Pesticides
Invasive Garden and Landscape Plants
Invasive plants have become a problem nationwide. In natural areas, these non-native plants can sometimes take over and out-compete native plants. When native plants suffer, so do the animals that depend on them for food and habitat. read more...
Health Effects of Chronic Pesticide Exposure
Scientific evidence showing that pesticides are harmful to our health is increasing rapidly. Recently, a review by government researchers looked at links between pesticide exposure and both cancer and nervous system problems and found yet more of this evidence. The review "clearly suggests that at current exposures pesticides adversely affect human health." The review also suggests that the way pesticides are currently regulated, based mostly on studies of laboratory animals, is problematic: the health effects found in the review show that "either animal testing alone or its interpretation in public policy is not sufficient to protect human health. read more...
Minimizing Children's Exposure to Pesticides is Prudent
Do pesticides cause special problems for children? A new review of a series of research studies completed during the last decade suggests that the answer to this question is yes, and that we need to be sure that children are being exposed to pesticides as little as possible. read more...
Ontario Family Physicians Systematic Review
Is there solid scientific evidence to show that pesticide exposure is harmful to human health? Sometimes this question is thought to have a controversial answer, especially among health professionals. However, the Ontario College of Family Physicians just completed a year-long systematic review of published research and concluded that there are "consistent links to serious illnesses." read more...
Preemergent Herbicides on Home Landscapes
In order to achieve a perfect lawn, many people use 'preemergent' herbicides. These are applied before weeds come up in the spring and prevent weed development. read more...
Colony Collapse Disorder in the Pacific Norhtwest
When it comes to growing food crops,the function of honeybees is necessary to plant pollination, providing a key function in the food chain. In the past few years their populations have been declining at astonishing rates. read more...
Childhood Leukemia & Lymphoma And Pesticide Exposure
Two common childhood cancers have been linked to prenatal exposure to household pesticides according to a December 2007 study. read more...
Parkinson's Disease and Pesticide Exposure: New Research
Parkinson's disease affects mostly older people and is characterized by tremors, rigidity, slow movements, and poor balance. It appeared to be a new disease when it was first described as a "shaking palsy" almost 200 years ago. read more...
Eating organic food protects children from pesticide exposure
Children who switched to eating organically-grown food greatly reduced their exposure to organophosphate insecticides. Scientists from Seattle and Atlanta just published the results of their study which linked pesticides in children's urine to pesticide residues on food. Scientists worry that organophosphates might harm children's developing nervous systems. read more...
Minimum Risk Pesticides
Federal law requires that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulate pesticides that are defined to include products such as insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and rodenticides. Pesticides must undergo a registration process that helps identify health and environmental hazards. read more...
