America's Failing System

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/pfas-synthetic-chemicals-water-toxic/

Using chemicals and pesticides in farming has a number of risks and hazards coming with it. Firstly, is the need for stronger and stronger chemicals which hurt natural predators of the pests that eat the crops. This is because we kill the predators of the pests with chemicals and the surviving pests become more resilient and pass those genes on. Secondly, the fact that these same chemicals can and do hurt consumers. Third, chemicals wash into the waterway and affect local wildlife and our waterways, which we get water from as well as fish from.

Prime example of a situation like this would be the industrial chemicals where I live in our nice little ‘sacrifice zone.’ While these are not chemicals used for farming, these chemicals have been seeping into our Duwamish River and further into the Puget Sound and who knows where else in the last 80 years. This river used to be a thriving river used by people to fish, now it is a ‘superfund site.’ The fish is no longer safe to eat from the river and many homeless who do, end up with mental health issues. This is because the government does not care about us, both the Local and Federal.

Organic farming is better, because in both the long and short-term, pesticides in fertilizer and for spraying for pests poisons communities. Farmers Markets need to be supported more. This will both lessen the power of BIG AG, as well as create more community bonds. It will also hurt local fishing and hunting areas. As wildlife will die/be poisoned by chemicals that will make the food unsafe to eat. This is why I told someone the other day, that even if I was a hunter, I would still be concerned about the environment.