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As naturalists, impac
Hi Doug & All,
I don't have time to dig out the statistics now but from the post war
period on, when pesticides came into use (and in some cases over use), life
expectancy in Canada continued to climb. Obesity was not a problem in the
dirty thirties when the average person was dirt poor, cold and hungry.
Many factors affect health these days; air tight houses, combined with
low humidity, cause many health problems I think. Our new (in 1981) swanky
lab had humidity as low as 13% (compared to the optimal 60%)... a cause of
constant headache, kidney pains (cold dry air shot down on occupants)...
Carpets, composition furniture, plastics... release many irritating vapors.
By chance, a few weeks ago, I ran into a former farm employee; 96 years
young, still spry and driving. His job in season was to apply orchard sprays
either with a hand held high volume nozzle or a low volume mister. His
personal protection consisted of coveralls (perhaps washed once a year), a
pith helmet and, in windy conditions, goggles.
Even in heavily sprayed food the pesticide content is virtually nil.
And last but not least Doug, ill health was often a fact of life long
before pesticides.
Yt, DW, Kentville
----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas Guptill" <dguptill@accesswave.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2016 11:10 AM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Public consultation re use of pesticide... GMO crops
and loss of weedy species
> On Thu, Feb 04, 2016 at 09:35:25AM -0400, rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca wrote:
>
>> The reason Herbicides  are so much better from a farmers point of
>> view
>> David is that herbicides kill the weeds close to the planted crop.
>> The weeds in the middle of the rows are not very harmful and are easy
>> to control by cultivation.
>> However the weeds close to the plants cause the reduction in yields.
>> They rob moisture, nutrients sunlight and harbour insects but there
>> is no way a farmer can remove them by cultivation. short of the old
>> hand hoe.
>> In addition they make harvesting more difficult by not allowing the
>> crop
>> to dry out in the short days of fall.
>>
>> Farmers tell me herbicides give the best return on investment of
>> all their inputs.
>>
>> But maybe we would like to pay more for food!
>
> I for one, already do. Cannot eat the non-organic stuff without
> suffering unpleasant side effects. So I buy the more expensive
> organic food.
>
> Lately even some organic foods are causing trouble; I am wondering if
> it is not completely pesticide and herbicide free. Or maybe
> neonicotinoids are being used.
>
> I will pay more, much more, for food that is not poisioned. And say
> 'Thank you' for it.
>
> Regards,
> Douglas.
> --
> Bold character derived from stubborn patience and adversity.
>
>
> -----
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