Benson 1

Pasadena City College

In a World Full of Pesticides

Phoebe Benson
Professor Ogden
English 01A T/TH
28 April 2016

Benson 2
Abstract

In this research paper, the author thoroughly examines the effects of pesticides on the
environment and all animals, including humans. The first parts of the paper include a detailed
account of the effects it has on a small discourse community within the San Gabriel Valley. Some
things people in this area experience is the classism that follows pesticides. The author mentions
bell hooks and examines how her ideas on classism connect to the discourse community. It then
moves on to a more serious topic; the effects that pesticides have on the environment and
animals. Various statistics and facts are stated, used to further the authors claim. After analyzing
the outcomes, a solution is proposed. The author believes that there are multiple solutions to this
problem: increased community markets and gardens, buying from local farmers, the use of
sustainable farming, the eradication of DDT, and overall, people educating themselves about
where their food comes from will help alleviate these issues.

Benson 3

In a World Full of Pesticides Outline

Topic: As a society, we have created a killer, not a human, but in the form of a chemical
compound; a pesticide. The monopoly companies that provide us with mass amounts of
food cover our fresh produce in pesticides, a tactic used to harvest as much of their
stock as possible to take to the market. Once it gets to the market, we purchase the fruit
and subject our bodies to potential sickness. There are options available to go with
something healthier, organic produce. If this is the path you choose, finances will come
into play; meaning it is a lot more expensive, they can sometimes be almost double the
non-organic price. Not only are their potential health issues, but there are also potential
environmental challenges. Most of us know these challenges as labeled by the media as
GLOBAL WARMING.
Thesis: The effects of pesticides on the environment and all animals, including humans
are horrendous, and if not alleviated now will have serious repercussions in the future.
The illnesses, environmental harm, and societal impacts are not worth the costs. We, as a
society, need to incorporate sustainable practices into our farming and how we get rid of
vermin. We are the problem; we need to fix us.
I.

Food Forward
A.

The avocado that changed it all for me.

B.

The difference between that fresh avocado and one that one would get at Ralphs.

Benson 4
C.

Our societys inability to have access to adequately priced organic food, or simply

food that does not have additives or pesticides.

D.

The coating on the avocado is a direct result from the pesticides that were used

to keep invasive insects or small animals from attacking this precious fruit and prevent it
from reaching the store.
II.

Discourse Community: Arcadia

A.

Define Discourse Community: a group of people who have broadly agreed on a

set of goals and use communication to further enhance these goals,

B.

C.

Choices of Markets
1.

Affordable: Ralphs, Rancho, and 99 cents.

2.

Pricey: Trader Joes, Sprouts, Whole Foods

Define Working Class: Anyone who works for an hourly wage and whose work

is closely supervised is working class. That includes traditional blue-collar workers, most
clerical workers, restaurant and retail workers, and many others,
D.

Define Middle Class: Someone who earns a salary and has significant autonomy

in the workplace is middle class or professional class. That would include many midlevel workers in large companies, teachers, some retail managers, and many medical
professionals,
III.

bell hooks and Pesticides

Benson 5
A.

We experience a great deal of classism, a term that bell hooks, author of Where

We Stand: Class Matters, defines as the roots of all problems.

1.

Define Classism: having prejudice against others due to socio-economic

status.
B.

Class Segregation: The rich, or upper class, are separated into their own group

while the lower, or working class, are categorized into their own. In my community, you
are defined by what you drive, what you wear, where you shop, etc.
C.

Class Genocide: the passive way our country confronts the poor and indigent

(hooks, 2000), is seen in the aspect that our community is not providing affordable
organic produce for our working class.
D.

Class Power: Class power, the benefits that a person receives being in a given

class (2000), is the benefit of being able to receive organic produce since they are of a
higher class.
1.

directly coincide because the genocide is occurring because the abuse of

class power by the upper class.

E.

Class Struggle: what embodies this problem as a whole. It is the daily occurrences

in a persons life which prohibit them from progressing in society and in their given class.
This is evident in the pesticide ridden food that plagues the working classes bodies and
IV.

our environment.
My First Introduction
A.
High School AP Environmental class and my introduction to DDT.
B.
Bald Eagle and its thinning eggs due to DDT.

Benson 6

C.

V.

1.
Our country's symbol has even been affected harshly by this.
What is DDT?
1.
DDT is a chemical compound used as an insecticide. It is colorless,

tasteless, and relatively odorless.

Silent Spring
A.
predicted all the harmful effects pesticides would have on the environment and
animal populations in 1962.
B.
We did not listen and the predictions came true.
C.
Effects on the environment: These sprays, dusts, and aerosols are now applied
almost universally to farms, gardens, forests, and homesnonselective chemicals that
have the power to kill every insect, the "good" and the "bad," to still the song of birds and
the leaping of fish in the streams, to coat the leaves with a deadly film, and to linger on in
the soilall this though the intended target may be only a few weeds or insects. Can
anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a barrage of poisons on the surface of the
earth without making it unfit for all life? They should not be called "insecticides," but
"biocides."
D.
Effects on Bees: On the farms the hens brooded, but no chicks hatched. The
farmers complained that they were unable to raise any pigsthe litters were small and
the young survived only a few days. The apple trees were coming into bloom but no bees
droned among the blossoms, so there was no pollination and there would be no fruit. The
roadsides, once so attractive, were now lined with browned and withered vegetation as
though swept by fire. These, too, were silent, deserted by all living things.
1.
Bees have been on a downward rollercoaster ride since we first started
using pesticides. They get killed off by a new pesticide, or a new strain of the
same one, and then slowly begin to reestablish themselves, only to be knocked out
again. Bees are one of our most helpful insects; they pollinate many of our foods,
foods used for animals, and general products, these include apples, broccoli,

