Aux Etats-Unis, les cultures OGM ont provoqué une hausse de la consommation d’herbicides par les agriculteurs : + 172 000 tonnes entre 1996 et 2008, selon le rapport d’une association spécialisée dans la sécurité alimentaire, The Organic Center.

Dans son rapport intitulé “Impacts des cultures génétiquement modifiées sur l’emploi de pesticides aux États-Unis”, basé sur les données du ministère de l’Agriculture américain, The Organic Center déclare que l’utilisation d’herbicides a flambé au cours des dernières années, augmentant de 172 000 tonnes entre 1996 (année de l’autorisation des premiers OGM) et 2008. Près de la moitié de cette augmentation est survenue en 2007 et 2008. En revanche, les quantités d’insecticides épandues ont baissé de 29 000 tonnes. La balance des pesticides reste donc largement négative. Et la tendance s’accentue.

Les super-mauvaises herbes

En cause, les méchantes super-mauvaises herbes, qui ont développé des résistances aux herbicides, naturellement ou par transfert de gènes. Les agriculteurs confrontés à ce nouveau fléau sont donc amenés à multiplier les traitements. D’une part, ils paient les graines trois fois plus cher (l’innovation a un prix), d’autre part, le coût des traitements phytosanitaires grimpe à vue d’oeil. Ce qu’on appelle un fiasco total, pour une technologie censée réduire les intrants et les coûts de production ? Aucun problème, rétorquent les semenciers, “si un agriculteur a le sentiment qu’une culture apporte plus de problèmes que d’avantages, ils cesseront de l’utiliser” a déclaré Mike Wach, directeur général de Biotechnology Industry Organization, un groupement de semenciers. Monsanto s’est en outre refusé à tout commentaire. Circulez…

La suite de l’article : http://www.lesmotsontunsens.com/les-ogm-augmentent-nettement-la-consommation-de-pesticides-6263

Recently I met with Yamada Yoriyuki (山田順之), Manager of the Office of Global Environment at constructino company Kajima and a leader in bringing biodiversity ideas to Japanese corporations. He showed me the new interactive illustration Kajima created of an integrated sustainable city, where bees pollinate community gardens, school fields are mowed by goats, falcons provide crow control, rivers support animal life, hospitals have healing gardens, and plants and animals contribute to a better environment.

Yamada’s vision for new urbanism is holistic, with the widest variety of wildlife improving human life. Contrary to the government’s minimal regulations, Yamada boldly states, “I am not interested in greening.” Instead of applying green to existing projects, Yamada emphasizes habitat and culture. Habitat requires links between insects and birds, bees and food, trees and birds, clean water and fish. As an anthropologist, I was also pleased to hear Yamada emphasize culture as key to creating social change in cities. Yamada cites the importance of “eight million kami“ (ya-o-yorozu no kami or 八百万の神), a Shinto belief in animism and the presence of spirits in an infinite number of natural beings and materials.

In addition to working with Kajima and the Japanese Business Initiative for Biodiversity, Yamada is very hands-on. He explained how he monitors honeybees on Kajima’s Ikebukuro dormitory using GPS and biking along a 2 kilometer radius. From his observations, he sees urban honeybees avoiding park and street trees because pesticides have made them unsafe, and preferring instead small gardens grown by residents.

Yamada also cites the Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker as a key indicator species. Because it travels relatively short distance, urban habitat requires a series of interconnected parks and street trees creating a green web. I find this idea of the ecological connection between large public spaces and individual gardens very inspiring.

I also highly recommend the article he co-authored: Kumagai, Yoichi and Yoriyuki Yamada. “Green Space Relations with Residential Values in Downtown Tokyo: Implications for Urban Biodiversity Conservation.” Local Environment, Routledge Press, Vol. 13, No. 2, 141–157, March 2008.

http://www.appomattoxnews.com/2009/epa-proposes-new-pesticide-labeling.html

By Staff Reports on 4 November 2009

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rolled out proposed guidance for new pesticide labeling to reduce off-target spray and dust drift. The new instructions, when implemented, will improve the clarity and consistency of pesticide labels and help prevent harm from spray drift. The agency is also requesting comment on a petition to evaluate children’s exposure to pesticide drift.

“The new label statements will help reduce problems from pesticide drift,” said Steve Owens, the assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. “The new labels will carry more uniform and specific directions on restricting spray drift while giving pesticide applicators clear and workable instructions.”

The new instructions will prohibit drift that could cause adverse health or environmental effects. Also, on a pesticide-by-pesticide basis, EPA will evaluate scientific information on risk and exposure based on individual product use patterns. These assessments will help the agency determine whether no-spray buffer zones or other measures – such as restrictions on droplet or particle size, nozzle height, or weather conditions – are needed to protect people, wildlife, water resources, schools and other sensitive sites from potential harm.

In addition to the draft notice on pesticide-drift labeling, EPA is also seeking comment on a draft pesticide drift labeling interpretation document that provides guidance to state and tribal enforcement officials. A second document provides background information on pesticide drift, a description of current and planned EPA actions, a reader’s guide explaining key terms and concepts, and specific questions on which EPA is seeking input. These documents and further information are available in docket EPA–HQ–OPP–2009–0628 at http://www.regulations.gov.

In a second Federal Register notice, EPA is also requesting comment on a petition filed recently by environmental and farm worker organizations. The petitioners ask EPA to evaluate children’s exposure to pesticide drift and to adopt, on an interim basis, requirements for “no-spray” buffer zones near homes, schools, day-care centers, and parks. EPA will evaluate this new petition and take whatever action may be appropriate after the evaluation is complete. For further information and to submit comments, please see docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0825 athttp://www.regulations.gov.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/spraydrift.htm

Chilliwack reviews its use of pesticides on school property

By JANET STEFFENHAGEN 29 OCT 2009

Chilliwack school district will review its use of pesticides to determine if there are more environmentally friendly alternatives, the Chilliwack Progress reports.

Board chair John-Henry Harter made the motion at Tuesday’s board meeting, saying: “Personally, I would like to see us use environmentally friendly alternatives. But as a board, we don’t know what our current pesticide use is. We need more information.”

