 Imagine sitting back and enjoying a succulent red apple. It is composed of juicy crunchy fleshy insides with a sweet fresh flavor. It's so indulgent that it makes your mouth water. Now think about all the pest that would also enjoy this very apple. There are a lot of them, however, they would ruin the quality of the apple if they were to get inside to enjoy the delicious substances. To make sure that these apples are only for our enjoyment, chemicals have been created to kill off these pests. These chemicals are called pesticides, and they are used on crops worldwide. So while you are enjoying an apple; you are also getting a taste of pesticides residue that is sitting on the surface, or has seeped into the fruit via pores. Pesticides come in wide ranges such as insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and other compounds. These chemicals cause controversy and questions of "Are they safe" have arisen. As a healthy individual, I invest my time in eating healthy meals that include a wide variety of fresh produce. However, if pesticides could possibly have a negative effect on the outcome my life and my environment, I would like to be informed so I could make the best food-related decisions.

The use of pesticides is an effective way to stimulate a healthy economy, however, many hazardous issues come along with using these chemicals. A heightened interest in the negative impact of these chemicals has become more of a concern in America. As consumers of the various amount of produce that pesticides are applied to, we have to accept and trust the use of pesticides in order to have a healthy economy. Although the negative attribute is of great concern, we cannot afford to get rid of pesticides. 

During the mid 20th century, the world population increased. In India, many counts of famine, hunger, and malnutrition plagued the country. The government had to import food because their county could not make enough to satisfy the needs of the people (WWOOF). As a result of this epidemic, technology in India took a turn for the better of its people; this was the start of the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution was a switch from traditional farming to chemical farming that produced higher yields. This was due to the use of pesticides. The beginning production of pesticides began in India in 1952 (Aktar). During this time chemical farming started to become an effective way of producing healthy and numerous crops. 10 years after this change in farming, production of wheat in India doubled from 12million tons to over 20 million tons according to (Fresco). This increase in crops enough to feed all of their people. This new way of farming proved to be useful. It was estimated that millions of Indians would die of famine by the 70s, however, the green revolution was an impactful way to reverse such things from happening (WWOOF).

While the green revolution was cultivating the Asian continent, World War 2 was ending and pesticide use skyrocketed. While Lyndon Johnson was president and he had important decisions to make concerning the use of pesticides. He was put under pressure to cultivate these new ways of farming by the western farmers of the United States. He also wanted to prevent India from having any influence with the Soviet Union (Fresco). Scientist agreed with his decision to start using pesticides. A competition developed where scientist were in a race to "Feed the World" (Fresco). This lead to the creation of DDTs (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and other powerful chemicals. These substances were easy to use, effective, and inexpensive (Damalas). Even though these chemicals have been proven to help countries with food troubles, pesticides have had negative effects on the environment, living species, and humans. 

3 billion kg of pesticides are used worldwide (Pimentel). In the united states alone, 500 million kg of pesticides are used yearly and cost about $10 billion (Pimentel). These chemicals are so widely used that human exposure and contamination is bound to happen. There is indirect and direct exposure to pesticides. The farmers and agricultural people have a more hands-on experience with the chemicals, while we, people who do not work in that field, have indirect contact with pesticides. However, these chemicals are still everywhere around us and they cause a wide variety of health problems in humans. Since the majority of the population does not directly handle pesticides, we must be informed of the dangers they can still cause to our health.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in women (Watts). As the increase in pesticide use grew throughout the late 90s, so did the reports of breast cancer. According to Mariel Watts, reports of breast cancer rose 30-40 percent. This rise in percentage was connected with the increase of synthetic chemical usage around the world. Watts writes, "80% of breast cancer is thought to be associated with environmental factors". This is because more than 50% of breast cancer cases are "unexplained" (Watts). The Chemical found in pesticides, DDT, has been evaluated in epidemiological studies. In these studies, a link between the residue of DDT and breast cancer have been seen as an increased risk. Pesticides may increase the risk of breast cancer because they are mammary carcinogens. This means pesticides increase the risk of developing cancer causing cells in mammary glands because the chemicals that make up the substances are toxic to the human body. Not only do pesticides increase the risk, but they also promote the growth of harmful cancer causing cells. There is a 10-fold increase of carcinogens when someone is exposed (Watts). There are over 100 types of pesticides that increase the risk of breast cancer in women. Cancer in women is not the only health-related problem said to be caused by pesticides. 