Benson 7
almonds, squash, cotton, and seeds or other plants that are food for other animals.
Without bees, our lifestyle would be significantly different and increasingly
VI.

difficult.
Pesticides effects on People
A.
Found in our air, food, and water sources.
B.
Effects of Pesticides
1.
short-term impacts such as headaches and nausea to chronic impacts like
cancer, reproductive harm, and endocrine disruption, (Toxics Action Center)
2.
a six fold increase in risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for
children of women who were exposed to organochlorine pesticides, (Toxics
C.

Action Center)
Inner city kids are more susceptible
1.
It is said to be due to the use of pesticides to rid rodents, roaches, and
other vermin in an effort to keep them away from schools, homes, and child-care
centers. It is then further enhanced by lifespan that the pesticides have on things

VII.

such as rugs, stuffed-toys, and furniture found in the home.

Thailand
A.
It appeared to be just bad food poisoning. But within an hour of our conversation
the thing just spread to her heart.
B.
Its good to get an answer, said Mr. Carter. But pretty horrific that they have
such low standards that that can happen. The Carters hope that action will be taken and
that it will not simply be, like the other cases where it is swept under the carpet and is
just an unexplained death, never substantiated with any follow up.
1.
Interesting word choice; they have such low standard.
a)
Worldwide, more than 5 billion pounds of pesticides are sprayed
onto crops each year,1 and more than 75 percent of the US population has
detectable levels of organophosphates (OPs), which are among the most
commonly used insecticides on American farms. Dr. Joseph Mercola
(2015)

VIII.

Solutions?

Benson 8
A.

Sustainable Agriculture: a way of growing or raising food in an ecologically and

ethically responsible manner, (Sustainable Crop Production)

1.
The most effective out of all of these would be Crop rotation. Crop
rotation is a systematic approach to deciding which crop to plant where in your
vegetable garden from one year to the next, (The Key to Keeping a Rich
Vegetable Patch)
a)
automatically reduces the amount of chemical pesticides, which
will help promote beneficial insects such as, soil fungi, pollinators, and
predatory and weed-seed-eating insects and spiders that further reduce the
need for pesticides, (Healthy Farm Practices: Crop Rotation and
Diversity). They also can help reduce the need for fertilizers and
herbicides, recent long-term research in the heart of the Corn Belt has
shown that integrated weed control based on smart crop rotations can
reduce the need for fertilizers and herbicides by 90 percent or more, while
maintaining high yields and farm profits, (Healthy Farm Practices: Crop
B.

Rotation and Diversity).

Community Markets and Local Farmers
1.
Local food helps the community financially by supporting local families.
2.
Local food also abates taxes; According to several studies by the
American Farmland Trust, farms contribute more in taxes than they require in
services, whereas most development contributes less in taxes than the cost of
required services. Cows dont go to school, tomatoes dont dial 911, (Grubringer
2010).
3.
It also provides for a safe habitat for organisms, The farm environment is
a patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds and buildings that provide habitat

C.

for wildlife in our communities, (Grubringer 2010).

Education

Benson 9
IX.

Conclusion
A.
Causes a lot of problems that only prohibit
1.
Society
2.
Environment and Animals
a)
Humans
B.
Solutions: Sustainable Agricultural Practices, Community Markets and Local
Farmers, and Education
1.
Stress Crop Rotation

In a World Full of Pesticides

The sun shines through the leaves in the early morning, leaving a blood orange glow
illuminating the surrounding area. Walking down the street, cars zip by filling my nose with the
dreadful smoggy smell that lurks over California. Looking at the house in front of me, people
surround two large trees. The people were harvesting the fruits and placing them in boxes
labeled, Food Forward, the nonprofit organization that I volunteer with. As I walk across over to
the area, I grab an avocado the small Filipina women had just placed in the box. It was a
beautiful emerald green with flecks of a more forest green color scattered across its surface.
Everything about it was natural and pure. There were small indentations from what appeared to
be a stick puncturing the skin, but not all the way into the actual fruit. It was firm, hard as a rock
almost. In a few days, this avocado would finish its cycle and ripen to absolute perfection. In
this moment, all I could think of was about the avocados my family bought the prior weekend

