Pesticides and their environmental impact Essay

Introduction Pesticides are chemicals or organic substances that have been designed to prevent pests, weeds or diseases in agricultural production and other places where public health is of paramount importance. Pesticides are very important in agricultural production because they control vermin that would otherwise lead production losses during growth and the storage. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003). Various researches have continued to indicate that farmers stand to loose about a third of the crop field if pesticides are not used as a control measure. This would have catastrophic effect on food security across the globe. Thus pesticides play a major role in food production. However the handling and the usage of the pesticides has continued to have long lasting effect on the environment including the flora and fauna. (Hamilton D & Crossley S   2004). Since 2500 BC farmers used biological means to control various pests. It was the safest method even though not the most effective. The farm products treated by biological pesticides  Ã‚   did not have any side effects to the consumers who used these products. However after the agrarian revolution, an increasing number of farmers started using artificial pesticides that were more suitable for the increased scale of agricultural production. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003).   There are different types of pesticides depending on the target pests; insecticides help to control insects, bactericide control bacteria and fungicides control fungi. We also have synthetic pesticides that are artificially produced in factories. DDT is always listed as one of the most effective pesticides yet the most environmental destructive which led to its eventual ban in 1939 in over 98 countries. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003). Environmental Effects The environment is always contaminated when pesticides are applied on crops. During the process of application it has been known that some amounts of pesticides vaporize and are later deposited in the soil or other waterways by rainfall. (Hamilton D & Crossley S   2004). Pesticides present in ground water or drinking water has great impact and is both costly and problematic to control. For example the total concentration of pesticide residues in many ground water supplies in the EU countries exceeds the maximum permissible concentration. In the US the situation is the same and research done on about 68,000 wells revealed that about 9,000 of these wells were indeed contaminated with the residues, which exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency standards (EPA) for water meant for drinking. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003) Contaminated water is very harmful to animals, vital microorganisms in the soil, and extremely dangerous for the marine ecosystem. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003) Pesticides and Wildlife Wildlife by nature do not discriminate in their eating and drinking habits, thus when the pesticides residues find their way to the areas where the wildlife is bound to exist then it poses great danger as they may lead to a slow but sure death of the animals. A very good example is the death of flamingoes and other bird species in the Kenyan lake Nakuru. These deaths were as a result of the excessive use of pesticides in the upstream waterway that feed the lake with water. (Watson, D 2004).   Greater effects have also been recorded amongst various bee and bird species that are very important in the pollination processes. A good example of this effect was also recorded in the US and Europe between 1950 and 1970 when the dramatic decline in the population of the birds of prey was attributed to the organochlorine pesticide that was POPs. The use of DDT was found to break down to DDE, chemical that was responsible for the cause of eggshell thinning that resulted to the crushing of the eggs leading to the failure of the breeding cycle of the birds of prey that also included the fish-eating birds. http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ Another pesticide aspect that has led to the decline in the bird populations is when they have reduced the existence of certain weeds in various arable fields. The weeds play a very significant role in providing the birds with seeds and insects for food, thus when they are decimated then it affects the bird’s food chain. The great decline of the grey partridge is directly attributed to the use of herbicides that change the availability of the food supply.  Ã‚   http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ Until recently a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide called cypermethrin was commonly used in sheep dips across the UK and had adverse effect on the environment. The greatest impact was realized in the marine life where a vast number of various aquatic invertebrates were killed. http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ In fish the residues are consumed resulting to the bioaccumulation of the pesticides in the birds of prey that eat this fish. Such pesticides as dieldrin   and aldrin were directly blamed for the decline in the deaths and population decline of birds of prey. However it is worth noting that in areas where the usage of the chemicals is prohibited the population of the birds species has recorded remarkable increase. http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ Health Effects Workers in the