Harter made the motion after The Progress asked if the board has a policy on pesticide use. It doesn’t

Spraying of cosmetic pesticides on school property is limited to fence lines, building perimeters and parking lots, and is always outside of school time, and never on sports fields, the newspaper reports. The district applies pesticides in early spring and again in August before the students return to school.

The product currently used by the district is one per cent Roundup, or glysophate, and one per cent MCPA, or Amine 500, mixed with water.

“I don’t think we can be careful enough really, especially when we’re talking about young children,” said trustee Heather Maahs, supporting the motion.

Sometimes it is the little things in life that make you the most happy. I have not had to have the flea hunt for two whole days now so life is great over here. Thank you Hot Shot, No Mess Fogger!!! My son found his iPod last night which had been missing for almost 4 weeks. We had all looked for it many times to no avail and then he lost his ring in the couch( yes, he is special like that ) and found the iPod (and the ring) stuck on top of the mechanism that opens the leg rest. We are all healthy and well. My website is getting some decent traffic (www.digitalcraftlounge.com) and I am enjoying all the work and research involved in that. New tools, new products, new ideas that keep me awake at night but in a good way. Health, happiness, work and enough money to pay for our needs – what more could I possibly ask for (okay, an acceptance letter from UT for my son would be a nice addition). That’s the funny thing about blessings. Sometimes they are like the fleas – around in abundance- but we still would be happy to have more (not so much with the fleas). At other times it seems like somebody has cut in line in front of us and stolen all our blessings because all we seem to be getting is the crap. I have been in both places as most of us have but I try to remember to be grateful no matter what the situation. I have had more than my fair share of crappy stuff I’ll admit but I am equally blessed every day. Sometimes the fact that the day is finally over is the high point but if I get a tomorrow there is always another chance for happiness. I saw the movie Blindside yesterday and it was a great picture but made you think about those special people who can do so much for others without being afraid of what could happen. I am sure they played down a lot of the reality of that situation but they are an amazing family. We are usually given the opportunity to reach out each day and hopefully, especially with the holidays upon us, we will take those opportunities more often. Even a simple smile or holding the door for someone or letting a car out in traffic is enough to change somebody’s day for the better. Go make a difference!

Arriving at Gardex, the International Garden Expo Tokyo, was a bit of a shock. First, I could not believe how far it was from Tokyo. Past Disney. Past IKEA. Past Costco. Gardex occupied a portion of one of the five mega-halls. The first impression was overwhelming: a hum of electricity and a burst of fluorescent lighting animating a trade show as removed from nature as possible.

The first booth we passed promoted a pesticide company. Spray bottles seemed to float above colorful flowers, a salesperson spoke with much animation into a wireless mic, and lighted towers offered multiples of each product. The photo mural and garish colors seem to contradict the “natural safety” message.

Click below to read and see more about industrial gardening, a cool vertical garden product, and global business.

Clearly gardening is big business with global suppliers. Roses come to Japan from Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Kenya and India.  The flowers are so huge and the distances so vast, I fear they are pumped with pesticide, fertilizer and other chemicals.

I was impressed with the technology and artistry of E-Soil Board, a vertical garden system. It seems less modular than the hydroponic vertical Suntory Midorie, which also exhibited at Gardex.

Also featured were several large machines for bunching and plastic wrapping cut flowers for large retailers. I like the juxtaposition of machine and “we are flower people” message.

There was some garden art, including this framed Christmas pig made from flowers.

And finally, as if to underscore that gardens are no place for wildlife, there were enormous rat-killing product displays.

Post #9

Armed with only bows and arrows to protect their land from soy crop farmers, they were quickly sprayed with aerial pesticide from planes in an effort to evict an indigenous community in Paraguay. This makes me sick!  Read the full article here.  Paraguay is the world’s #4 soybean exporter.  The problem with Paraguay is that the large landowners (and companies) are mostly foreign — and hence have no interest in the well-being of the people who actually live there.  Their soybean production causes significant damage environmentally, socially, and economically. The genetically modified soy crops are heavily sprayed with fertilizers and pesticides which wreak havoc on the land and water. Large scale soy operations have also displaced small farmers, increasing the economic suffering in a country of only 6 million.

Why is soy so important? The soy industry has stepped up production because the demand for cattle-feed and biofuels has increased.  I don’t have an educated opinion (yet) about biofuels — but from the little I have gathered thus far — there isn’t much of an environmental benefit compared to petrolatum. It’s truly depressing that in this world we can stuff our faces with cheap hamburgers from cows that were fattened up on cheap (subsidized) soy and corn grown half way around the globe at the expense of human rights.

More information

[1] GMO Soy Growers commit Massacre in Paraguay

[2] Campesinos harán movilización para castigar a responsables de asesinato

[3] Soy cultivation spells doom for Paraguayan campesinos

More than 24 million liters of toxic agrochemicals are employed in Paraguay every year, causing deformations, health problems — even death — and environmental damage. But Paraguayan lawmakers ignored this fact when they approved a farming chemical regulation law on May 22, which will still allow these toxic chemicals to be used. (Full Article).

Pop Quiz: Where does Paraguay get its genetically modified soy beans? Answer: Monsanto.

I have to start this blog post with the following disclosure:  I’m not a fan of the major supermarkets that operate here in the UK.

Sometimes it seems to me that here in the UK (and possibly in other western countries too), we have become reliant on supermarkets supplying our every need, 24 hours a day.  We are promised convenience, and good quality at good prices, (although some evidence suggests that the quality of food we get at supermarkets isn’t always of the optimum standard – especially the budget lines).

Personally, I always find shopping in supermarkets a somewhat surreal experience.  You look at the apples for example.  Each one identical.  You don’t even need to choose between them…but yet you know, that in nature there isn’t that uniformity.  You know that the apple in your hand is not only the same as every single one on that shelf, but on all shelves in all supermarkets nationwide.  Spooky.  But is it our fault as consumers – expecting (and therefore receiving) perfection?  Or the result of over zealous quality standards?

There is also the environmental cost of buying food from major retailers to consider.  Supermarkets often import fruit and vegetables from overseas at a huge cost to the environment.  This is because as consumers we demand that we have produce available all year-round.  We don’t eat seasonally any longer – we want avocados all year-round and so our demands are met…but at what cost?