Benson 10
and how different they were. They were a dark musky green and slightly squishy, but the most
obvious difference involved the waxy outer layer.
The coating on the avocado that my parents got is a direct result from the pesticides that
were used to keep invasive insects or small animals from attacking this precious fruit and prevent
it from reaching the store. It saddens me that this is the quality of food that people in the United
States (and all over the World) receive from our markets; inauthentic, smothered in pesticides
(specifically DDT which is a chemical compound used as an insecticide), and simply not up to
par. As a society, we have created a killer; a pesticide. According to the EPA, a pesticide is, any
substance or mixture of substances used to destroy, suppress, or alter the life cycle of any pest,
(What are Pesticides and How Do They Work?). Pesticides are chemical compounds used to
rid of unwanted vermin. Essentially, a pesticide is like natures version of a chemical bioweapon,
equivalent to Mustard Gas. The monopoly companies that provide the Worlds people with mass
amounts of food cover our fresh produce in pesticides, a tactic used to harvest as much of their
stock as possible to take to the market. Once it gets to the market, we purchase the fruit and
subject our bodies to potential sickness. There are options available to go with something
healthier, organic produce. If this is the path you choose, finances might pose an issue; meaning
it is a lot more expensive, they can sometimes be almost double the non-organic price. Not only
are their potential health issues, but there are also potential environmental challenges. Most of us
know these challenges as labeled by the media as Global Warming. Global Warming is, the
gradual heating of Earth's surface, oceans and atmosphere, (Bradford 2014). Global Warming is
the icebergs melting, climate change, and rising sea levels. One of the largest contributors
(besides ourselves creating smog and pollution), is pesticide use. All the chemicals we put onto
our food also go into our air continuing the damage, along with smog and others, and eat away at

Benson 11
our ozone. The effects of pesticides on the environment and all animals, including humans are
horrendous, and if not alleviated now will have serious repercussions in the future. The illnesses,
environmental harm, and societal impacts are not worth the costs. We, as a society, need to
incorporate sustainable practices into our farming and how we get rid of vermin. We are the
problem; we need to fix us.
A good example of how pesticides affect a community is in the luxurious discourse
community of Arcadia. A discourse community, according to John Swales, is a group of people
who have broadly agreed on a set of goals and use communication to further enhance these goals
(Swales 2016). Or in other words, it is a community of people who work towards a goal.
Everyone is apart of multiple discourse communities; Harry Potter fans, Democrats, people who
live in the United States, etc. Arcadia is located in the San Gabriel Valley, California and is very
well kept; they have some of the nicest schools, a beautiful park, and a very wealthy population,
the median income being a staggering $80, 147 compared to its neighbor, Pasadena, which only
reaches $70, 845 (United States Census Bureau). In this community, there are a variety of
grocery stores but, financial comfort may drive which store you shop at. Some of the more
budget friendly stores include Ralphs, Pavilions, Ranch Market, and the 99 cent Store. Some
that may not be as cost friendly include Trader Joes, Sprouts, and Whole Foods. The more
common the organic produce, the more expensive the groceries will be. This is an area that
create limitations for families whose households are categorized as the Working (Lower) Class
or the lower half of the Middle Class. The Working class, as defined by Working Class
Perspectives, is, Anyone who works for an hourly wage and whose work is closely supervised
is working class. That includes traditional blue-collar workers, most clerical workers, restaurant
and retail workers, and many others, (Linkon 2008). This means that basically anyone who lives

Benson 12
off of minimum wage is classified as working class. Living off of a wage based job is virtually
impossible, especially if the employee intends to support a family. Therefore, at ten dollars an
hour (in California), being able to afford organic produce is basically infeasible because the
money that is made is delegated to the necessities, and unfortunately, ensuring food safety is not
a necessity when living off of such low income. The situation for Middle class is not too
different. The middle class, once again according to the WCP, is, Someone who earns a salary
and has significant autonomy in the workplace is middle class or professional class. That would
include many mid-level workers in large companies, teachers, some retail managers, and many
medical professionals, (Linkon 2008). Ergo, a person who receives a salary falls under the
category of Middle class. A salary, as interpreted by Employment New Zealand, refers to an
agreed and fixed annual amount of money the employee receives regardless of the hours
worked, (Wage and Salary Earner Differences 2015). So, a banker or nurse would be an
example of a middle class employee; a white collar job. Joao Alhanati, a journalist for
Investopedia, says that the majority of the middle class falls in to the lower area of it, this area
making anywhere from 32,500 to 60,000. This again leaves very little room for freedom of
choice in food safety. The lower middle class, of course, has more mobility and ability in their
choice for this, but it still would be very difficult to do.
Pesticide use actually has a lot to do with Class. Certain classes are more prone to
ingesting pesticides due to our class level, especially the working class or lower class. The
people of those classes experience a great deal of classism, a term that bell hooks, author of
Where We Stand: Class Matters, defines as the roots of all problems. hooks believed that racism
and sexism were not actually due to beliefs that caused that, but rather classism. Classism is
having prejudice against others due to socio-economic status. bell hooks book is about coming

Benson 13
to terms with where we stand in society and being conscious of it. The use of Pesticides by
humans instills this idea of Classism. hooks uses terms, such as class segregation, class struggle,
class genocide, and class power, to define these issues. Class segregation means exactly what it
says; the growing separation between socio-economic classes in society. This is seen prominently
in Arcadia. In my community, you are defined by what you drive, what you wear, where you
shop, etc. Food is an area where class segregation is especially present. More financial ability
allows for freedom of choice in the quality of food, as that ability decreases pesticide ridden
produce is more likely to be the option. Class genocide and class power complement each other
in these given circumstances. Class Genocide is, the passive way our country confronts the poor
and indigent, (hooks, 2000). Or, in other words, how society treats the working class. Modern
day society (the twenty-first century), is very critical over the working class, especially the poor
and homeless, in terms of how they view them and how they respond to their complaints. Many
members of higher classes seem to have no sympathy for those below them; they believe that if
the working class really wanted to solve their problems, they need to make the change
themselves either by attending school or working their way up. Class genocide furthers the idea
of instilling classism due to pesticide use because our community is not providing affordable
organic produce for the working class. The accompanying idea, class power, is, the benefits that
a person receives being in a given class, (2000). Class power would be things like private
insurance or materialistic valuables. In Pesticide use, class power is the benefit of being able to
receive organic produce because of financial ability. These directly coincide because the
genocide is occurring due to the abuse of class power. This abuse of power and inability to obtain
fresh produce inevitably harms our bodies by ingesting the harsh pesticides. Lastly, Class
Struggle is what embodies this problem as a whole. It is the daily occurrences in a persons life

