Pesticide failure (Zimmer)
September 26th, 2007 | Published in Evolution, Agriculture, Food, Quotes | 7 Comments
The quest to eradicate pests with DDT and similar poisons has been a colossal failure. Each year more than 2 million tons of pesticides are used in the United States alone. Americans use 20 times more pesticides today than they did in 1945, even though the newest pesticides are up to 100 times more toxic. And yet the fraction of crops lost to insects has risen from 7 percent to 13 percent—thanks in large part to the resistance insects have evolved.
–Carl Zimmer, Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea, p. 202
September 26th, 2007 at 6:15 pm (#)
That’s really interesting… I always wondered about that. You would think that we would learn and stop using so much pesitcides - but no.
September 27th, 2007 at 4:25 pm (#)
I am always a little uneasy about how pesticides relate to stewardship, but what about the success of DDT in killing malarial mosquitoes? Most of (if not all) of the old claims about its harmful effects on humans have been proven wrong and countless millions of Africans died in the process, the United Nations has re-evaluated the facts and begun using it again…not being smart, it is really nice to see someone associated with Piper reading Wendell Berry and others.
September 27th, 2007 at 4:37 pm (#)
Robin: I know there are a number of mosquito killing solutions that don’t require massive spraying of poisons.
Even apart from it’s harmful effects on humans (has that really been proven wrong? I’m skeptical), I know it seriously damages wildlife, especially in lakes.
Of course, a cheap fix is mosquito netting…
September 28th, 2007 at 10:47 am (#)
There are some little doughnut-looking things called “Dunks” that can be put in any standing water to prevent the mosquito eggs from maturing. They are not harmful to livestock, fish, birds, or humans. Wouldn’t that be cool if a safe solution wins the war on Malaria! You’ve inspired me- I’m going to email the company and President Bush who just called the UN to task about Malaria!
September 29th, 2007 at 8:25 pm (#)
The quest to eradicate pests with DDT and similar poisons has been a colossal failure.
Er, what? Agricultural productivity (the amount we can grow per acre) has gone through the roof, thanks a great deal to chemicals.
September 29th, 2007 at 10:28 pm (#)
holmegm: Not sure about that — it’s been a part of it (though it proves more difficult each year), but I think it’s mainly been due to corn (for instance) that can be grown closer together — at first by selective breeding and then by genetic manipulation.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:54 pm (#)
Well, could be - I’m no expert. I’m just naturally suspicious of something that seems so counterfactual.