The chemical organophosphate has been banned from being an ingredient in pesticide formulas. Since then a new and "safer" chemical has replaced it. This chemical is called pyrethroids and the use of it has escalated since the 21th century. However, it was proven that this chemical causes symptom of hyperactivity, ADHD, in children . Tanya Froehlich, an expert at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital, carried out a study that provided a connection between ADHD and pesticides. In this study they urine tested young boys between the ages eight and fifteen.  It was found that the boys who had detectable levels of pyrethroid in their urine were at 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. Every 10-fold of the chemical found was a 50% increase in hyperactivity (Devon). 

Farmers themselves have additional health problems because they handle the application and use of pesticides directly. Since farmers are so hands on, health related issue is rampant amongst them. Some of these problems include prostate cancer, leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myelomas, soft tissue sarcoma, and much more (Alavanja). A more serious interest in the correlation between Parkinson's disease in farmers and pesticides have been studied. Since there is a link between this disease and people who live in rural areas of the world, the risk factor is heightened. 12 of 20 studies, more than half, have all had a positive correlation with Parkinson's and pesticides. Also, respiratory problems among farmers are chronic. The people who directly apply the chemicals usually suffer from asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis (Pimentel). During the time of increased pesticide use, around 1950-1990s, sperm count in men declined by 50%. This is because pesticides have been linked to sterility (Pimentel). Farmers suffer a substantial amount and their health is at risk everyday.

The health related problems linked to pesticide exposure is detrimental. On a worldwide count, there are about 500,000 pesticide poisoning cases and 5000 deaths due to pesticides are reported each year (Woodward). The largest number of death are in the third world and developing countries (Wilson and Tisdell).  In just the United States alone, there are about 67,000 cases of pesticide poisoning annually (Woodward). Not only do pesticides have a devastating effect on human life, but also on other living species. 

"More than one-third of the world's crop production is dependent on bee pollination," says Marla Speak. Bees are one of the most important part of producing produce. They are the most important pollinators for most fruits and vegetables. In the US alone, bees are estimated to benefit agriculture by $40 billion a year (Pimentel). However, since World War 2, the number of bee colonies have declined. This is due to the new way of farming and the increasing use of pesticides. Pesticides are on the loads of pollen that bees carry home to feed to their colonies (Spivak). Almost every amount of pollen bees brings home has at least for or more detectable pesticides in it. If these chemicals are applied in high doses, bees can die instantly. Lower dosages can cause a bee to be intoxicated and not find its way home. This is a problem because all the bees in a colony are interconnected and count on each other to make they prosper as a whole. Also, herbicides, a form of pesticides, kill off flowing plants that bees need to survive. These flowing plants are vital to bees' survival (Spivak). Bees are of great economical value (Werf). We cannot risk the elimination of bees. 20% of bees are negatively affected by pesticides (Pimentel) and we cannot afford to lose any more bee colonies. Not only are bees at risk, but other living species like marine life do not stand a chance against these chemicals. 

 Marine life is fragile and changes in the ecosystem can be harmful to many other ecosystems that rely on it. When pesticides enter aquatic ecosystems through runoffs, it causes the loss of many organisms (Wilson and Tisdell). Fish, shrimp, and mussels can be killed as a direct effect of pesticides that runoff into the water where these organisms live. Pimentel states that 6-14 million fish are killed by pesticides each year and it's impossible to report all fish that has suffered due to pesticides. This means that there is an underestimate of the actual amount since all fish can not be accounted for (Pimentel). Algae, which is one of the most important species in the aquatic ecosystem, can be harmed even at low levels (Aktar). The pesticides cause cells to be damaged, stunt growth, and block photosynthesis (Aktar). Flowing waters can help reduce the concentration of pesticides, however, marine life is still affected by those chemicals being in the water. 