Benson 14
which prohibit them from progressing in society and in their given class. The working class is
forced to purchase pesticide ridden food that plagues the working classes bodies and our
environment, which prohibits their ability to progress. Though pesticide use does not only affect
our society, this unsustainable approach affects our environment and animals as well.
It was not until my senior year of high school that I became aware of pesticides. I knew
that we sprayed our food with stuff, similar to Off bug spray, but what I didnt know is all of the
chaos that occurs as a result of it. I had taken an AP Environmental Science class, and we were
given a packet containing vocabulary or important facts which we were tasked with memorizing.
The first page was pretty standard environmental things, types of climates, types of erosion,
natural resources, but then the second page came along. It was a detailed list of endangered
and/or extinct animals. Reading this, I realized how much we have driven a species to extinction
- especially when it came to the sudden burst in the use of pesticides nearing the late 1940s. I
was disgusted. The first on the list was the Bald Eagle and its problem was with DDT, the most
powerful pesticide known to man. DDT is a chemical compound used as an insecticide. It is
colorless, tasteless, and relatively odorless. The DDT was entering the Eagles bloodstream and
causing their egg shells to become too thin to hold the embryos, so they would crack. This
caused a major decline in their population, a decline still felt today. We were even harming one
of the most symbolic creatures of our country, how ironic is that?
I wasn't the only one who had woken up to the dangers of pesticides. In the 1960s, famed
biologist Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, predicted all the harmful effects pesticides
would have on the environment and animal populations. We did not listen and the predictions
came true. In her book Carson states, These sprays, dusts, and aerosols are now applied almost
universally to farms, gardens, forests, and homesnonselective chemicals that have the power to

Benson 15
kill every insect, the "good" and the "bad," to still the song of birds and the leaping of fish in the
streams, to coat the leaves with a deadly film, and to linger on in the soilall this though the
intended target may be only a few weeds or insects. Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down
such a barrage of poisons on the surface of the earth without making it unfit for all life? They
should not be called "insecticides," but "biocides." (Carson 13). It is obvious that Carson feels
that the use of pesticides does not only affect the chosen insects, but all of the wildlife; it is
nondiscriminatory in what it kills. This caused multiple terrible outcomes. The first of which is
the chain reaction that it sparks. When the pesticides are introduced into the environment, they
harm everything, this includes the oxygen-giving plants, the soil that we plant in, the greens we
eat, etc. In one situation, it kills all of the plants, leaving us with no creator for oxygen. In
another, it destroys the ozone layers, leaving us subject to the suns unforgiving ultraviolet rays.
Additionally, enters the food chain, accumulating in the fatty tissues of all animals, including
humans, leading to various types of deadly affects. In simple terms, it annihilates life. Most
importantly, it kills necessary insects and livestock. Carson stresses the affects that pesticides
have on these organisms, On the farms the hens brooded, but no chicks hatched. The farmers
complained that they were unable to raise any pigsthe litters were small and the young
survived only a few days. The apple trees were coming into bloom but no bees droned among the
blossoms, so there was no pollination and there would be no fruit. The roadsides, once so
attractive, were now lined with browned and withered vegetation as though swept by fire. These,
too, were silent, deserted by all living things. (Carson 10). These pesticides are causing our
wildlife to die off; they prohibit reproduction, kill our greenery, demolish food sources for
animals, and kill bees. The repercussions of these affects are severe. For an example, bees have
been on a downward rollercoaster ride since we first started using pesticides. They get killed off

Benson 16
by a new pesticide, or a new strain of the same one, and then slowly begin to reestablish
themselves, only to be knocked out again (The Bees in Decline). Bees are one of our most
helpful insects; they pollinate many of our foods, foods used for animals, and general products,
these include apples, broccoli, almonds, squash, cotton, and seeds or other plants that are food
for other animals. Without bees, our lifestyle would be significantly different and increasingly
difficult. So, why is it that we ignore the horrid consequences that tag along with pesticides?
Pesticides hurt our animals, including us (humans), in large ways. They are found in the
air we breathe, our food, and water sources. Pesticide use has been linked to a variety of human
health issues, ranging from, short-term impacts such as headaches and nausea to chronic
impacts like cancer, reproductive harm, and endocrine disruption, (Toxics Action Center). In
essence, cause major diseases. Pesticides have also been connected to many fetal developmental
issues. In some cases, the impact is not seen until years later, and these disorders could be
anything from autism to cancer. In fact, a recent study, July 2007, administered by the Public
Health Institute, the California Department of Health Services, and the UC Berkeley School of
Public Health found, a six-fold increase in risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for
children of women who were exposed to organochlorine pesticides, (Toxics Action Center).
This in simple terms means that by consuming foods that have certain pesticides on them, it
increases our childrens chances of receiving a disorder, such as Autism. By consuming these
chemicals while pregnant, we are not only harming ourselves, but we are harming the baby that
we carry. Therefore, pesticides could harm your unborn child just as much as smoking and
drinking can. There is even a belief, based on recent experimental studies, that children from
inner cities (like Arcadia) are more susceptible to being affected by pesticides. This is said to be
caused by the use of pesticides to rid rodents, roaches, and other vermin in an effort to keep them