Because of the sheer size and power of the major supermarket chains, they can afford to undercut some local businesses on price, until they go out of business.  Then you find that there are whole communities where there is no choice but to buy from the local supermarket.

In Tescopoly it is suggested that the trading practices of major supermarkets…

“…are having serious consequences for suppliers, farmers and workers worldwide, local shops and the environment”

Convenience food can be part way to blame for the higher incidence of diabetes and obesity here in the UK.  Processed foods supplied (although not exclusively) by supermarkets are packed with sugar, fat, preservatives, e-numbers and salt – things that you wouldn’t add in vast quantities if you made the same food at home.  Tescopoly (again) have written an article about Food Poverty, and what this means to us as consumers.

And then there are the chemical used in food production to consider.  Mass demand, means mass supplies needed, and what better than using pesticides, insecticides, and all manner of other ‘cides’ to guarantee a quick growing and uniform crop?   Visit PAN UK to find out more about the use of pesticides in food production.

I feel that it is really important to rebuild those relationship between the urban area and the local rural areas – the major benefits to buying locally or growing food in your local area being that:

• You will be keeping money in the local area – relying less on imports, and making the local community more sustainable
• You will be strengthening community relationships
• You will be ensuring that you maintain your freedom of choice rather than handing the monopoly over to the supermarkets
• Buying local ingredients, and making your own food gives you more control over what you put in your mouth!
• Eating seasonally (as human beings are designed to do!) is better for your health
• You will be minimising environmental costs
• Sometimes it is cheaper to buy locally than from supermarkets

I am encouraged to read about communities that are starting to take back control, by running urban farming projects, such the one in Middlesbrough, and one that is just getting going in Brighton.  These are designed to encourage local produce, to reduce food miles, and to strengthen community relationships.

There are also transition towns (which encourage sustainable communities – check out Transition Town Brixton as an example), and ventures such as The People’s Supermarket – a worker co-operative that is due to launch shortly in Lambeth (London).  There are also box schemes sprouting up all over the place (sorry about the pun!) – which deliver fresh organic food straight from local farms to your door step.  UK Food Online has put together a comprehensive list of box schemes that operate in the UK.

So even in major cities now, it is becoming increasing possible for consumers to take control over their buying habits, and support their local community and economy at the same time.  (And of course you can also try and grow your own!)

We are honored to highlight this article by Paula Crossfield, editor of Civil Eats.

A new report out today, Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use in the United States: The First Thirteen Years [pdf] authored by Dr. Charles Benbrook, chief scientist at The Organic Center, reveals that the use of genetically modified (GM) corn, soy and cotton crops has increased the amount of pesticides used in the past 13 years by 318 million pounds.

This information comes to light as the industry struggles to position itself as providing environmental benefit through use of bt technology — insecticide producing seeds — savings from which are diminished in light of a six times greater herbicide usage.

Farmers have become increasingly critical of both GM seed as it goes up in price, and herbicides like Roundup, also known as glyphosate, as ‘superweeds‘ become prevalent in treated fields. The growth of pigweed, which can quickly reach widths of 6 inches at the stalk, and other invasive, glyphosate-resistant species increases farmers reliance on more high-risk herbicides, including 2,4-D, dicamba and paraquat, and has resulted in a return to hand harvesting and even abandoning of fields.

Dr. Benbrook used the USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service data and publicly available Monsanto information to ascertain these findings. The report states that it became increasingly difficult to get such information from the USDA as it ceased collecting thorough data on pesticide usage in the US in recent years. Furthermore, the USDA has never conducted research on the relationship between GM crops and increased pesticide use, resulting in a lack of in-depth information to inform regulators. (I wrote about the need for more such research here, where Dr. Benbrook also chimed in.)

The report challenges researchers and regulators to consider the following:

Herbicides and insecticides are potent environmental toxins. Where GE crops cannot deliver meaningful reductions in reliance on pesticides, policy makers need to look elsewhere. In addition to toxic pollution, agriculture faces the twin challenges of climate change and burgeoning world populations. The biotechnology industry’s current advertising campaigns promise to solve those problems, just as the industry once promised to reduce the chemical footprint of agriculture. Before we embrace GE crops as solution to these new challenges, we need a sober, data-driven appraisal of its track record on earlier pledges.

With glyphosate producer Monsanto encouraging farmers to diversify their herbicide use to control superweeds, this research shows that we could be at a turning point for Roundup Ready technology. As farmers realize the cost effectiveness of conventional seeds which deliver similar yields and allow seeds to be saved for reuse in future seasons, GM crops could prove a technological experiment gone wrong as we move toward creating a more durable and diverse food system.

This article first appeared on Civil Eats.

by Gramma Willi

Relatives – like so many of us, I find myself more and more pleased that being an activist has become an easier road to walk. Victories for human rights and for the Earth increase in number and significance and we hear about them sooner than we used to. Everyone’s talking about green jobs. Our hopes are up, we may actually have an activist leading the free world – Yes We Can! It’s quite a time to be a part of it all, isn’t it?

One of my favorite stories about the changes in public attitude towards environment and health concerns feeding our children. So much has changed in my lifetime. As a young mother, it was almost impossible to find, let alone afford, organic baby food; it was tricky to find a place to breast-feed a baby in peace. These days, parents can find a wide variety of organic baby foods and formula in almost any supermarket; my grand-babies were all breast-fed (even the twins!) and fed organic baby foods. Now that the monopolies have more “natural” offerings available to consumers, are we happy with the production? Is there a next step that we need to take?

IICPH (International Institute of Concern for Public Health), whom I have worked with for many years, has a stellar reputation for providing independent, thoughtful analysis and corroborating community environmental health concerns. Most of our works for communities report on contamination of the air, land and water. It has always given me sadness when we report arsenic, tritium, mercury, lead or other highly damaging pollution where people have food gardens or farms. Food discussions at our youth and elder gatherings took on sad notes when realizing how very careful we must be where we grow our food, where it comes from and how it is prepared. We can make sensible choices when we consider our health.

The good news is, learning to choose, grow and cook good food provides not only sound environmental education, but when applied, benefits everyone’s health and saves people money! The truth is out there, people want clean food and groups like IICPH are uniquely positioned to help them to learn about it. Never has environmental health education been more timely and important… and good food is a delicious place to focus.

