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Reducing Exposure is Smart
The
more that scientists learn about the toxicity of pesticides, the more
questions are raised about the potential toxic effects on people.
Pesticide manufacturers often portray these unresolved scientific
issues, and the uncertainty that comes with them, as safety.
Statements like, "There is no conclusive evidence of harm
to humans"
from exposure to pesticide X are intended to mislead the public into
believing that exposures to pesticides and toxic chemicals are without
appreciable risks. This is not true. Absence of knowledge is not proof
of safety.
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The endocrine (hormone) system is perhaps even more
sensitive to
toxic exposure than the nervous system, and over the past decade,
enormous effort has been put into the study of how pesticides and toxic
chemicals interfere with normal endocrine signaling and function. A
significant body of research in animals now shows that ultra-low doses
of pesticides and toxic chemicals on critical days of development can
cause changes in hormone function and effects on organ development and
function that often only appear later in life. A growing number of
these studies show that low doses at a susceptible moment of
development can cause more of an effect than high doses (vom Saal 1997,
Alworth 2002, Hayes 2003). This is particularly relevant to childhood
and fetal exposures via food and water where the timing of the exposure
is at least as important as the dose.
Many
pesticides are now considered "endocrine disrupters", in part because
the term is something of a catch phrase for chemicals that cause a
variety of changes in normal hormone signaling. Some better known
examples of highly toxic endocrine disrupting pesticides are DDT (and
its metabolite DDE) which are now known to exhibit much of their
toxicity through anti-androgenic (de-masculinizing) properties (ATSDR
2002), vinclozolin, a heavily used fungicide that is also
anti-androgenic (EPA 2000), endosulfan, a DDT relative with estrogenic
properties that is found more often in food than any other pesticide
(EPA 2002, USDA 1994-2004), and atrazine, a weed killer with broad
hormonal activity, that contaminates the drinking water of about 20
million people in the United States (EWG 1999, EWG 1995).
Today
scientists know much more about how pesticides can change critical
hormone signals in the human body in ways that can have potential life
changing effects. Yet in spite of these advances, there is little
agreement on how much endocrine disruption is too much, and how much is
without harm. The same is true of immune system effects and to a lesser
degree effects on the developing nervous system.
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What's the Difference?
An
EWG simulation of thousands of consumers eating high and low pesticide
diets shows that people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 90
percent by avoiding the top twelve most contaminated fruits and
vegetables and eating the least contaminated instead. Eating the 12
most contaminated fruits and vegetables will expose a person to about
15 pesticides per day, on average. Eating the 12 least contaminated
will expose a person to less than 2 pesticides per day. Less dramatic
comparisons will produce less dramatic reductions, but without doubt
using the Guide provides people with a way to make choices that lower
pesticide exposure in the diet.
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Local healthy farming sources
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Searchable database of Ohio Organic Farms
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Raising poultry on pasture
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Basic info on the Farmer's Market - Yellow Springs, Ohio
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Basic info on the Farmer's Market - Dayton, Ohio
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Organic Ohio Farm - Community Supported Agriculture
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Farm bill information and support
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Organic farm in Nashville area
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Organic farm in middle tennessee near Knoxville
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CSA and organic farm list - plus more
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healthy and sustainable seafood list - excellent reference
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Locate pick your own fruits in your area
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