Benson 17
away from schools, homes, and child-care centers, because of their play close to the ground,
their hand-to-mouth behavior, and their unique dietary patterns, children absorb more pesticides
from their environment than adults, (Landrigan 1999). Simply put, children are more likely to
consume pesticides than adults are due to their common activities. Most children will put things
in their mouths without a second thought as to what it is or what it might do to them; because of
this they are more susceptible to the harm that pesticides can cause. It is then further enhanced by
lifespan that the pesticides have on things such as rugs, stuffed-toys, and furniture found in the
home (Landrigan 1999). In the twenty-first century, pesticides can be found virtually everywhere
and are one of the leading causes to illnesses but, yet we refuse to accept the fact that they are
doing more bad than good. Our children, our bodies, our environments, and our lives are being
affected by this, killing them slowly day-by-day. We only have one body, one Earth, and one life.
The problem is that people do not care or just are completely unaware of the severe
consequences. They hear about these stories and think, Oh that will never happen to me! but,
then one day, it does. We need to stop sweeping it under the rug and actually address it. We are
told that they environment is getting better every day by the government but, in reality it is not.
Yes, pesticides help keep unwanted vermin from our crops and living and recreational areas, but
is it really worth harming the environment and ourselves?
In some instances, pesticides can cause death in humans. In 2011, Sarah Carter, a twentythree-year-old who had ventured out to Thailand to explore along with six other tourists, were
killed by suspected pesticide poisoning from a bed bug spray. A father proclaimed, reminiscing
about the day of his daughters death, It appeared to be just bad food poisoning. But within an
hour of our conversation the thing just spread to her heart. (Qtd. In "'Bed Bug Pesticide
Poisoning' Killed Californian Woman and Six Other Tourists in Thailand). At first, Thai

Benson 18
authorities pushed the idea aside, in an effort to not face a scandal that would incur because of it,
and attributed their sicknesses and Sarahs death to severe food poisoning. Though, evidence
would soon reveal that they were in fact poisoned. Its good to get an answer, said Mr. Carter.
But pretty horrific that they have such low standards that that can happen. (Qtd. In "'Bed Bug
Pesticide Poisoning' Killed Californian Woman and Six Other Tourists in Thailand). The
Carters hope that action will be taken and that it will not simply be, like the other cases where it
is swept under the carpet and is just an unexplained death, never substantiated with any follow
up. (Qtd. In "'Bed Bug Pesticide Poisoning' Killed Californian Woman and Six Other Tourists in
Thailand). It is interesting to see that these people think that horrific events, such as the one
that happened to their daughter, do not happen in the U.S. Even Mrs. Carter, herself, said that it
was unbelievable that their standards could be that terrible that this kind of event could happen.
That exact thought process is the problem with America; we think that we are such an
industrialized nation that nothing bad could ever happen to us but, in reality, these types of
problems are happening in our backyard (figuratively and literally). Worldwide, more than 5
billion pounds of pesticides are sprayed onto crops each year, and more than 75 percent of the
US population has detectable levels of organophosphates (OPs), which are among the most
commonly used insecticides on American farms. Said Dr. Joseph Mercola ("Pesticide Poisoning
Effects to Farm Workers"). Therefore, is it almost impossible, worldwide, to receive healthy and
organic produce especially in America. He continues on to say that over 20,000 Farm workers
are affected by pesticide poisoning and that a person is still extremely susceptible to this
pesticide poisoning through our diets since our food is literally doused in them. If 75% of the
American population has pesticides running through their system, then it is reasonable to deduce
that they also are experiencing the problems that tag along with pesticides.

Benson 19
Our bodies are a well-oiled machine, and if one part is malfunctioning, then the whole
thing is impaired. The same could be said of our environment. The natural beauty which is
emanated from our environment is one of a kind; irreplaceable. The auburn leaves that decorate
our ground in the fall and those of which, closer to winter time, leave a mushy, murky brown
texture painted on to our sidewalks. Or the salty sea breeze that caresses our noses as we stare off
at the purple and orange lumps of cotton candy in the sky. Or the rocky assemblies which
resemble thumbs and animals that encompass our deserts, We, as humanity, need to come
together to alleviate this situation. These problems will never be solved if we continue to use
unsustainable approaches to ridding vermin.
The solutions to this problem are actually very general and easy to incorporate into our
daily lives. Most of these fall under the category of Sustainable Agriculture. As defined by the
Sustainable Table, Sustainable Agriculture is, a way of growing or raising food in an
ecologically and ethically responsible manner, (Sustainable Crop Production). This means
that the people growing food are not using as many (if any) pesticides. Most of the time, if they
do use these pesticides, they are natural or organic pesticides which will not cause as much harm
as a chemical compound might. They continue on to list some solutions which include: Crop
Rotation, Polyculture, Trap crops, simply reducing the use of chemical insecticides, Organic
farming, and Biological Pest Control (Pheromones, Entomopathogenic fungi, bacteria and fungi,
and releasing natural pests and parasites). The most effective out of all of these would be Crop
rotation. Crop rotation is a systematic approach to deciding which crop to plant where in your
vegetable garden from one year to the next, (The Key to Keeping a Rich Vegetable Patch).
Crop rotation uses basically all of the aspects of Sustainable Farming; it automatically reduces
the amount of chemical pesticides, which will help promote beneficial insects such as, soil