Perhaps the silver lining of the economic collapse is that the cards are on the table. Finally, the voices of old hippies and tireless activists are welcome and needed. The public continues to become informed and grows in wisdom as the next generation begins making its mark in history books and business reports. Let’s fill their bellies and minds with good things.

Remember that I love you

All My Relations,

Gramma Willi

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Gramma Willi has been working with IICPH since 1997. Expressions of her dedication to the clean food revolution can be found at http://roughtimes.ca and http://YouTube.com/roughtimescooking.

~~~~

Here are a few more resources to get you started if you want to do more about clean food:

http://www.foodsecurity.org/
The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3), North American organization dedicated to building strong, sustainable, local and regional food systems that ensure access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food for all people at all times.

http://www.toronto.ca/health/tfpc_index.htm
Toronto Food Policy Council, 277 Victoria Street, Suite 203, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W1l: Wayne ““Taking control of our food” Roberts, Project Co-ordinator: 416-338-7937. Friends of Toronto Food Policy Council is on Facebook.
Their aim “is a food system that fosters equitable food access, nutrition, community development and environmental health.

http://www.foodsecuritynews.com/Resources.htm
The Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador have a great page full of links to action going on all over!

Please email to Gramma Willi if you know of any more independent and reliable resources to help our Rough Times mission:

Good Clean Food For Everyone!

Toutes les vérités ne sont pas bonnes à dire ni toutes les recettes à partager. Une décoction connue des paysans et jardiniers depuis la nuit des temps, semble devenir l’enjeu d’un conflit entre firmes phytosanitaires et défenseurs de l’ortie libre.

Dangereux brûlot, le livre Purin d’ortie et Cie explique en effet aux masses le bon usage de cette potion séculaire : au printemps, dès que les orties poussent et avant qu’elles ne fleurissent, récoltez 1 kg de feuilles fraîches et mettez à macérer dans 10 litres d’eau de pluie pendant 8 jours. Filtrez avec un tissu, mettez en bouteille et stockez au frais. Ce purin, très concentré, ne doit jamais être utilisé pur. Pulvérisé à 5% en solution sur toutes vos plantes, tous les dix à 15 jours selon leur croissance, il fortifie, vivifie et protège des pucerons et des maladies. En solution à 20% arrosée tous les 10 à 15 jours, c’est un excellent engrais et régénérateur du sol. D’autres plantes, aux propriétés stimulantes, comme l’achillée, la bardane, la consoude ou le pissenlit, et fongicides, telles que l’ail, la prêle et le raifort, ou la sauge, qui permet de lutter contre le mildiou de la pomme de terre, sont proposées dans l’ouvrage comme ingrédients de base de la trousse de secours du jardinier avisé. On y découvre également Raymonde Gal, agricultrice en Aveyron, promue ambassadrice de l’ortie pour avoir été pionnière en matière de renouveau et de reconnaissance des vertus de la vivace urticacée.

En août 2006, l’ouvrage Purin d’ortie et Cie a valu à l’un de ses co-auteurs, Eric Petiot, une perquisition des services de la DGCCRF (direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes). Eric Petiot, paysagiste et professeur d’agronomie, s’est vu saisir ses cours et le mémoire d’un brevet. Les inspecteurs étaient munis de la loi d’orientation agricole 2006-11 du 5 janvier 2006 interdisant toute publicité commerciale et toute recommandation pour les produits phytopharmaceutiques contenant une ou plusieurs substances actives destinées au traitement des végétaux, dès lors que ces produits ne bénéficient pas d’une autorisation de mise sur le marché (AMM) ou d’une autorisation de distribution pour expérimentation. En clair, le purin d’ortie, n’étant pas homologué par la commission ad hoc, ne peut être fabriqué et vendu et il est interdit d’en diffuser le savoir faire. Problème : cette loi revient à interdire les méthodes culturales biologiques non homologuées.

Une guerre en trois épisodes

C’est ainsi qu’a commencé la première guerre de l’ortie : premières interdictions en 2002, puis loi d’orientation agricole (LOA) de 2006, qui stipule que la diffusion des connaissances est interdite et que toute préparation agricole doit être homologuée. Coût de la validation d’une molécule : entre 200 et 300.000 euros. Mais des voix s’élèvent pour dénoncer le texte de loi, qui, pour la plupart des associations impliquées, semble confondre intérêts commerciaux et enjeux de santé publique et environnementaux. ”Les pesticides, perturbateurs endocriniens et cancérigènes, sont utilisés sans autorisation alors que l’ortie est interdite ! ”, s’indigne Jean Sabench, de la Confédération paysanne. Outre qu’il risque de donner indirectement la prime aux brevets des multinationales de la chimie, le texte de la loi d’orientation agricole de 2006 affiche une nette volonté répressive : 75.000 € d’amende pour celui qui vend ou donne un produit non homologué, en détient des bidons ou diffuse la recette. Le collectif Ortie & Compagnie, rassemblement d’acteurs variés, prend alors en charge la défense du dossier.

Ce tollé déclenche un deuxième épisode de la guerre de l’ortie, victorieux pour l’urticacée cette fois. Les députés s’émeuvent de l’agacement populaire et votent, dans le cadre de la loi sur l’eau, en décembre 2006, un amendement dit du ”purin d’ortie”, accepté par le rapporteur du projet de loi, le député (UMP) André Flageolet. Cet amendement soustrait du cadre de la LOA ces fameux purins qui prennent désormais l’appellation plus aseptisée de ”Préparations naturelles peu préoccupantes” (PNPP) et renvoie à la rédaction d’un décret permettant une procédure d’homologation allégée. ”On y a travaillé pendant deux ans pour le voir aboutir de façon inacceptable car il fait référence aux réglementations de l’Union européenne qui rendent les procédures très complexes”, explique Bernard Bertrand, porte-parole du collectif des Amis de l’ortie. C’est dans ce contexte qu’est créée l’ASPRO-PNPP, association pour la promotion des produits naturels peu préoccupants fédérant associations, chercheurs et entreprises et la collectivité locale de Périgueux.

Le troisième guerre de l’ortie se joue actuellement entre l’annexe I de la directive européenne 91/414 CE et le Grenelle II, qui sera examiné en 2010 par les députés. Le décret du 23 juin 2008, issu de la loi sur l’eau de 2006, exige l’inscription des matières actives utilisées dans les purins sur une liste européenne, selon une procédure longue, coûteuse et complexe. Avec des financements du Ministère de l’agriculture, l’ITAB (Institut Technique de l’Agriculture Biologique) a tenté de relever le défi pour cinq dossiers pour autant de substances (parmi les quelque 150 candidates répertoriées aujourd’hui). Après 15 mois de travail, aucun dossier n’a franchi avec succès le seuil de la validation de l’AFSSA (Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments). L’ASPRO-PNPP s’insurge : ”cette situation est en totale contradiction avec l’amendement de 2006 qui exemptait les préparations naturelles peu préoccupantes, et encore plus encore avec la loi Grenelle I dont un amendement facilite les procédures d’autorisation de mise sur le marché de ces préparations”. Or, soulignent les associations et la Confédération paysanne, l’objectif du Grenelle de réduire de 50% la quantité de pesticides à l’horizon 2018 prendra tout son sens si les agriculteurs, les jardiniers et les collectivités ont accès à ces alternatives que représentent les PNPP.

