3-Exemplar Posters and Letter
A potential letter to the administrator of the EPA:
2-The Importance of the Issue
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...