Benson 20
fungi, pollinators, and predatory and weed-seed-eating insects and spiders that further reduce the
need for pesticides, (Healthy Farm Practices: Crop Rotation and Diversity). They also can
help reduce the need for fertilizers and herbicides, recent long-term research in the heart of the
Corn Belt has shown that integrated weed control based on smart crop rotations can reduce the
need for fertilizers and herbicides by 90 percent or more, while maintaining high yields and farm
profits, (Healthy Farm Practices: Crop Rotation and Diversity). This means that by utilizing
this sustainable approach, farmers almost completely cut out the need for pesticides. By using
this simple process, the agricultural industry can completely wipe out the need for pesticides use
and can maintain high amounts of crop harvesting which in turn will create high amounts of
profit.
In addition to the Sustainable approach to farming, increased community markets and
gardens while concurrently buying from local farmers. Local food has numerous amounts of
benefits. Local food helps the community financially by supporting local families. When farmers
give their produce to sell at stores, the wholesale is often low, giving them very little profit. More
often than not, local farmers skip this process and are able to sell the produce for full price. This
benefits the families by providing the income that is necessary for their life, and helps the local
economy. Local food also abates taxes; According to several studies by the American Farmland
Trust, farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, whereas most development
contributes less in taxes than the cost of required services. Cows dont go to school, tomatoes
dont dial 911, (Grubringer 2010). Well-managed farms help provide a sustainable ecosystem.
They do this by protecting water sources and isolates carbon from the atmosphere. It also
provides for a safe habitat for organisms, The farm environment is a patchwork of fields,
meadows, woods, ponds and buildings that provide habitat for wildlife in our communities,

Benson 21
(Grubringer 2010). In essence, farms as a whole are filled with natural habitats waiting for
wildlife to come and inhabit them. This helps the environment and the animals, highly unlike
pesticide use.
Lastly, simply receiving education about where the obtained food comes from is
the most important aspect. Being knowledgeable of what is in the food and how it was raised is
the easiest way to avoid all of these problems. And from there, education on the effects of
pesticides on both humans (animals) and the environment. Being conscious of the fact that the
world is our only home and your body is the only body you will ever get is extremely important.
Our bodies are a well-oiled machine, and if one part is malfunctioning, then the whole thing is
impaired. The same could be said of our environment. The natural beauty which is emanated
from our environment is one of a kind; irreplaceable. The auburn leaves that decorate our ground
in the fall and those of which, closer to winter time, leave a mushy, murky brown texture painted
on to our sidewalks. Or the salty sea breeze that caresses our noses as we stare off at the purple
and orange lumps of cotton candy in the sky. Or the rocky assemblies which resemble thumbs
and animals that encompass our deserts, We, as humanity, need to come together to alleviate this
situation. These problems will never be solved if we continue to use unsustainable approaches to
ridding vermin.
Pesticides may seem like an easy fix to the problem, but they really just make everything
worse. Its like putting tape on a crack in a dam; untrustworthy and problematic. They harm our
animals by hindering their reproductive systems and allowing for diseases to occur, such as
cancer. Our wildlife is precious and deteriorating; many species that used to be flourishing are
now endangered, they dont need another reason to further this deterioration. Pesticide use

Benson 22
instills classism which in turn affects our society. We should not have to be forced to receive
subpar produce due to our socio-economic standing. And they harm our environment by
polluting our water and air, and killing everything; the good and the bad. Global Warming is a
serious problem and pesticides only make it worse. It is important to remember that we only
have one Earth, one place to live. Overall, there are viable ways to alleviate the problems with
pesticides. Using a combination of sustainable farming practices, with increased community
markets and gardens, buying from local farmers, the eradication of DDT, and overall, people
educating themselves about where their food comes from will help alleviate these issues.

Works Cited
Carson, Rachel, Lois Darling, and Louis Darling. Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
1962. Print.
hooks, bell. Where We Stand: Class Matters. New York: Routledge, 2000. Print.
Pipher, Mary Bray. Writing to Change the World. New York: Riverhead, 2006. Print.
SCHOLARLY ARTICLES
Landrigan, P. J., L. Claudio, S. B. Markowitz, G. S. Berkowitz, B. L. Brenner, H. Romero,
J. G. Wetmur, T. D. Matte, A. C. Gore, J. H. Godbold, and M. S. Wolff. "Pesticides and
Inner-city Children: Exposures, Risks, and Prevention." Environ Health Perspect
Environmental Health Perspectives 107.Suppl 3 (1999): 431-37. Web.
ARTICLES WITH AN AUTHOR
Bradford, Alina. What Is Global Warming? LiveScience. Tech Media Network, 15 Dec.
2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
Alhanati, Joao. Which Income Class Are You? Investopedia. Investopedia, 23 Sept. 2012.
Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
Grubringer, Vern. "Ten Reasons to Buy Local Food." University of Vermont. University of
Vermont, Apr. 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.

