Archive Article: January, 2010
Long since the introduction of organophosphates in the early 1900s, farmers and gardeners have become accustomed to the convenient and complete annihilation of plant pests. But it wasn’t until the Green Revolution in the 1950s that the wholesale roll-out of these toxins took center stage on farms and gardens all around the world.
Thanks in large part to the proliferation of petroleum-based synthetic nutrients, crops began producing unprecedented yields. Unfortunately, plant pest populations also increased thanks to the lush growth provided by this new source of plant nourishment. It was this explosion in pest populations that drove the widespread use of organophosphates and other toxics as a means of controlling potentially detrimental pest activity.
And not surprisingly, like all genies once let out of their bottle, the use of these non-specific neurotoxins skyrocketed. Today you can walk into any big box store and you’ll find a plethora of complex chemical pest and disease controls to do your bidding.
Many of these patented formulas are adorned with misleading labels encouraging their use in the garden as a means of keeping your veggies clean and safe from pests. Just a stroll down the Pest Death aisle and you might find yourself with a headache or watering eyes. But don’t be surprised; these indiscriminate killers are just as toxic to you and me as they are to the insect kingdom.
Problem is we’ve just started to unlock the mysterious world of the living genomes and one thing seems certain, we are far more alike our insect counterparts than we are different. So with this said it seems that the likelihood of ridding the garden of pests while avoiding creating a toxic environment for ourselves, our pets and our world is pretty slim.
As a result of our ever-increasing desensitization to the use of toxic chemicals, there’s been a sharp increase in the application of extremely toxic pesticides in food and medicinal herb production.
Due to the availability of harmful pesticides, more and more gardeners are being turned on to what is basically the right tool for the wrong job.
These complex chemical compounds are being recommended for use in a variety of applications that should cause us all a great deal of alarm. Unfortunately it's only when the government raises a red flag, as with DDT in the ‘70s and Methyl Bromide in the ‘90s, that we even hesitate before we dose. The sad fact of the matter is that even these governmental restrictions fail to convince people of the dangers lurking in the food chain when we use these killing tools.
So What’s the Problem with the Answer?
Indoor gardeners are a very resourceful and determined group of humans. When posed with an obstacle it is commonplace for a solution to be unconventional, and more often than not it's something intended to suit the needs of other more mainstream end-users. Indoor gardeners rely on their local shops to offer them solutions to a wide array of pest problems from fungus gnats and white flies to pythium and fusarium.
But the pest that brings growers the most grief is without a doubt the two spotted spidermite and more recently the "Mendo" mite. These tiny plant vampires wreak havoc on plants by sucking away chlorophyll and dehydrating plants, making them much weaker and more susceptible to disease. It's in response to this threat that growers of all sorts have began to compromise their own health in an effort to rid their gardens of what in many cases is a crop failure in waiting. And though there are a wide variety of tools like neem preparations, pyrethrins, essential oil blends and beneficial insects, the restricted toxics have once again taken center stage.
One commonly recommended poison has made a name for itself as a total and instant kill miticide. The active ingredient Abamectin is the by-product of a fermentation process from the bacterium Streptomyces avermitilis. This toxin’s mode of action is the induction of insect paralysis and subsequent death due to starvation.
The product label and MSDS sheets clearly state that it is approved for “ornamental” use only. Unfortunately the majority of growers seeking out controls in retail garden shops are growing food. This simple oversight has led to many being exposed to what even the manufacturer would recommend against.
And though extremely effective, this microbiological derivative is often mistaken as a natural control given its relationship with the aforementioned micro-organisms. This unfortunately plays into the misconception that if it’s organically-derived it is somehow less harmful to mammals…wrong.
Here’s a list of a few other “organic” organisms you may be familiar with: cholera, anthrax, small pox, malaria, stacchy botris. Any of these ring a bell?
Here’s the bottom line: we currently have a silent epidemic amongst the indoor garden industry. Due to the availability of harmful pesticides, more and more gardeners are being turned on to what is basically the right tool for the wrong job.