Les purins d’orties et autres plantes bienfaisantes, alias ”Préparations naturelles peu préoccupantes” seront-elles enfin intégrées à la loi Grenelle II, qui pourrait une fois pour toutes en favoriser le développement en tant qu’alternatives, en accès libre et gratuit, aux pesticides ? L’enjeu, peu préoccupant pour l’environnement, semble bel et bien préoccuper certains lobbies dans les coulisses du Parlement. La guerre est ouverte. ”Nous sommes dans la dernière ligne droite. Ensuite, il ne restera plus que la désobéissance civile”, avertit Vincent Mazière, de l’ASPRO-PNPP. La suite au prochain épisode.

Agnès SINAI

http://www.actu-environnement.com/ae/news/guerre_ortie_8837.php4

Mémé, reviens, ils sont devenus fous !

Toamna este perioada ideală pentru procreere, potrivit unui studiu realizat de cercetătorii Universităţii Indiana. De partea opusă, primăvara şi începutul verii sunt perioadele mai puţin indicate pentru a concepe un copil, deoarece există riscuri majore ca bebeluşii să se nască cu diferite malformaţii sau afecţiuni respiratorii, explică specialiştii.

Din luna aprilie şi până în luna iulie, aerul din atmosferă are un conţinut ridicat de pesticide, acestea fiind extrem de dăunătoare pentru un om matur şi având efecte negative asupra embrionului, completează cercetătorii americani.

“Un semnal de alarmă trebuie tras şi în cazul cuplurilor care locuiesc în oraşe mari, deoarece acolo nivelul de poluare este peste limita admisă, iar de cele mai multe ori copiii se pot îmbolnăvi de astm”, a declarat Paul Winchester, coordonatorul cercetării.

Studiul a fost realizat pe un eşantion de 200 de bebeluşi, în timp de doi ani de zile. Circa 30% dintre bebeluşii care au fost concepuţi pe perioada primăverii sau a verii s-au născut prematur, iar 22% dintre copiii procreaţi atât în cele două anotimpuri, cât şi iarna, aveau probleme respiratorii. Mai mult, 10% dintre bebeluşii concepuţi primăvara prezentau malformaţii cardiace. Totodată, 40% dintre copiii concepuţi în lunile decembrie, ianuarie sau februarie s-au născut înainte de termen.

Last week I wrote about how more people are choosing unhealthy food to cut back on their expenses, as a result of this on-going global economic crisis.

And to follow up on that, here are some tips on how you can spend less dollars, and still eat healthy (how great  is that?!)  — based on “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides” report by a green organization called Environmental Working Group (EWG).

• If you do not have enough budget to buy everything organic, try saving your dollars for “high-risk” produce. According to the report by EWG, produce such as peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, strawberries, lettuce, carrots and pears get highly contaminated by pesticides. (even if you rinse them before you eat) Thus, it is highly recommended that you put them on top of your list when going organic-grocery-shopping.
• For items like onion, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, asparagus, cabbage, kiwi, watermelon, broccoli and tomato, you could try to save your money by going with conventionally grown products as they are less likely to have pesticide contamination.

NYC Union Square Farmers' Market

Also, if time allows you, check out local farmers’ markets in search of organic produce. Here in NYC, I often visit farmers’ markets (in fact, there’s one right in front of my work place) and am always able to find organic products that taste good, are more fresh and way cheaper than the nearby Whole Foods Market.

And YES, I think whole foods market is way over-priced, although they carry good products.

Each week, the Freshwater Society publishes a digest of top news and research on water and the environment. Scan the articles here, then follow the links to read them in their entirety where they originally were published.

California mandates 20% cut in cities’ water use by 2020
Lawmakers capped months of discussions, weeks of tedious negotiations and years of chasing a water deal with approval of major legislation in a marathon session.

The package, which includes an $11.1-billion bond that must go before voters, would nudge California in new directions on water policy while giving something to each of the major factions that have warred over the state’s supplies.

The measure, likely to reach the governor’s desk early next week, would establish a statewide program that for the first time would measure if too much water is being pumped from underground aquifers. It mandates an overall 20% drop in the state’s per capita water use by 2020 and creates a new, politically appointed council to oversee management of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the state’s water hub.
–The Los Angeles Times

 California agriculture avoids big water cuts
Cities across the state must slash water consumption by about 20 percent over the next decade under newly passed legislation aimed at reworking the aging policies and plumbing that determine water flow to 38 million Californians.

 But the California agriculture industry, which consumes an estimated three-quarters of the water used in the state, won’t have to change its practices much under the new rules. 

And that vexes many involved in the political wrangling over water in a state where global warming, population growth and crumbling infrastructure are forcing wrenching changes in the way natural resources are divvied up.
–The San Francisco Chronicle

 Pesticide concentrations drop in rivers, USGS finds
Concentrations of several major pesticides mostly declined or stayed the same in “Corn Belt” rivers and streams from 1996 to 2006, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study. 

The declines in pesticide concentrations closely followed declines in their annual applications, indicating that reducing pesticide use is an effective and reliable strategy for reducing pesticide contamination in streams.

 Declines in concentrations of the agricultural herbicides cyanazine, alachlor and metolachlor show the effectiveness of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory actions as well as the influence of new pesticide products. In addition, declines from 2000 to 2006 in concentrations of the insecticide diazinon correspond to the EPA’s national phase-out of nonagricultural uses. The USGS works closely with the EPA, which uses USGS findings on pesticide trends to track the effectiveness of changes in pesticide regulations and use.