Benson 23

Reporter, Daily Mail. "'Bed Bug Pesticide Poisoning' Killed Californian Woman and Six
Other Tourists in Thailand." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, n.d. Web. 24 Mar.
2016.
ARTICLES WITHOUT AN AUTHOR
"Alternatives to Using Pesticides." Southern States. Southern States, n.d. Web. 20 Apr.
2016.
Arcadia City. United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau, n.d. Web. 27
Apr. 2016.
"The DDT Story." The DDT Story. Pesticide Action Network North America, n.d. Web. 21
Apr. 2016.
"Healthy Farm Practices: Crop Rotation and Diversity." UCS UCA. Union of Concerned
Home. The Bees in Decline. Greenpeace, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
"The Key to Keeping a Rich Vegetable Patch." Rodale's Organic Life. Rodale Inc., 15 Apr.
2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
"Pesticide Poisoning Effects to Farm Workers." Mercola.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
"The Pesticide Problem." Planet Natural. Planet Natural, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
"The Problem with Pesticides." The Problem with Pesticides. Toxics Action Center, n.d.
Web. 21 Feb. 2016.
"Sustainable Crop Production." Sustainable Table. GRACE Communications Foundation,
n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
"Thailand Deaths: Evidence Sarah Carter Killed by Insecticide." Thailand Deaths:
Evidence Sarah Carter Killed by Insecticide. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
Wage and Salary Earner Differences. Employment New Zealand. Employment New
Zealand, 9 Apr. 2015. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
What Are Pesticides and How Do They Work? NSW Environmental Protection Authority
(EPA). NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), 18 Mar. 2016. Web. 27 Apr.
2016.
Who Is Working Class? Working Class Perspectives. Working Class Perspectives, 28 July
2008. Web. 27 Apr. 2016

Benson 24

Annotated Bibliography
BOOKS WITH AN AUTHOR
Carson, Rachel, Lois Darling, and Louis Darling. Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
1962. Print.
Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson, is a call-to-action about the use of pesticides, specifically DDT
in the 1950s. DDT is the most powerful pesticide in the world, it is capable of killing not just one
or two, but thousands of bugs at once. She gives explanation to how the pesticide enters the food
chain, accumulating in the fatty tissues of all animals, including humans. She also identifies the
repercussions from this: cancer and genetic damages an issue both Carson and the Toxic Action
Center identify as constantly growing. Carson gives countless examples of instances where it has
either killed or harmed animals, and in this paper this kind of research helps describe the still
present problem.
hooks, bell. Where We Stand: Class Matters. New York: Routledge, 2000. Print.
This book is a detailed account of Bell Hooks firsthand and professional experience with
sexism, racism, and, most of all, classism. Hooks gives many examples pertaining to the
widening gap between the classes, or what she terms class segregation or class warfare.
hooks beliefs are shared with the author of the article, Who Is the Working Class?. 3Both
authors, hooks and the author of the Working Class Perspectives, stress the importance of
knowing where ones place is in the class hierarchy.
Pipher, Mary Bray. Writing to Change the World. New York: Riverhead, 2006. Print.

Benson 25
Writing to the Change the World is a book written by Mary Pipher intended on encouraging
people to use their talents, specifically writing, to cultivate change within the world - no matter
how big or small it may seem. This book outlines specific guidelines to follow when writing to
instill a change in the world.
SCHOLARLY ARTICLES
Landrigan, P. J., L. Claudio, S. B. Markowitz, G. S. Berkowitz, B. L. Brenner, H. Romero,
J. G. Wetmur, T. D. Matte, A. C. Gore, J. H. Godbold, and M. S. Wolff. "Pesticides
and Inner-city Children: Exposures, Risks, and Prevention." Environ Health
Perspect Environmental Health Perspectives 107.Suppl 3 (1999): 431-37. Web.
This journal explains how American children, especially those that are inner-city are more
capable of being affected by pesticides. It gives facts and recent examples to further its point.
The problems identified in this article correlate with those mentioned in both the "Pesticide
Poisoning Effects to Farm Workers and The Problems with Pesticides. They mention
problems with the environment, such as air pollution, and the affects that it has on animals, such
as reproductive harm.
ARTICLES WITH AN AUTHOR
Bradford, Alina. What Is Global Warming? LiveScience. Tech Media Network, 15 Dec.
2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
Bradford gives explanation to what global warming is, why it is happening, and its effects so far.
A large contributor to the effects that Global Warming has on the environment and the animals is
Pesticides. Its effects correlate with those that are explained by Planet Natural.
Alhanati, Joao. Which Income Class Are You? Investopedia. Investopedia, 23 Sept. 2012.
Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
Investopedia thoroughly defines the income classes, explaining the middle class and the poverty
level. The author furthers their information by provide statistics and factual evidence. Its claims
are further defined by the information in Employment New Zealands article, Wage and Salary
Earner Differences.
Grubringer, Vern. "Ten Reasons to Buy Local Food." University of Vermont. University of
Vermont, Apr. 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
Grubringer provides insightful reasons why Local Food is beneficial while backing his
claims with statistical information. Similar to both Crop Rotation and Sustainable farming
practices, local farming also plays a large role in the solution the author proposes.
Reporter, Daily Mail. "'Bed Bug Pesticide Poisoning' Killed Californian Woman and Six
Other Tourists in Thailand." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, n.d. Web. 24
Mar. 2016.
This source gives insight on a current event that occurred in Thailand. The outcome of this event
show the effects that are explained in The Problems with Pesticides. It helps show the severity
of the effects that pesticides have on the human body, possibly ending with death.

