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Essay / Pesticides - 1232
People have been abusing the environment for too long. Americans should not use chemicals without research and serious consequences. Rachel Carson, an aquatic biologist who helped found the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, wrote an article about the damage chemicals are causing on the planet. She made an important point that most of the damage done to Earth by Americans cannot be undone. These chemicals remain in the air or soil for generations (Carson 50). Americans should use environmentally friendly pesticides to reduce pollution and improve human and animal health. One of the main reasons for using environmentally friendly pesticides is to reduce pollution. In a National Wildlife article, it was found that surface and groundwater pollution poses the largest “uncontrolled” threat to America’s water today. This happens when rain washes pesticide chemicals into streams, lakes, and other bodies of water (Miller, para. 5). It can be very difficult to monitor this issue because it is difficult to decide which farmer is overusing or even misusing pesticides (Miller, para. 5). One way to reduce pesticide pollution is to reduce the amount of pesticides used. Iowa farmers have been encouraged to reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers on their crops to help stop polluting groundwater and runoff. Farmers were using too many fertilizers and pesticides because they were not taking into account the fertilizers already present in the soil in recent years. Since the project began, nitrate levels in groundwater have decreased (Miller, para. 16). If all farmers adopted this new way of thinking, the problem of water contamination would get worse... middle of paper ... pesticides that would harm the land and eat no pesticides. Like Rachel Carson, all Americans should be very concerned about the impact of pesticides on the environment and on all living creatures. In her conclusion to The Duty to Endure, she states: "I argue that we have authorized the use of these chemicals with little or no prior study into their effects on soil, water, wildlife and the man himself. Future generations are unlikely to tolerate our lack of caution regarding the integrity of the natural world on which all life rests” (Carson 54). She, like many others, recognizes the major challenge of current actions regarding pesticides, but remains hopeful for the future. A small change in each person can yield great results. To reduce pollution and improve human and animal health, Americans should use only environmentally friendly pesticides..