 Scientists studied 11 herbicides and insecticides frequently detected in the Corn Belt region, which generally includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio, as well as parts of adjoining states. This area has among the highest pesticide use in the nation — mostly herbicides used for weed control in corn and soybeans. As a result, these pesticides are widespread in the region’s streams and rivers, largely resulting from runoff from cropland and urban areas.

Elevated concentrations can affect aquatic organisms in streams as well as the quality of drinking water in some high-use areas where surface water is used for municipal supply. Four of the 11 pesticides evaluated for trends were among those most often found in previous USGS studies to occur at levels of potential concern for healthy aquatic life. Atrazine, the most frequently detected, is also regulated in drinking water.

 Although trends in concentration and use almost always closely corresponded, concentrations of atrazine and metolachlor each declined in one stream more rapidly than their estimated use. According to Skip Vecchia, senior author of the report on this analysis, “The steeper decline in these instances may be caused by agricultural management practices that have reduced pesticide transport, but data on management practices are not adequate to definitively answer the question. Overall, use is the most dominant factor driving changes in concentrations.” To view the full report, click here.
–USGS news release

 3.4 million acres taken out of conservation reserve
Surveying undulating grasslands that disappear into the western Kansas horizon, retired farmer Joe Govert pointed out parcel after parcel no longer enrolled in a federal program that pays property owners not to farm environmentally sensitive land.

 The arid, wind-swept ground stripped of topsoil by Dust Bowl storms has laid undisturbed beneath a protective cover of native grasses that took two decades to re-establish under the Conservation Reserve Program. But millions of those acres are being plowed again after the 2008 Farm Bill capped the program at 32 million acres. 

More than 3.4 million acres nationwide were taken out of the program in September when the owners’ contracts expired. Most of them were in Texas, Colorado and Kansas, but hundreds of thousands of acres also came out in Montana and the Dakotas.
–The Associated Press

Federal money for Minnesota water projects increases
Minnesota stands to get a nice boost in federal cash for water infrastructure projects under a newly signed appropriations bill.  

The 2010 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill, which was signed by President Barack Obama late last week, includes $2.1 billion for wastewater and $1.39 billion for drinking water projects throughout the country.

Minnesota’s take is about $35.7 million for wastewater and $23.6 million for drinking water, which is roughly three times as much as Minnesota’s federal funding allocation was just a few years ago, noted DeAnn Stish, executive director of the Minnesota Utility Contractors Association.
–Finance and Commerce

 Malibu to phase out septic tanks
The great sewer wars of Malibu have finally drawn to a close. Sewers won.

The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board agreed late Thursday to ban septic systems in central and eastern Malibu, a move that would end years of fierce debate over the wastewater devices still commonly used in one of Southern California’s most picturesque and exclusive coastal communities.

New septic systems will not be permitted in Malibu and owners of existing systems will have to halt wastewater discharges within a decade.
–The Los Angeles Times

County donates land to settle water pollution case
Mower County  has agreed to donate 33.1 acres of land to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources instead of paying a $31,000 penalty for alleged stormwater violations during a ditch repair project.

 The deal completes what County Coordinator Craig Oscarson described as a three-way swap.

“It’s just like all the stars aligned,” he said. “The DNR wanted it. We didn’t want it, because by keeping it we had to maintain it.”

 The agreement is between the county, the project’s contractor, Freeborn Construction Inc. of Albert Lea, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

 The fine pertains to an incident that occurred between 2005 and 2006 when the county repaired Judicial Ditch 1 in Bennington Township.
–Austin Daily Herald

Missouri research explores algae-to-fuel
Backers of algae-based biofuels tout the simplicity of their feedstock. Sunlight and water are all that’s needed to convert carbon dioxide into fuel.

 Now, some scientists are testing the notion that sunlight might be optional.

 Researchers at the Missouri University of Science and Technology are planning to grow algae for fuel in abandoned mines using light-emitting diodes, or LEDs.
–The New York Times

 Climate plan proposes turning Sahara into a forest
Some talk of hoisting mirrors into space to reflect sunlight, while others want to cloud the high atmosphere with millions of tonnes of shiny sulphur dust. Now, scientists could have dreamed up the most ambitious geoengineering plan to deal with climate change yet: converting the parched Sahara desert to a lush forest. The scale of the ambition is matched only by the promised rewards – the scientists behind the plan say it could “end global warming.” 

The scheme has been thought up by Leonard Ornstein, a cell biologist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, together with Igor Aleinov and David Rind, climate modelers at NASA. The trio have outlined their plan in a new paper published in the Journal of Climatic Change, and they modestly conclude it “probably provides the best, near-term route to complete control of greenhouse gas induced global warming”.

Under the scheme, planted fields of fast-growing trees such as eucalyptus would cover the deserts of the Sahara and Australian outback, watered by seawater treated by a string of coastal desalination plants and channelled through a vast irrigation network. The new blanket of tree cover would bring its own weather system and rainfall, while soaking up carbon dioxide from the world’s atmosphere. The team’s calculations suggest the forested deserts could draw down around 8bn tonnes of carbon a year, about the same as emitted from fossil fuels and deforestation today. Sounds expensive? The researchers say it could be more economic than planned global investment in carbon capture and storage technology.
–The Guardian

 Minnesota scrap dealers agree to limit air pollution
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has issued administrative consent orders to three Minnesota scrap metal recycling companies – Leroy Iron and Metal Division of Behr Iron, Alter Trading Corp. and Timm’s Auto Salvage.

The companies agreed to comply with EPA regulations designed to protect the stratospheric ozone layer at their scrap metal recycling facilities.  The Leroy plant is at 2275 Dale Ave., Leroy;  the Alter plant is at 801 Barge Channel Road, St. Paul; and the Timm’s plant is at 936 W. 12th St., St. Charles. 