manufacturing companies are at great dangers of developing various other complications while handling the manufacturing processes. Sometimes the workers lack adequate protection and are therefore exposed to the chemicals that are highly carcinogenic. Farmers and other pesticide handlers are the most exposed people to the dangers of the pesticides. (Watson, D 2004). Organophosphates are less harmful to the environment  Ã‚   compared to organ chlorine pesticides. The pesticides can cause abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, nausea, as well as skin and eye problems. When pesticides are used for a long time they can also cause respiratory problems, memory disorder, cancer, neurological deficit and in women who are exposed so much to the pesticides it can cause miscarriages and birth defects when pregnant. (Walter A. et.al.2005) Consumers Most of the crops planted by big scale farmers are very harmful to the consumers because these farmers use the pesticides for cultivation processes. Fruits and vegetables contain the pesticides residues making them harmful to the consumers. Due to these residues, the maximum Residue limits has recommended some standards for individual pesticides food to be used. The EPA has set tolerances that detect the toxicity of the residues and amount of pesticide application that remain in food before it is marketed and prepared. The tolerance level is obtained using scientific assessments that manufactures are required to produce before a particular pesticide can be registered. (Walter A. et.al.2005) The study published in 1993 showed that the infants and children are exposed to pesticides through their diet, while in the US the study shows that pesticide residues in food cause causes of cancer. (Watson, D 2004). The pesticide residue has been a major concern in the US making it possible in 1996 to begin a program known as United States Department of Agriculture to allow its food to be tested for different types of pesticides. The program allowed the test of different vegetables and fruits commonly eaten for example: Apple, Lettuce, Pears and Oranges. To avoid the entire health problem, the consumer can wash, peel, cook and even trim the fat from meat and eat variety of food to avoid long-term exposure to pesticide. The consumer is also advised to buy organic food. (Walter A. et.al.2005) Pesticides are generally exposed to the general public some of the pesticides are very harmful and because they lack proper handling instructions pose great dangers not only to the users but also to the public at large. According to various studies, various pesticides have severe effects on young children and cause leukemia. Organophosphate can cause infliction to the nerve cells and may lead to low birth weights. This is because when pregnant women are exposed to the pesticides they have a very high chance of affecting the uterus and the child carried in the womb. (Walter A. et.al.2005)   With the development of new technology most pesticides are becoming obsolete and other better methods are being used as form of pest control such technologies are being developed in such countries as Bangladesh, Indonesia and Mexico. To reduce health and environmental risks, biological and botanical methods are being  Ã‚   developed and applicators are advised to adopt other methods other than the use of chemical pesticides. For example farming methods like polyculture where by you grow multiple types of plants or even planting crops where the pests that damage the plants do not exist (crop rotation) if not you can adopt the US style of spraying the pests with hot water or the release of natural predators. Interfering with insect’s production can be accomplished by sterilizing males so that there is no production of the off springs. All this methods have been achieved in Indonesia and Sweden thus making their environment very friendly not only to human beings but also to their crops and animals. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003). Conclusion Pesticides have been of great use especially in the production of food to sustain the ever-increasing world population. Most of the pesticides have significant side effects on the environment and have continued to cause untold damage to the ecosystem. In the developed world the governments have continued to institute very strict measures that have seen the banning of the usage most of such products. The producers realizing the challenges they face in these regions have opted to switch their operations to the third world countries where the regimes lack the necessary infrastructure or legislation to control the use of the said products. Thus the dangers have been shifted from the first worlds to the poor third world countries, which are left to bear the brunt of the pesticides. First world countries have the responsibility of protecting the world from the effects of the pesticides because they are the largest producers.    Work cited Hamilton, Denis; Crossley, Stephen (2004). Pesticide residues in food and drinking water. J. Wiley. Hond, Frank et.al. (2003). Pesticides: problems, improvements, alternatives. Blackwell Science. Pesticides-and-the-environment: Retrieved on 11th April from http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ Walter A. Alarcon, et.al. (2005) Pesticides and the Environment. â€Å"Acute Illnesses Associated With Pesticide Exposure at Schools†. Journal of the American Medical Association Watson, David H. (2004). Pesticide, veterinary and other in food residues: woodhead Publishing

Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

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Does the ever present popularity and cross over of 'ethnic crafts' and Essay

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Leagile Manufacturing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

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Project risk and Procurement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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Pavement Design Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Albert Camus The Stranger Essay Example for Free

Albert Camus The Stranger Essay Color and weather as elements used to explore thought and emotion in Albert Camus The Stranger Literary techniques have long been an effective tool that authors use in order to convey deeper meaning within their text, particularly for novels that have a seemingly simple purpose. The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward is a perfect example of this, on the surface it is about a murder committed by a heartless man, beneath it traces the development of this man, his thoughts, his principles and finally the acceptance of his fate. Color and weather are two elements that Camus uses in order to develop this deeper meaning, and to explore his protagonists thoughts and emotions. This technique explores the wider concept of existentialism as well, essentially classifying The Stranger as an existentialist novel. Color and weather are used in conjunction at times, but when employed separately; their influence materializes in different ways within the novel. Weather as used by Camus directly influences the actions of his protagonist Meursault. The most prominent instance would be when he commits the murder of the Arab, because of the intense heat. This is evident in the line The Sea carried up a thick, fiery breath. It seemed to me as if the sky split open from one end to the other to rain down fire. My whole being tensed and I squeezed my hand around the revolver.1 Here, the sun and the heat are used to create vivid imagery that characterizes the weather as a force by itself, an irrefutable force that has control over Meursault, something that dictates his physical actions at times. Meursault feels the physical attributes of the world around him in a much greater capacity than others, which is an indication of his existentialist nature. The physical world is all that matters to him, nothing beyond it. The sun is used as a recurring symbol to trace the progression of Meursaults character through the novel. His attitude towards it, they way he views the effect of the sun on himself is an indicator of his transgression as he is convicted and then as he develops his realization of the world, and accepts his fate. In the first part of the novel, the sun seems to cause him solely discomfort, he feels suffocated and weary under the constant battering of its repressive force. This is indicated when Meursault says, on the day of his mothers funeral But today, with the sun bearing down, making the whole landscape shimmer with heat, it was inhuman and oppressive.2 The death of his mother did not cause him grief, but the force of the sun did. Here, he is entirely focused on the physical aspects of his being; he does not function on a level deeper than that. However, this is contrasted to his view towards the end of the novel, when he says .all night long, waited patiently for the first light to show on the pane of sky.3 He values the earth and what it has to give, in the view of his approaching death he looks to the sun as a symbol of hope. Thus what the sun represents to Meursault has changed, once it symbolized aggression and violence, now it indicates hope, and acceptance in his life. While weather was used to influence Meursaults actions, color is employed by Camus to reflect Meursaults thought process and his emotions. Meursault observes color intently as he is completely immersed in the physical world in the first part of the novel. Red features prominently as an indicator of violence, death and aggression. At his mothers funeral, Meursault describes his mothers burial as the blood red earth spilling over Mamans casket, the white flesh of the roots mixed with it4 The red earth reflects the death of his mother, the white represents the empty feeling he associates with it. The line could be seen as an allusion to his ambivalent feelings towards his mothers death, guilt at not being able to conform to societys expectations, represented by red, and awareness that his mothers death has not caused him to feel anything; therefore he is empty, represented by white. Yellow and green appear occasionally in the course of the novel as well, to reflect certain aspects of Meursaults thinking, and emotions. After an enjoyable dinner at Celestes, Meursault says The sky was green; I felt good.5 Green here represents contentment, and a certain tranquil calm that enables him to live in the moment, with his simple concerns and thoughts. Yellow is used when he describes his dead mother and the mirror on his wall. Thus, it represents dilapidation and aging, something that does not appeal to Meursault. Blue and black are significant colours as when they are contrasted with each other, they represent Meursaults struggle between an obligation to conform to society, and a desire to be freed from all responsibility. It can be inferred from the line I felt a little lost between the blue and white of the sky and the monotony of the colors around me the sticky black of the tar, the dull black of all the clothes, and the shiny black of the hearse6 that his ambivalence troubles him. Black as a symbol of mourning represents what Meursault should be feeling, despair and loneliness, while blue and white represent his desire to be liberated, to live in the world without having to feel guilty for his lack of feeling at his mothers death. Meursaults keen observation of color and the fact that the weather affects him in profound ways all allude to something deeper. There is a perceptible change in Camus writing style when he describes nature, and when he describes emotion or a social situation. The sentences flow freely when he writes of nature, describing the sun or the weather or the lap of water against his skin. This is starkly different from the language used to depict social situations, or emotion. The sentences are short and clipped, suggesting Meursaults unease with conforming to society and its regulations. His connection with nature hints at his existentialist tendencies revealed later on in the novel, as he finds pleasure in the physical world; instances such as good weather please him. The usage of these elements as literary techniques in the novel contributes to a deeper understanding of the nature of existentialism itself. Existentialism is a predominant theme in The Stranger, one that Camus has chosen to explore in a compelling way. His focus on the physical, weather and color are both aspects of the world that are visible on the surface. They symbolize the very essence of existentialism, a focus on the absolute, what is tangible and present rather than something unidentifiable and abstract. Existentialists focus on concrete human existence, Camus has alluded to this by employing weather and color as techniques in the novel to illustrate his protagonists thoughts. The development of these symbols, the Sun in particular and what it means to Meursault is indicative of Camus own thoughts towards existentialism. His character Meursault is resolved of his struggle in the end; he reaches a stage where he accepts his impending death. By doing this, Camus encourages the reader to persevere in spite of absurdity. He cites it as an obstacle to overcome rather than a reason for ending ones life, which is the common outcome of an existentialists thinking. Thus, Albert Camus makes use of color and weather to convey certain deeper connotations of the novel, as well as to indicate his protagonists existentialist tendencies, and his own thoughts on this philosophy. He uses symbols, vivid imagery and contrast to highlight the conflict within Meursault, which is an important facet of the novel. His symbolic presentation of the sun traces Meursaults character development, from a man removed from most of the world, to a man who accepts his fate and truly appreciates the world around him. These are the elements that contribute to the depth of a novel, give it many layers that provoke thought within the reader. Bibliography Camus, Albert (1942) The Stranger, Alfred. A. Knopf, Inc (1998) 1 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 59 2 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 15 3 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 113 4 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 18 5 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page26 6 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 17