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4-The Economics Behind the Issue

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Suicide by Pesticide - The Economics Behind the Issue There are three possible solutions to help reduce pesticide usage: indirect taxes set by the government, negative advertising to sway public opinion, and government regulations including permits and bans. To analyze the theoretical validity of each solution, we can use the economics concept of market failure.  The identity of cost and benefit is important in economics. Marginal cost and marginal benefit is the incremental changes in cost and benefit of producing and consuming one more unit of good (pesticide). The marginal private benefit and cost reflects the benefit and cost of the stakeholders (consumers and producers) while the marginal social benefit and cost involves society as a whole. On a graph, the marginal benefit is synonymous with demand of the product and is represented by a downward sloping line, while the marginal cost is the supply of the product represented by a upward sloping line. Sometimes, the
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3-Exemplar Posters and Letter

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A potential letter to the administrator of the EPA: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qpYrIvuXKERnjSBBoFQyQI2fGmbdsmQdadjoPeF5dXU/edit?usp=sharing 
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3-Solutions to the Issue

Suicide by Pesticide - Solutions to the Issue What can be done? The b est way to reduce the negative effects of pesticides is to prevent and minimize the use of them. This can be achieved through many ways. Spreading awareness of the issue through campaign posters is a great starting point. As more citizens realize the ill effects and turn against the use of pesticides, the more traction and power we hold to petition for controls and regulations. Exemplar campaign posters are included in the above post. The Pest Management Regulatory Agency  in Canada has the power to ban and control matters r elating to the environment. Send the director of the PMRA, Richard Aucoin, a letter expressing your concern for the overuse of pesticides. The PMRA could add indirect taxes to pesticides, negatively advertise the use of pesticides, or ban certain pesticides altogether. The economics behind these actions are explained a separate post. Canada has already set out plans to ban Neonicotinoids i
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2-The Importance of the Issue

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Suicide by Pesticide - The Importance of the Issue Why is the issue important? When analyzing cost vs. benefit of pesticides, proponents often omit hidden and indirect costs that are not as quantifiable. A recent study published in "Sustainable Agriculture Reviews" factored in hidden costs such as illnesses, fatalities, and environmental impacts. Researchers analyzed 61 papers and concluded a new health cost calculation estimate of $15 billion in the US only, a tenfold increase compared to prior estimates of $1.5 billion. This example shows that society has been underestimating the negative effects of pesticides and is likely to continue to do so as long as this issue is not brought to light. While the study was not conducted here in Canada, the same principle applies, that hidden, implicit costs are not being reported and brought to attention. By bringing awareness to the issue, we are pressuring supporters of pesticides to recognize the "true cost" of using
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1-The Issue of Synthetic Pesticide Use

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Suicide by Pesticide - The Issue of Synthetic Pesticide Use The use of dangerous pesticides for agricultural purposes is an issue at large. 5.6 billion pounds of synthetic pesticides are used worldwide. Some widely used synthetic pesticides are possible carcinogens, with other severe effects towards children. Many pesticides have been linked to the honeybee crisis, decreasing bat populations, and mass extinctions.  The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) should put in place policies that ban or restrict pesticides proven to have severe impacts to human health and the environment. What is the issue? Pesticides are substances that destroy pests and insects. They are sprayed onto crops to prevent pest infestation and promote quality and yield of the crop. After all, consumers would prefer a bright shiny tomato rather than one bitten by insects. Modern synthetic pesticides are cheap and easily accessible, resulting in their widespread use throughout the agricultural i
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