Unwanted and undesirable weeds grow in your lawn and throughout your garden. Spiders, various insects and other ‘bugs’ find their way into your home and occur naturally outdoors. You apply herbicides to the plants and insecticides to the critters and for the most part they are highly effective. (Collectively herbicides and insecticides are known as pesticides).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists over 865 registered pesticides under FIFRA, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. It provides for federal regulation of pesticides, their distribution, sale, and use and under its provisions you are assured that they are safe for people.  When you consider the surge in West Nile Virus cases this year and the serious illness and deaths that have resulted it’s clear they are mostly necessary. After all, people’s lives are at stake and all possible steps must be taken to safeguard human safety. Pesticides also help prevent other human diseases and reduce crop loss. However, their extensive and widespread applications raises several questions.

What is their impact on helpful plants and animals? Here are just 2 examples:

• Two EPA approved products, neonicotinoids and clothianidin, are considered less harmful to mammals but very effective against various insects, including beneficial ones like honeybees. However, honeybee populations are plummeting and these chemicals are considered to be a major contributor.

• Scotts Miracle-Gro was recently fined $12.5 million for violating Federal Pesticide Laws for

including pesticides in some of their wild bird food products that are actually toxic to birds.

What about the long term effect of pesticides on humans, either directly and/or indirectly. Are they really harmless, as we’ve been assured? Studies have shown that prolonged use of pesticides could render them ineffective as pests adapt and develop resistance.  Can we live comfortable, insect-free lives without pesticides? Probably not. However, there are many actions you can take to safely minimize them. Here are only a fe

• Foods with the most and those with the fewest pesticides have been researched by and available from the Environmental Working Group.
• The Safe Chemicals Act now before Congress would strengthen the EPA’s authority to screen pesticides and other chemicals for harmful health effects. Urge your legislator to support it.
• Avoid the need for pesticides by keeping food refrigerated and/or in insect proof containers.
• Eliminate areas of outdoor standing water as they are areas where mosquitos breed.
• Landscape with native plants which typically have their own defense against pests.

Apply the principals of Integrated Pest Management to learn more about minimizing pesticides. Another great resource is this site from Purdue University.