Give Up Pesticides (Try IPM Instead)

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Insects have plagued farmers and gardeners since the dawn of agriculture, and continue to munch their way through millions of dollars worth of valuable vegetation every year. But after the widespread commercialization of industrial chemicals in the U.S., scientists began to envision a more effective, safer way of dealing with pests, rather than simply dousing the countryside with toxic chemicals. Whether it's from pesticide residue on foods, decades-old home and garden pesticides lingering around or other pathways, exposure to pesticides could be the environmental trigger for a range of health problems, from autism to Parkinson's disease.

In the years after World War II, the concept of integrated pest management (IPM) began to develop as an alternative. With IPM, pests are controlled by combining biological, physical and chemical tools in a way that seeks to minimize cost as well as health and environmental risks. Whether it's in a farm field, a home garden or the kitchen cabinets, you can employ a range of complementary methods, including encouraging natural predators and parasites of target pests, introducing biological controls such as ladybugs, planting pest-resistant vegetables, composting to enrich soil, employing "mechanical means" (such as pulling weeds, plucking aphids, rotating crops or filling cracks), and targeted application of small amounts of pesticides only as a last resort.

IPM has become popular with many environmentalists, public health officials and others seeking to reduce exposure to pesticides, because it can significantly cut down on both the quantities of chemicals used, and the chances that pesticides will contaminate the environment or affect non-target species (including us). The main focus is on traditional nuisance insects like cockroaches and termites, but IPM can be used to manage diseases, weeds and other problems at home and in the garden.

With a little planning and knowledge of local ecology, IPM can help people ensure a cleaner, healthier environment, as well as save money on pesticide applications.

The group Beyond Pesticides offers these resources for IPM:
> Integrated Pest Management Fact Sheet
> List of Pesticide Alternatives, by Pest

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