraying-glyphosate/c/3
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