Pest Control

Pests Biological Pests –any species that competes with us for food, invades lawns and gardens, destroys food, and spreads disease ~100 species of organisms cause 90% of crop damage worldwide.

Pesticides Natural or synthetic Broad spectrum vs. selective Herbicide Insecticide Fungicide Rodenticide Broad spectrum vs. selective

Current Pesticide Use 5.3 billion pounds used in US annually. Applied to food crops, cotton, fruit trees US accounts for 1/3 of worldwide pesticide usage

Pesticide Benefits Disease Control Crop Protection (profitable) Increase food supply

Pesticide Problems Negative effects on non-target species Persistent Ex. DDT-bioaccumulation Nonpersisent Kill beneficial predators Pesticide treadmill Contaminate surface and groundwater

Pesticide Protection Laws in the U.S. EPA, USDA, FDA regulate the sales of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). EPA has only evaluated the health effects of 10% of the active ingredients of all pesticides

Alternatives To Pesticide Use There are cultivation, biological, and ecological alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides. Fool the pest through cultivation practices. Crop Rotation to disrupt life cycles Growing in Pest-Free Zones Adjusting Planting Times Mix plants (polyculture instead of monoculture) Intercropping Provide homes for the pest enemies. Implant genetic resistance. Use pheromones to lure pests into traps. Use hormones to disrupt life cycles. Mulch to control weeds

Alternatives to Pesticides Biological Controls Use of predators and parasites to regulate pest populations Praying mantis Lady bugs Wasps Bees \

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Uses a variety of techniques to minimize pesticide inputs Goal is to reduce crop damage to an economically tolerable level

What Can You Do? Reducing Exposures to Pesticides Grow some of your own food Buy organic food Wash and scrub all fresh fruits and veggies Eat less meat Trim the fat from meat