1. Technology Will Destroy Our Planet By: Nicole Marson PESTICIDES

2. WHAT ARE PESTICIDES? Any toxic substance used to kill animals or plants that are considered pests. A pest can be an Insect Weed Bacteria Fungus Rodent Fish Or any other troublesome organism (NPIC1, n.d.). 3. WHAT ARE PESTICIDES CONT. There are many household items that contain pesticides such as certain gardening products, insect repellants, tick sprays for dogs etc. There are low-high risk pesticides. Low-toxicity pesticides are labeled with the word CAUTION whereas higher risk pesticides are labeled with WARNING or DANGER (NPIC, n.d.). Risk is reduced by making sure pesticides are not touched, inhaled, or consumed (NPIC, n.d.). Here is a website that gives common active ingredients in insecticides and specific information for each ingredient http://npic.orst.edu/ingred/specchem.html RISK = TOXICITY x EXPOSURE 4. HISTORY OF PESTICIDES First Generation pesticides contained arsenic and hydrogen cyanide. These were highly toxic and not very effective. Second generation pesticides are made of synthetic carbon containing compounds. The very first important pesticide, a second generation pesticide, was DDT. Discovered by Swiss chemist Paul Muller in 1939. DDT was popular because it did not break down easily in the environment so you did not have to reapply often, it was not water soluble, it was inexpensive, and it was toxic to a large amount of pests (People, n.d.). 5. HISTORY OF PESTICIDES CONT. DDT had huge toxicity issues due to bioconcentration, the rate a compound collects in an organisms body. As well as biomagnification, the increase in concentration up the food chain as animals ingest other animals with the compound inside them. DDT caused birds to produce thinner egg shells which would crack on incubation. DDT killed harmful insects but many useful ones as well, endangered many species of fish and bird, and caused the extinction of the peregrine falcon. Even seals miles and miles away could be found with DDT in their system. 1973 DDT was banned in the United States. New chemicals are made to be less persistent, however this poses risk of contaminating water supply. Newer chemicals are more acutely toxic. 6. WHY WE USE PESTICIDES Control disease organisms such as disease carrying insects or pests. To protect against damage, for example using pesticides against termites. Sterilization of indoor areas, for example hospitals, dental offices, and/or houses Protect crop supplies and increase production 7. ISSUES CONCERNING PESTICIDES Pesticides can be purchased by local consumers who do not read the labels and do not know how to correctly handle these chemicals. Long term exposure is usually not tested before pesticides are put out on the market. Many flaws are currently evident in pesticide registration that puts harmful chemicals into the hands of consumers. Many active ingredients in pesticides are known to be disease-causing but can still be released if the EPA, United States Environmental Protection Agency, deems that the pesticides economic, social, or environmental benefits outweighs the risks (Toxicsaction, n.d.). 8. ANIMAL EXTINCTION AND PESTICIDES Animal extinction has the ability to drastically effect the whole ecosystem around us. For example, when the gray wolf was mass exterminated an increase in elk was seen. An increase in elk meant a decrease in trees and shrubs thus leading to less food and cover for song birds, threatening their population. About 90% of the nations streams and rivers are contaminated by pesticides, thus affecting fish and the drinking water of both animals and humans (Huff, 2010). Low level exposure or high level exposure indirectly and directly effects many species throughout the world. 1 million bats in northeastern United States have died from diseases caused by pesticides and 1,800 species of sea inhabitants face extinction (Huff, 2010). Pesticides are carried by wind, food consumption, direct contact, and water run off. 9. IN RECENT NEWS: THE HONEYBEES Honeybee extinction has been a topic of concern in the news throughout the past years. The U.S. department of agriculture states that 1/3 of the food we consume comes from insect-pollinated plants; the honeybee is responsible for 80% of that pollination (FoxNews, 2011). Pesticides are suspected to be one of the major factors of honey bee deaths. Specifically a chemical found in many pesticides called neonicotinoids. Colony Collapse Disorder refers to the massive honey bee loss which Is happening worldwide. Without honey bees humans would have to pollinate plants by themselves. Since humans and animals, such as cattle, feed from plants humans alone cannot keep up pollination at the rate needed to sustain life. Scientists estimate that if the honeybees die out, the rest of humanity will follow within a mere two years (Savethebeecampaign, n.d.). From ThisTo This 10. INSECTICIDES MASS DESTROY THE ALREADY ENDANGERED BUMBLE BEE 11. EFFECTS ON THE HUMAN BODY We are exposed to pesticides through our nose, mouth, and skin. A Number of studies have directly linked pesticide exposure with the following diseases: Alzheimer's Disease Asthma Birth defects which increase infant death Cancer Diabetes Endocrine disruption Learning/developmental disorders Parkinsons Disease Sexual/Reproductive Dysfunction Body burden 12. TO CONCLUDE Pesticides are not well regulated Cause disease and death Benefits outweighing the risk should not matter if suffering or death occurs The world is too dependent on chemicals Long term effects not studied before put out into the market ex DDT If pesticides cause extinction of animals, ex the honeybees, the human race will go endangered. 13. REFERENCES Beyondpesticides. (n.d.). Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database. Retrieved from http://www.beyondpesticides.org/health/bodyburden.php FoxNews. (2011). Bee Colony Collapses Could Threaten U.S. Food Supply. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269701,00.html Huff, Ethan. (2010). Pesticides are killing birds, bees, and bats by the millions. Retrieved from http://www.naturalnews.com/027971_pesticides_bees.html NPIC. (n.d.). Low-Risk Pesticides. Retrieved from http://npic.orst.edu/ingred/lowrisk.html 14. REFERENCES NPIC1. (n.d.). Pesticides in drinking water. Retrieved from http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/drinkingwater.pdf People. (n.d.). A History of Pesticide Use. Retrieved from http://people.oregonstate.edu/~muirp/pesthist.htm Savethebeecampaign. (n.d.). Honeybees Are Dying Out!. Retrieved from http://savethebeecampaign.webs.com/honeybeesaredyingout.htm Toxicsaction. (n.d.). The problem with pesticides. Retrieved from http://www.toxicsaction.org/problems-and-solutions/pesticides