The companies have agreed, among other things, to recover ozone-depleting refrigerants from each appliance and motor vehicle air conditioner that they accept or to verify that the refrigerants have been recovered according to EPA regulations.  The companies will keep logs of the details of refrigerant recovery. 

Chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants and certain substitute refrigerants deplete the stratospheric, or “good,” ozone layer allowing dangerous amounts of cancer-causing ultraviolet rays from the sun to strike the earth.  Production of some of these chemicals was stopped in 1995, and federal law strictly controls their use and handling.
–EPA new release

Par Raviale Rulli

Food Democracy Now is organizing an online petition to stop Obama and Congress from nominating and approving industrial agriculture leaders to key government food and agriculture positions. The petition seems organized for United States residents. Nonetheless, appointing executive level GMO and pesticide advocates to senior US government positions will certainly have a global effect on food and the environment.

El Nashra – Paula Astih et Reine Rizk

“Un dossier dangereux, encore inconnu par la plupart des gens… Récemment dévoilé, il semble n’avoir pas capté l’attention de tous les Libanais, bien qu’il soit d’ordre vital. Ce dossier stagne sous le joug du dossier gouvernemental et des crises économiques et sociales, locales et régionales. C’est un danger à la santé humaine et requiert une solution radicale”.

C’est ainsi que le ministre sortant de l’Environnement, Antoine Karam, définit “l’usage arbitraire des pesticides agricoles qui causent des maladies cancérigènes”.

Levant le jour sur ce dossier, il révèle à notre site “Elnashra.com” que des études expérimentales ont confirmé l’ampleur de ce danger. Une mobilisation immédiate s’avère nécessaire pour la lutte contre ce danger, surtout que ses symptômes tardent à apparaître. “Ce sujet serait beaucoup plus dangereux que la grippe porcine”, dit Karam.

100% des courgettes contiennent des résidus de pesticides cancérigènes

“L’étude expérimentale a porté sur plusieurs genres de fruits et de végétaux, cultivées dans différentes régions libanaises. Des résidus de pesticides ont été détectés dans la majorité des cultures, à des doses dépassant les normes internationales”, explique le ministre. “40% en moyenne des cultures contiennent des résidus de pesticides, mais qui varient selon les régions: 39% des cultures à Akkar sont contaminés, 17% au Chouf, 26% à Iklim-al-Kharroub, 50% dans les zones proches de Beyrouth, et 58% au Liban Sud”, ajoute-t-il. Et de poursuivre: “Le taux de contamination varie également d’une culture à l’autre: 40% des fraises renferment des résidus de pesticides, 32% des oranges, 30% des tomates, 49 des concombres, 14% des citrons, 33% des prunes, et … 100% des courgettes!!!”

Encore plus étonnant! Karam rapporte que cette étude a montré la présence de pesticides agricoles dont l’usage est prohibé au niveau international. Ils ne doivent pas, par conséquent, parvenir jusqu’au Liban.

Selon le ministre Karam, le problème concerne les quantités appliquées, les matières actives, et les durées de prévention. “Il faut tenir compte de la durée de prévention mentionnée sur l’emballage de chaque pesticide: c’est la période qui doit séparer la date de récolte de celle de la dernière application de pesticides”… “Malheureusement, poursuit-il, pour remporter davantage de gains, les agriculteurs procèdent à la cueillette avant l’achèvement de ce délai; leurs produits empoisonnées seraient alors vendus aux consommateurs”.

Le lavage n’élimine pas les pesticides cancérigènes et les maladies n’apparaissent qu’après des années

Quant à une éventuelle élimination des résidus de pesticides par le lavage des fruits et des légumes, Karam explique que la majorité des produits utilisés sont systémiques, absorbés par la plante. Ils s’intègrent donc à la sève des cultures. Il ajoute: “Ce danger est à caractère cumulatif parce que les symptômes négatifs n’apparaissent qu’après des années”.

Selon le ministre de l’Environnement, c’est au ministère de l’Agriculture et des douanes libanaises de contrôler les contrebandes de pesticides prohibés. Le pire c’est que certains agriculteurs sont conscients du danger de ces pesticides, mais ne cessent de les utiliser en vue d’une meilleure productivité.

La solution que Karam propose est l’élaboration d’une étude globale en coopération avec le ministère de la Santé qui se dit favorable à ce sujet. Les agriculteurs doivent aussi assister à des sessions de formation et de mobilisation. Ensuite, “nous pourrions parvenir à l’étape la plus importante, celle d’indiquer la source de chaque produit, ce qui permettrait aux représentants des ministères de la Santé, de l’Environnement et de l’Economie de pouvoir déterminer quels agriculteurs enfreignent les lois”, conclut Karam.

Le ministère de l’Agriculture: nous sommes conscients de ce problème, mais nous ne disposons que de trois conseillers agricoles

Le directeur général du ministère de l’Agriculture, Samir Chami, signale que ce problème n’est guère nouveau. “Nous en souffrons depuis des décennies, parce que les agriculteurs ignorent les techniques essentielles de l’application des pesticides”, précise-t-il. Il ajoute que l’agriculteur libanais est convaincu que l’usage excessif des pesticides améliore la productivité en quantité et en qualité. “Il ignore également que les pesticides tuent les ennemis naturels des pestes”, précise-t-il, expliquant que les insectes bénéfiques préservent l’équilibre écologique. “Les maladies fongiques se multiplient alors sous l’effet de l’humidité et de la chaleur”, ajoute Chami.

Selon lui, la première étape sur la voie de la solution serait la création d’un réseau de vulgarisation, devenu nécessaire par suite de l’absence des conseillers agricoles. “Au Liban, nous ne disposons que de trois conseillers, mais le conseil des ministres a finalement accepté de nommer des conseillers agricoles qui devraient auparavant passer des tests”, annonce le directeur général du ministère de l’Agriculture.

Le ministère de l’Agriculture interdit l’importation des pesticides prohibés internationalement… Mais qu’en est-il des contrebandes?

Chami assure en outre que le ministère de l’Agriculture interdit l’importation de tout pesticide prohibé au niveau international; soulignant qu’une commission regroupant des représentants des ministères de la Santé et de l’Environnement, des centres de recherche des universités américaine et libanaise, des entreprises de fabrication de pesticides et de l’association de protection des consommateurs s’occupent de cette question. Il insiste alors que les ministères concernées coopèrent continuellement sur ce plan.

Khalifeh: les ministères de l’Agriculture et de l’Environnement sont les principaux concernés par ce dossier

Le ministre de la Santé Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh place ce dossier dans le cadre des prérogatives des ministères de l’Agriculture et de l’Environnement, rappelant que son ministère s’acharne pour trouver des solutions à la pandémie de la grippe A. Selon lui, l’étude menée par le ministère de l’Environnement est suffisante. “La solution débute par des expériences que devrait effectuer l’institut des recherches agronomiques”, ajoute-t-il.

