This case study examines childhood cancers in agricultural communities of Mc Farland and Earlimart from 1978 to 1995. According to the local residents of these communities the main reason for cancer is contamination through pesticide in the agricultural farms which is the major source of employment for the residents of the community.…
Agriculture was first started around the year 8,000 B.C.E. in Mesopotamia. There the plants grew along with food so humans could eat them. These first parts of farming faced many challenges with insects and pests eating away their crops. During the era of 1000 B.C.E. the Chinese began experimenting with elements such as mercury and other compounds to contain the insects. Other civilizations would use chemicals to contain pests. The usage of chemicals has occupied agriculture, and even more recently in the 1940’s inorganic substances composed of various elements were heavily used to contain the insects affecting the crops. The growth of many synthetic pesticides occurred during this time, the most common one was DDT. DDT was used the most…
Migrant child farm workers were practically born to die. I say that in that way because children were exposed to many malicious diseases or infections. The growers made them grow fruits and vegetables with a certain fertilizer which contained poison, and since the farm workers had nothing to eat they had to eat that. Cesar states that the “Health authorities in many San Joaquin Valley towns already warn…
Pest management is something that many people are not able to manage on their own. That is why there are exterminators are available to help. There are several signs that suggest you are in need of Livermore pest control services. You need pest control in Livermore if you notice droppings throughout your home. These droppings may be underneath your sink or cabinets.…
They say that the pesticides ward off insects and bugs that would otherwise harm crops in the agricultural industry. Farmers that use pesticides claim that the prices of produce and other food products have lowered. For instance, without pesticides, there would be more crops lost to pests, which results in smaller harvests, and farmers would have to raise the price of their produce to accommodate their losses. But, the benefits of pesticides do not outweigh the disadvantages. As stated before, pesticides pose a threat to the environment, to pollinators, and to all organisms that ingest it. According to flowpsychology.com, experts say that insects exposed to the repellents can build up resistance over time, which makes the pesticides ineffective. Even though others say that pesticides help us, it will aid us more to ban…
Schlosser also addresses the high number of migrant workers working today, as well as being the poorest workers in the United States. Yet, Schlosser does not touch on the health risks that represent working in the fields. I plan to emphasize more on the health risks that are present in the everyday life of a migrant farm working. I will discuss how pesticides have a negative effect on the life of workers, but also to their families. Children of farm workers are at a greater risk of having health risks because of their high exposure to pesticides. Sociological implications that come along with doing this research are or might be the constant demand that [we] consumers make to the agricultural companies, to supply us with fresh fruits and vegetables. This not only has a negative impact in the industry but also to the farm workers. The pressure that consumers places upon the industries makes them produce more and use more harmful chemicals that affect the lives of farm workers but also to those living…
The air quality of the San Joaquin Valley is believed to be the most polluted in the nation, according to the Fresno Metro Ministry in their presentation of “Air Pollution 101.” With California in a drought, problems develop in the water for consumption as well as the water for agriculture, a big factor in the profits that the valley receives. Water companies are then forced to dig into the aquifers, or naturally forming underground water supplies, which have caused the land to sink. All of these environments in the San Joaquin Valley have been affected greatly by the drought in California and have resulted in ill effects to the valley residents, such as shortening their…
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, divides water pollution into two categories: point and nonpoint source pollution. Point source pollution comes from a specific place, such as a water treatment plant, while nonpoint source pollution comes from many sources which are not as easy to detect or control (Berg, Hager, & Hassenzahl, 2009). Nonpoint pollutants are the leading cause of water pollution in central Texas and have been known to cause issues with drinking water. Common nonpoint pollutants include fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, oil, grease, and pet or livestock waste. According to The Central Texas Sustainability Project (2009) 40,000 people were served by a public water provider while the provider was in violation of EPA water quality rules. This is a major concern for all citizens, and it is critical that the issue be addressed by reducing pollutants with small changes to the way things are done. Applying the appropriate amount of pesticide, properly disposing of oil and grease, and disposing of pet waste properly are all small steps one can take to reduce the amount of nonpoint pollution that contributes to lower water qualities in central…
