the other press >>> OPINIONS The Sides of Herbicides Greg Berg OP Contributor Our greatest efforts to control nature have been made in the past twentieth century. The capabilities of that industrial century made it easy to do so with the mass production of goods. With the arrival of the twenty-first centu- ry came hope for change, but it has yet to mate- rialize. But when it comes to the use of pesti- cides and herbicides, change is needed as soon as possible. I've been a homeowner for two years. | looked forward to having my own yard in order to grow a garden to feed my mind and stomach. As with any new experience, you will make mistakes. For the care of the lawn | bought a weed and feed mixture in granular form. They are available everywhere and considered to be the best answer to a healthy lawn. When it came time to read the directions for use | became suspi- cious. Cautions of severe skin irri- tation and fume inhalation were boldly printed on the bag. Any product should be questioned that claims to be healthy for one thing yet dangerous to another. And dangerous it was. A chemical called 2,4-D was the main ingredient. Even with the little | knew about this com- pound | knew it carried a dark history. Claims of being a carcinogen by several agencies are not uncommon. These accusations are countered by manufacturers stating their product is per- fectly safe. Though, in at least one case, a forestry worker in the U.S. died as a result from direct exposure to 2,4-D resulting in compensa- tion for his wife. Another concern stems from how close chil- dren play to an area where 2,4-D has been used. Some consider this a link in developmen- tal problems due to the developing immune sys- tems children have. Their systems are simply not strong or capable enough at a young age to deal with the toxicity. | decided these were risks | was not willing to take to rid myself of a few dandelions. Many people still do though, and with the arrival of summer the feed sales are sure to increase. In early spring every year chemical companies courting farmers reappear with the latest in weed control. They are constantly changing’ their products because weeds continue to adapt. Genetic engineering is the latest development in weed control as chemicals are paired up with a specific genetically modified seed. In many cases the chemicals are getting stronger in order to be effective. This continuous attack kills natural organisms in the soil and pollutes our waters. By continuing such large-scale practices of chemical application we are defeating our- selves in the process. Chemical treatments are short-term solutions (something we tend to be good at) and not a sustainable practice. Past civilizations, such as the Mayas, existed and thrived for three civiliza- tion periods without the use of chemicals. They survived bad crop years and thrived when the season was good. No different than we do today. The dividing difference was that the natural order was not upset and diversifica- tion played a key role. The Maya’s system of agricul- ture used the support of differ- ent species of plants in order to be self-sustain- ing. The fact that broad leaf vari- eties of weed are so popular today is likely our doing. With higher concentrations of Co2 in the air, broad leaf varieties will naturally take advan- tage. As an example, a stem of wheat will never outperform a broad leaf plant, which can absorb more Co2 and sunlight due to its design. This is seen as a reason to the proliferation of weeds as a product of an environmental condition bred in the past century. A combination of new and ancient agricultural methods could go far in alleviating some of the strain on the land that produces our food. Subsistence farming in place of market systems could allow us to grow only what is needed to make way for sustainable, rotational growing practices. We have a long way to go but the more we learn, the more we can change the way things are done. Getting back to my lawn, a person might ask, “What's the big deal, it's only one lawn.” But when you consider how many lawns are poten- tially using the same products, it adds up quick- ly. For most regions these chemicals are enter- ing our soil and water sources all at the same time. It is asking too much of our earth to absorb. So where does that leave us, when it’s our food, our land, and water? ‘Cided ... >>>otherpress 06