Quant à l’effet nocif des pesticides sur la santé humaine, Khalifeh déclare que “tous les produits chimiques dont la dose dépasse la normale conduisent nécessairement à des maladies cancérigènes, notamment le cancer du tube digestif”.

Le ministère de l’Economie: nous ne sommes concernés qu’une fois les dégâts concrétisés

De son côté, le ministère de l’Economie assure que son intervient survient après que l’effet nocif du pesticide est confirmé. Il exhorte alors les ministères de l’Agriculture et de la Santé à œuvrer en vue d’arrêter catégoriquement les contrebandes et l’importation des pesticides prohibés, parce qu’ils sont “très dangereux pour la santé du consommateur libanais”.

L’association de protection du consommateur: les pesticides chimiques sont à l’origine des taux élevés de cancer au Liban

Le président de l’association de protection du consommateur, Zouheir Berro, assure que les pesticides chimiques sont à l’origine des taux élevés de cancer au Liban. Soulignant que les agriculteurs ignorent quels pesticides utiliser et à quelle dose, il dénonce la négligence de l’Etat qui pousse les agriculteurs à consulter les entreprises vendant ces produits. “Les entreprises incitent à pulvériser davantage de pesticides, ce qui conduit aux maladies cancérigènes, aux infections inflammatoires, et à la stérilité”, explique Berro.

Article préparé et rédigé par: Paula Astih – “Elnashra.com”
Adaptation française : Reine Rizk – “Elnashra.com”

I’m amazed at times at what people decide to do to themselves. There are products available for use in your hair – ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL AND MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS.  Poison Control 1-800-222-1222

(China Daily) Updated: 2009-10-21 09:25 A man in Qingdao, Shandong province, had to be rushed to a hospital after he shampooed his head with a pesticide. A friend had told Tu there were insects in his hair and he would have to use a pesticide to kill them. After Tu washed his hair with pesticide he felt difficulty breathing and fainted. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors said he could have died of poisoning had he not received medical attention on time.

(Qingdao Morning News)

From msnbc.com (http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100246775&page=2)

What the farm director won’t eat: nonorganic potatoes

Jeffrey Moyer is the chair of the National Organic Standards Board.
The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation’s most popular vegetable—they’re treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. "Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won’t," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). "I’ve talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."

The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn’t good enough if you’re trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

The alternate solution from me: grow own potatoes, at least a few pounds

by Kate Haisch

Whether or not to buy organic or conventionally grown foods is a big topic that many of our members contemplate. Read on to learn more about which items you should consider buying organic and where conventional foods are sufficient.

The Clean and Dirty Details of Organic

Organic foods can be 50% more expensive than conventionally grown foods. However, the more organic foods you eat, the less pesticides you consume. It is especially important for children to consume organic foods. New studies suggest that pesticides are linked to ADHD, obesity, diabetes and learning disorders in kids who don’t yet have the immune system to be able to flush out these toxins.

Produce

Here are two lists: one for produce that we recommend you buy organic and one for produce where conventional is sufficient.

Meat and Poultry

It is very important to buy meat and poultry that has not been treated with antibiotics. Public health authorities recognize that antibiotic use in live-stock (used to fatten them up and prevent disease caused by over crowding and unsanitary living conditions) has led to people contracting antibiotic-resistant infections. The World Health Organization and the American Medical Association have urged farmers to stop using antibiotics. However, many farmers still continue to use antibiotics. So, when it comes to meat and poultry definitely buy meat that has not been treated.

What labels mean

BEST: Certified Organic. Meat that bears this label is raised without the use of antibiotics or related drugs and meets other rigorous standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). When organically raised animals become sick, they are treated with antibiotics but do not receive the organic label. A third party certifies these standards.

BEST: No Antibiotics Added/Raised without Antibiotics. This label indicates that the animals have not been fed antibiotics at any point in their lives. Meat from sick animals treated with antibiotics cannot be sold under this label claim. Although the USDA approved the use of this claim, compliance is not certified by a third party.

OK: Natural/All-Natural. The USDA defines a “natural” meat product as one that “contain[s] no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed.” Meat labeled “natural” may or may not have been treated with antibiotics.

DOESN’T MEAN MUCH: Free-Range/Free-Roaming. These labels have been approved by the USDA for poultry that have been allowed access to the outdoors, though they may never actually go outdoors.  However, the claim implies nothing about the practices of the producer regarding antibiotic use.

Milk

Many dairy farmers use the bovine growth hormone (bGH) to increase cattle weight as well as milk production. Though the FDA concluded that there are no risks to drinking milk from cows treated with this hormone, the issue is still being researched. bGH has been banned in Europe and Canada. Since there are so many dairies that don’t use this hormone, we suggest buying from them if you can. Buy milk and milk products labeled organic or “rbGH free.”

Whether you buy organic or not, here are some useful tips.

• Buy local produce whenever possible.
• Reduce pesticide residues and other contaminants by:
  • washing and scrubbing all produce under streaming water but never use soap,
  • peeling fruits and vegetables,
  • removing outer leaves of leafy vegetables.
• Discard produce that has been out of refrigerator for more than 4 hours.
• Trim visible fat and skin from meat and poultry (pesticides residues collect in fat).
• Eat a variety of foods from different sources.
• Prioritize: The majority of your organic food dollars should be spent on avoiding produce which carry the most pesticides.

Resources

Brannon, Carol Ann. “Organics: Separating Science Fiction from Fact.” Today’s Dietician 10.4 (2008): 8-14
Bareuther, Carol. “Mission Organic: 2010.” Today’s Dietician 10.4 (2008): 30-34
UCS: What’s in the Meat You Eat?