This whole debate surrounding the use of chemical vs. organic pesticides has become a subject that shouldn't be ignored at any cost. To put it simply, in this game of good vs. bad, the bottom line almost always is the stopping of the use of these pesticides in farming as soon as possible.
And as always with any subject of debate, there is always a counterpoint that has to be brought up to add to the confusion, but in actuality shouldn't be taken very seriously, you know. Read this study about organic pesticides…
Yes, perhaps the lone argument against this whole "Go Green" revolution that has made a difference in the fruit and vegetables are produced today.
Of course, there are people who have been using these methods for a long time now in their own organic gardening efforts before it really went mainstream.
(Be sure to read the article if you have your garden because it gives some interesting, simple solutions!)
The Need for Organic Pesticides & Farming – Background
It all began with the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) back in 2001, where 10 out of 12 riskiest pollutants were actually pesticides used to produce food.
The agreement was to eliminate nine of the 'dirty dozen' while curtailing the use of DDT to malaria control, therefore setting the stage for the resurgence of organic pesticides and general farming practices.
Something had to be used to destroy pests while not creating the adverse effects that harmed almost everyone and every thing that came into contact with the chemical pesticides, and not just the produce.
If it wasn't known earlier, these chemicals that were banned henceforth were designed to not only take out the pests but pretty much kill everything, when used in dangerous quantities.
Nowadays, the practice of producing fruits and vegetables involves using safer organic pesticides, thanks to customers who are paying attention to the after-effects of using chemical pesticides.
Yet despite these changes, there are certain fruits and vegetables that still contain harmful chemicals that you cannot wash off.
So, here are the fruits and vegetables that you must be careful about: Apples, Celery, Peaches, Strawberries, Domestic blueberries, Nectarines, Sweet bell peppers, Cherries, Potatoes, Lettuce, Imported grapes as well as Spinach, kale and collard greens.
However, there are certain fruits and veggies that have been tested and are found to have no traces of chemicals whatsoever: Onions, Avocados, Sweet corn, Pineapples, Mango, Sweet peas, Asparagus, Kiwi fruit, Cabbage, Eggplant, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Grapefruit, Sweet potatoes and Sweet onions.
And perhaps the answer to why the second list of fruits and veggies are cleaner is perhaps due to the these organic pesticides that are commonly sent.
Organic Pesticides – A List
1. Neem – An Indian (the country in Asia) tree that has been around for centuries and commonly used in households!
2. Rotenone – Derived from the roots of legumes.
3. Pyrethrum – This one is derived from chrysanthemums, and is considered to be one of the safest pesticides as it only knocks down insects.
4. Nicotine Sulfate – This one is from tobacco and is toxic to insects and warm-blooded animals. One should always wear gloves when applying this pesticide.
5. Sabadilla – This one comes from the seeds of a lily and is considered the least toxic organic pesticide but since its dust can be annoying, one must wear protection when coming into contact with it.
6. Sulfur – This one is the oldest pesticide, and apart from being irritating to one's eyes is otherwise not harmful at all.
In Closing
And if you haven't thought of it yet, it's time to "go green" alright…
