Environment
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External Costs of Agricultural Production in the United States (pdf)
International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability V. 2 No. 1, 2004
In this study from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, economists Erin Tegtmeier and Michael Duffy consider the external costs (i.e., costs to ecosystems and human health not recognized by the market) of conventional agricultural production in the U.S. By assessing the monetary costs (estimated at $5.7 to $16.9 billion annually) of these externalities, the authors move us toward more fully quantifying their impact.
Environmental And Economic Costs Of The Application Of Pesticides Primarily In The United States (pdf)
An obvious need for an updated and comprehensive study prompted this investigation of the complex of environmental costs resulting from the nation's dependence on pesticides.
The False Promise of GMOs
GMOs (genetically modified organisms) can have unpredictable consequences for the environment and for human health. When it comes to solving world hunger, GMOs are a dangerous step in the wrong direction. Learn more about this controversial technology, which is prohibited by organic standards.
The Myth of Pesticides
Conventional farming is dependent on synthetic biocides (pesticides, fungicides and herbicides). These poisons are used in food production to kill pests, diseases and weeds. A major myth is that most modern agricultural chemicals leave few residues. We are misled into believing that they break down and do not persist in our food.
Stroking the Columbia
"On June 4, 2002, I jumped into the Canadian headwaters of the Columbia River, and took the first of the 795,750 freestyle strokes that would carry me to the Pacific Ocean."—Christopher Swain
