being promoted, there is still a long way to go until the public knows the hazards of
pesticides. While tanker trucks spewing clouds of poisons are an obvious menace, the
larger issue of home and institutional treatments has not been so widely discussed.
The opposition to indiscriminate use of pesticides brings up many questions about
our role in nature, and what exactly constitutes a pest. As a new generation confronts
the greater problems of ecological degradation, pesticide use will continue to attract
activists. The rest of us owe these people a debt of gratitude, because like all responsi-
ble, ecologically minded individuals, they are taking charge of the health and well-
being of our communities. They refuse to accept the assurances of public officials that
public health is being protected. They also refuse to accept the belief that we can do
whatever we want with nature with no regard for the consequences.IPM and Sustainable AgricultureIt is important to note that farmers generally use pesticides very judiciously. Chem-
icals are one of the most expensive inputs that a farmer can use. IPM and sustainable
agriculture provide alternative technologies that allow farmers to reduce pesticide
usage while maintaining productivity and profitability. IPM integrates all pest man-
agement techniques into one crop management strategy. Pesticides may be used to
control a pest only when the pest is threatening economic losses to a crop. IPM pro-
grams rely on biological control, scouting of crops, and other cultural practices as
well as reduced chemical inputs.
Sustainable agriculture is farming practices that preserve and protect the future
productivity and health of the environment. Sustainable agriculture is, however, a
broader topic than organic farming. The way food is processed, packaged, and trans-
ported may pose a threat to the environment, even when the food was cultivated
organically. For example, pretzels may be organic—meaning 95 percent of their ingre-
dients are organically grown—but in reality, they have been produced from highly
refined flour processed using energy-wasting machinery, packaged in non-recyclable
plastic, and shipped around the world using large amounts of fossil fuel. Growing foods
organically is, therefore, only the first step in achieving sustainable agriculture. Most
environmentalists and ecologists and many individuals involved in the production of
organic foods believe that sustainable agriculture is necessary if we are to reach the
long-term goals of personal health and ecological balance.Organic AgricultureIn the United States, organic agriculture is expanding, while conventional agricul-
ture is in decline or at best stagnant. But the organic method of farming is still
viewed with suspicion by many U.S. farmers who are used to getting advice from
chemical company salespeople or from university agriculture departments that are
heavily endowed and influenced by chemical companies and bioengineering firms.
Unfortunately most organic certifiers and other pro-organic organizations don’t
have well-developed programs for encouraging conventional farmers to make the238 | Pesticides