Exposure to pesticides
linked to impaired
brain development.
The chemicals used
in residential pesticides
have changed
in recent years due to
harmful effects
associated with pesticides
known as the
organophosphorus type.
Scientists
at Columbia University
in New York, USA
evaluated the newer type
of pesticides
known as pyrethroids,
whose longer-term
effects were not known.
Specifically, they looked
at the effect of exposure
to permethrin
as a commonly-sold
insecticide,
as well as PBO, which is
a common additive
to the formulations.
The researchers analyzed
air samples
in the environments of
725 pregnant women,
then tracked
the brain development
of their children
over the next three years.
At age three, the children
whose mothers had been
exposed to higher than
4.3 nanograms of PBO
scored 3.9 points lower
on mental
development tests.
Lead scientist,
Dr. Megan Horton,
stated, “This finding
is worrisome because
mental development
index scores
are more predictive
of school readiness.”
Dr. Horton and
other experts suggest that
families avoid using
chemical insecticide
sprays and instead
seek to use natural
control measures such as
sealing cracks in walls
and maintaining a clean
home environment.
Our gratitude, Dr. Horton
and colleagues,
for your revealing work
in documenting
the adverse effects of
pyrethroid insecticides.
Let us strive to halt
the use of all such
harmful substances
so that babies, mothers,
and families thrive
in health and well-being.
During a September 2009
videoconference
in South Korea,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
addressed
the harm caused
by chemical pesticides
to humans and animals
alike, speaking at the
same time of alternatives
that seek to protect
all life.
Supreme Master Ching Hai : Another example of
a practice causing harm
to both animals and Earth
is the use of
chemical pesticides.
If you can imagine,
over 5 billion pounds
of pesticides are used
throughout the world
each year!
And only about 10% -
10%! - of these chemicals
even reach the areas
where they are
intended for.
So the rest?
What happens?
They go into the air
and water
where they have been
linked to everything
from cancer
of humans and animals
to oceanic dead zones.
Since organic
vegan farming
does not use pesticides
and does not
have anything to do
with livestock raising,
milk production or
any such harmful activity,
it could be called
a practice of compassion,
in line with Heaven,
with values that are echoed
in many spiritual paths
and religious teachings.
Organic vegan farming,
with its approach
of causing the least harm
to others,
offers the least burden of
bad karma (retribution).
We need people
who distribute all
the necessary information
for organic farming.
This is truly the way
of the future.
It is the way
to our ultimate humanity
and brotherhood among
all beings on the planet.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/164883.html,
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/02/12/Common-insecticide-may-hurt-child-IQ/UPI-66491297548602/,
http://www.mailman.columbia.edu/Extra News
As part of a plan
coordinated by the UN
Environment Program
for East African nations
to adopt cleaner fuel,
Kenya launches a program
to transition to a type of
diesel that reduces
harmful sulfur content
by 95%, saying that
it will soon be available
across the country.
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=659&ArticleID=6899&l=en,
http://www.kbc.co.ke/news.asp?nid=68989
Citing the harm of plastic
to both wildlife
and the environment,
several agencies
in Abu Dhabi,
United Arab Emirates
sponsor the distribution
of thousands of
eco-friendly bags
to shoppers, in an effort
to raise awareness and
to prepare residents
for a complete ban
on plastic bags,
effective in 2013.
http://www.greenprophet.com/2011/02/plastic-bags-abu-dhabi/