Benson 26
ARTICLES WITHOUT AN AUTHOR
"Alternatives to Using Pesticides." Southern States. Southern States, n.d. Web. 20 Apr.
2016.
Alternatives to Using Pesticides is an article which provides tangible solutions for pesticides.
The most convincing aspect is that the solutions are basically the same as the solutions listed in
Planet Naturals article. This research is extremely important to stress for this paper, and the
authors solution.
Arcadia City. United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau, n.d. Web. 27
Apr. 2016.
The United States Census Bureau provides statistical information about the identified discourse
community, as defined by John Swales, Arcadia, California. The information correlates with the
definitions that are provided in the article What Income Class Are You?.
"The DDT Story." The DDT Story. Pesticide Action Network North America, n.d. Web. 21
Apr. 2016.
The history of DDT is pertinent to the importance of this problem; identifying how flawed the
most powerful pesticide in the world is may give way to show the countless problems with
pesticides in general. The DDT Story gives an amazing depiction of this. The author, similar to
Planet Natural and Toxic Action Center, starts off by identifying the issues, but does it while
incorporating its history.
"Healthy Farm Practices: Crop Rotation and Diversity." UCS UCA. Union of Concerned
Scientists, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
Crop Rotation is a very important aspect of the solution in this paper. This article provides an
insight on how Crop Rotation is superior to pesticide use. It identifies the positives of Crop
Rotation. The article furthers the solutions presented in "Healthy Farm Practices: Crop Rotation
and Diversity," and the Sustainable Table.
Home. The Bees in Decline. Greenpeace, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
The Bees in Decline allows for an example of how pesticides are harming our beneficial insects.
It directly correlates to Rachel Carsons belief of how pesticides are harming bees.
"The Key to Keeping a Rich Vegetable Patch." Rodale's Organic Life. Rodale Inc., 15 Apr.
2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
Rodale offers insightful information on keeping a healthy environment and therefore
healthy crops. It identifies the benefits of using the technique, Crop Rotation, just alike "Healthy
Farm Practices: Crop Rotation and Diversity," and the Sustainable Table.
"Pesticide Poisoning Effects to Farm Workers." Mercola.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
This is a website about an environmentalists findings on the United States populations effects
from pesticides. It helps show the severity of the effects that pesticides have on the human body,
similar to the articles pertaining to the event that took place in Thailand, "'Bed Bug Pesticide
Poisoning' Killed Californian Woman and Six Other Tourists in Thailand," and "Thailand Deaths:
Evidence Sarah Carter Killed by Insecticide."

Benson 27

"The Pesticide Problem." Planet Natural. Planet Natural, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
Planet Natural reaffirms all of the problems stated in the Toxic Action Center. The author
identifies the issues that follows pesticides and then provides valid solutions to the problem.
Some of these include: education and what the author terms Organic Pest Management (which
includes Biological Pesticides and Beneficial Insects). This is similar solutions listed in the
Alternatives to Using Pesticides.
"The Problem with Pesticides." The Problem with Pesticides. Toxics Action Center, n.d.
Web. 21 Feb. 2016.
The following is an article about the effects that Pesticides has on the environment, adults, and
children, an argument against the Government's claim that the pesticides on the market are safe,
and guided solutions to alleviating the problems that coincide with Pesticides. The Toxics Action
Center, a non-profit volunteer-based organization, is aiming for fighting, side-by-side with
communities, providing you with the skills and resources needed to prevent or clean up pollution
at the local level. Of course, it does have some bias due to the fact that it is an organization
which is highly against the use of pesticides.
"Sustainable Crop Production." Sustainable Table. GRACE Communications Foundation,
n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
Similar to Crop Rotation, Sustainable farming practices are the most important aspect of the
solution in this paper. The author defines what Sustainable practices are and how they benefit
farmers, farming, and the environment.
"Thailand Deaths: Evidence Sarah Carter Killed by Insecticide." Thailand Deaths:
Evidence Sarah Carter Killed by Insecticide. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
This is another source that gives insight on a current event that occurred in Thailand. The
outcome of this event show the effects that are explained in The Problems with Pesticides. It
helps show the severity of the effects that pesticides have on the human body, possibly ending
with death.
Wage and Salary Earner Differences. Employment New Zealand. Employment New
Zealand, 9 Apr. 2015. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
This source helps define terms used in this paper and furthers evidence used in this paper. The
information provided by the author helps back up the claims made in Investopedias article.
What Are Pesticides and How Do They Work? NSW Environmental Protection Authority
(EPA). NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), 18 Mar. 2016. Web. 27 Apr.
2016.
The EPA helps define what a pesticide is, a very important aspect of this paper. The author
identifies various types of pesticides, such as DDT (as mentioned in The DDT Story) and their
effects on the environment many alike those mentioned in the Toxic Action Centers article.
Who Is Working Class? Working Class Perspectives. Working Class Perspectives, 28 July
2008. Web. 27 Apr. 2016

Benson 28
Working Class Perspectives is bell hooks counterpart; if Where We Stand: Class Matters were an
article, it would be this. The author has a percipient tone pertaining to class, particularly the
working class. Both authors, hooks and the author of the Working Class Perspectives, stress the
importance of knowing where ones place is in the class hierarchy.