I have often talked about the dangers and the prolific use of glyphosates, more commonly known as Roundup®. A far more dangerous insecticide has been in use since the 1990s. Neonicotinoids are used to treat seeds. It is then taken up by the roots where it travels through the vascular system of the plants and into the foliage. Insects that eat the plants then die. The problem is that the non-targeted insects eat those plants as well, so even the beneficial insects, including bees, are killed. It proceeds to travel through the entire food web so that birds that eat the infected insects also become ill. Traces of it are found in the many foods that we ourselves eat. Various forms of neonicotinoids are found in the flea and tick treatments that veterinarians prescribe for your pets. There has been a partial ban on the use of neonicotinoids in Europe since 2013. New Jersey, Maine, and Nevada have also placed bans on their use other than by professionals; and California has recently banned them from over-the-counter sales. Why do they wait to impose the bans so long after the damage has already been done?
Chlorpyrifos are another widely used form of pesticides. Our morning cup of joe is saturated with insecticides, pesticides, fungicides, and synthetic fertilizers. They are found not just in agricultural products, but also in golf course turf, treated wood, fence posts, and utility poles. They are used to eradicate mosquitoes and fire ants. Most of the foods that we eat contain dangerous amounts of these chemicals. They are in our apples, oranges, strawberries, citrus fruits, wheat, and corn. They are in our bodies and in the bodies of our children. The names of the numerous products that are classified as chlorpyrifos and neonicotinoids are almost impossible to pronounce. I am not even sure that the scientists who create them or those who use them, can pronounce them. I wonder if this is to somehow provide the illusion that the creators are smarter than the average consumer?
On some level I believe that we all know the truth. We know that we are playing with fire. As long as we continue to allow these poisons to be released into our world and into our environment, as long as we ignore what is happening right under our noses, this evil will persist. We will continue to have autoimmune diseases and unexplained illnesses. All the while, the scientists, the manufacturers, the agriculture industry, and the medical and pharmaceutical industries will continue to achieve huge profits – at the expense of all other life on Earth.