Their jobs can eventually subject them to health problems resulting from pesticide exposure, deplorable housing conditions, workplace abuse, and a series of other issues. These farmers who work to feed the U.S., especially California, struggle even to provide a meal for their own families let alone everyone else's’. Many of the times these workers are young adults or even children; in all cases, the farm workers are excluded from important national labor protections that other workers possess. The role of farm workers is one of the most vital jobs, and yet it is also one of the most dangerous and least adequately compensated. Farm workers in California earn between $12,500 to $14,000 a year for individuals and $17,500 to $19,999 for a…
Question: How are herbicides that are used to eliminate aquatic hyacinths in bodies of water being managed? And how do they affect those ecosystems?…
This truth can affect a specific group because of some individuals that once made or continue to make poor choices. Yet the majority of the group at times will endure some sort of judgment and this can affect how they are most often perceived by the rest of society. Even though the majority of ranchers do not act so foolishly as others do, there are the few that give these hard honest workers a bad name. These men that do the unnecessary wreak havoc on the environment and even at times may harm their animals. By committing such grossly acts, the ranchers with harmful choices spray chemicals to enhance crops or carelessly use pesticides for any invasive species trying to ingest crops. These pesticides can contaminate soil, water sources, and other vegetation. Adding on to that, killing insects or any varmints, pesticides can be very toxic to a host of other organisms which include birds, insects, fish, and plants. Insecticides are frequently the most heavily toxic type of pesticides, but herbicides can also be a risk to any organisms that weren’t targeted. The enhancement of crops and usage of pesticide can betray the FDA guidelines which ultimately can affect a person's health. In a written article called Effects of Pesticides on Human Health by Toxipedia it is mentioned, “Pesticides are designed to kill and because their mode of action is not specific to one species, they often kill or harm organisms other than pests, including humans. The World Health Organization estimates that there are 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning each year and up to 220,000 deaths, primarily in developing countries. The application of pesticides is often not very precise, and unintended exposures occur to other organisms in the general area where pesticides are applied. Children, and indeed any young and developing organisms, are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticides. Even very low…
The state of the chemical, i.e., solid, liquid, or gas, affects the chances of pesticide penetration into the body. Liquids or gasses can get into the body through all three routes, whereas solids tend to have a lower chance of entry through the lungs. However, if solid particles are small enough or if they remain on the skin long enough, penetration into the body can take place in the same ways to those of liquids or gasses. The most common route by which pesticide users are poisoned is absorption through the skin. Dermal absorption may occur as a result of splashes and spills when mixing, loading or disposing of pesticides. To a minor degree, it may result from exposure to large amounts of residue. The degree of hazard by dermal absorption…
There are many hazards that go along with working in the farm fields as a migrant worker. The exposure to many agricultural chemicals poses a danger unlike any Americans face in their normal day to day jobs. Even the worst, and dirtiest, American job does not come close to the work-life as a migrant worker in the farm fields. In this paper I will first lay out the fundamentals of the culture of capitalism and concentrate on the laborer. Then I will move my focus mainly on one case study entitled “Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in the US: A review of health hazards, status, and policy” by Carol Sakala. In her paper she discusses the faults that the current health policy has. She also brings up four major occupational exposures – the pesticides used, the sun, injuries, and bad field sanitation. Sakala argues that the current health policies that deal with migrant farm workers need to change. Following the current programs and status of migrant workers in the U.S. will be an explanation of why it is important we change the current policies. By increasing awareness of the difficulty of America's migrant and seasonal farm workers, I hope to boost the development of a stronger public health setup and to improve the health status of these individuals.…
. Residents could be outside during the aerial and ground spraying or they could handle or eat matter containing residues from the application of the pesticides. Informing the residents would reduce the risk of this happening.…
The first solution to save the honey bees is to ban pesticides . Many farmers use neonicotinoids to fight against any insects that prevents them from harming any crops . For instance , “ It is the task of the agricultural industry to fight the various grubs and beetles that threaten crops in a way that doesn't unnecessary damage beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies “ ( save 4 ). This beneficial because crops are saved from harmful pest. In addition , neonicotinoids are applied to the seeds before they are planted. Also , it can eliminate harmful or incident pest. To demonstrate , “ This eliminates indiscriminate field spraying and keeps the insecticides as far away as possible from hard-working bees “ ( Save 5 ) . However , neonicotinoids…