The new pesticide paradigm has the misinformed retailer exposing the less informed gardener and eventually the oblivious end-user to what equates to a slow poisoning and toxification through second hand exposure. This exposure is especially bad when fruits/flowers are ingested, or worse, when applied to plants with naturally occurring essential oils, which tend to encapsulate the poison until volatized into a gaseous form by heat.
"In a world where we all live downstream from someone, do unto others…"
The reality is that in an industry that services the food movement we’ve turned a blind eye to those who’ve chosen to intoxicate as opposed to educate. It’s clear that in the face of a mite outbreak growers are looking for the absolute answer.
In a world where mites are considered the ultimate garden menace, who would you listen to, the person with a multi-tiered IPM approach or the person with the quick fix? What this has led to is the widespread dissemination of extremely poisonous chemicals.
Another Inconvenient Truth
But now we're faced with an even more disturbing trend, and that’s the completely aware retailers and growers that differentiate their products by whether or not it’s for personal or commercial consumption. The idea that toxic chemicals are acceptable if it’s commercial products is arguably the biggest problem facing the world’s entire industrial food chain. It seems that now it has found its way into what had previously been a very conscious and thoughtful community of small farmers and gardeners.
The sad fact of the matter is that the eaters and end-users are the ones whom pay the ultimate price. And for those with compromised immune systems and terminal ailments the addition of these neurotoxins and endocrine disrupters can be the difference between life and death.
Sadly, since the pervasive nature of these chemical compounds lends to subtle side effects, it’s hard to know when you’ve been exposed. This unfortunately makes the covert use of this pesticide that much easier for those growers that decide to hide the use of it.
So for those of you out there considering what to use to fight those tiny spiders remember this: in a world where we all live downstream from someone, do unto others as…you know the rest.
What You Can Do
As a means of controlling what has turned into a full-scale crisis, here are some things we can all do to bring this subject into focus:
Learn! It’s in the absence of knowledge that we are the most susceptible to misinformation. Gardening and farming is a lifelong journey and information is the proverbial fuel for your vehicle. The more information we seek out and share, the further our journey will take us.
Hold your mentors accountable. Whether it’s a professor or a retail shop staffer, be inquisitive. If you’ve been recommended something your not familiar with be sure the person recommending it actually knows what’s really up. To often the phrase “bro it works, trust me” is all it takes to get you to make the purchase. Expect more.
If it’s sold under the counter you might end up six feet under. Though it may seem like your being done a favor, this under-the-counter fix is often more like a Trojan horse. More often than not there’s a valid reason you don’t have access to this miracle quick fix. Anyone naïve enough to sell a restricted product is probably not looking out for your best interest.
Be your brother’s keeper. Take great care in what you decide to use on your garden. The sacred art of gardening is not something to be balanced like a profit and loss sheet, be thoughtful of the things you can’t see.
Be more tolerant. Pests are a part of nature as much as the crop you are farming. It’s due to our intolerance of mite damage that there’s been a movement towards pest free at all costs. Fact is, if you see pests on what you’re consuming its likely pesticide free, and remember that’s good stuff.
Report the illegal sales of controlled pesticides to your local agriculture department. This is not snitching - it’s a public service. Do your part.
Why Grey is the New Black and White
In the world of IPM there is an understanding that no tools are off the table when necessity calls for results. If using a highly toxic pesticide is the means to an end then be sure to practice safe and thorough application techniques.
Always wear protective gear (respirator, goggles, etc.) when applying pesticides and make it count. Dipping plants when young then following up with natural practices can eliminate problems and help avoid needing more acute controls in the future.
But most importantly be accountable. If you feel the need to use restricted chemicals in your garden seek out the proper retailers and work closely with them. And if it's necessary to achieve specific certifications before using something, take the time to seek out the training. If you take your garden seriously enough to use professional tools than take responsibility and educate yourself.