Being that pesticides can easily effect living species, imagine the toll the environment takes. Not only are pesticides contaminating living species, but they are also poisoning the environment. Werf writes, "in most studies the proportion of pesticides applied reaching the target pest has been found to be less than 0.3%, so 99.7% went 'somewhere else' in the environment". The application of pesticides is a big reason why they are being spread to other areas then what is expected. The most common way of application is by spraying liquids on the crop or on the soil. The soil is a major part of growing and harvesting crops. Since most produce is soil grown, pesticides are more than often trapped there. This creates soil contaminations. The better organic matter in the soil, the greater risk for pesticides to be absorbed. This ruins the fertility of the soil because beneficial micro-organisms thrive in that environment. When they are harmed, then the soil loses its quality. This causes the soil to degrade and erode. The use of these pesticides build up over time and eventually the soil becomes damaged and lacks nutrients. Plants can also absorb the pesticides by the plant roots. In turn, this travels all throughout the plant and to the pollen making source which affects the bees. Not only is the soil being polluted, but so is the air.

Another popular way of applying pesticides aircraft and up to 50%-70% may drift away from the targeted area (Pimentel). This gives rise to volatilization (Werf). Volatilization means that the pesticides evaporate rapidly and turn into vapor then travel through the atmosphere. Up to 80-90% of pesticides can be volatilized after a few days of application (Aktar). The result of this is air contamination. Air contaminated by pesticides is a growing problem. The USGS, US Geological Survey's, has reported that pesticide residue has been detected in all sampled areas in the United States of America (Aktar). This means the not only are we breathing in oxygen, by we are also taking in pesticides that fumigate the air. Although these chemicals don't have a specific smell, they are present all around us. Pesticides can even make their way into the water we drink.

Bodies of water such as rivers and streams have been contaminated by the use of pesticides. The USGS, have found that 90 percent of water contained one or more pesticide samples (Aktar). This includes all major rivers to have contained at least one pesticide that has polluted it (Cox). In the US, nearly one-half of the groundwater has pollution potential (Pimentel). This is a problem because half of the population gets their water from wells, and when the groundwater is contaminated, the pesticide residue remains for a long time (Pimentel) The results of this problem are widespread and affects many countries. Not only is groundwater contaminated with pesticides hard to clean, but it is also costly. According to Pimentel, it would take $2 billion annually to get rid of all the pesticides that contaminate the ground water. 

Though the impact of pesticides is negative and effect every part of the environment, these chemicals are essential for the economy. It is said that we have to endure the negative aspects to reap the positive attributes that pesticides bring. In a way, we all accept the negative benefits. An example of this is: when we go to the grocery store and we are in the produce section, we look for the produce that looks the best. Produce that does not have scratches, bruises, discoloration, or small nibbled holes are the ones we purchase. This is because we do not want to eat food that has been affected in any way. And to prevent that, pesticides have to be used to kill off the invading pest. Insects ruin 15% of crops, disease pathogens ruin 13% and other harvesting problems ruin 10% of crops. Pesticides are needed to reduce these percent's (Damalas).

Pesticides are also responsible for bringing in revenue for an economy. The higher the yields, the more economic return there is. This revenue could then be put towards children's education, medical care, or other important things that make an economy prosper. In the US, it is estimated that the economic return from pesticides use is $16 billion (Damalas). Without pesticides, more than $20 billion would be lost annually. 

Better quality food, appearance, safety, and higher yield allow for better nutrition in communities. Healthier people are happier people which are a great contribute to society because they are more productive. The average life expectancy in the US has risen to an average of 78 because people are exposed to healthier food options. This combats the many diseases that one could develop. Evidence shows that eating fruits and vegetables regularly reduce the risk of many cancers, high blood pressure and other chronic diseases (Aktar).

The controversies associated with pesticides are apparent. The downside to pesticides includes health problems like breast cancer, ADHD, and other chronic diseases. On the contrary, communities would be suffering without them. It may go against many ethical and moral beliefs, but we have to accept the adversities to continue to live the life we live today. The united states invest a lot in pesticides and our economy and the people of our country have thrived from this. Are we willing to give that up to really save the environment and living species when the damages are irreversible?

