Beackground Flashcards
When were “pesticides” first used?
4500 years ago
What’s the evolutionary arms race?
Secondary metabolites that plants produce and pests evolve with the metabolites to get around them
What does white cedar produce?
What about coca plants?
Poppies
Tobacco
chrysanthemum
Thujone
Cocaine
Opioids
Nicotine
pyrethrum
Pesticides from the 40s and 50s
DDT - insecticide
2,4-D - herbicide
-ve effects of DDT
- made eagle egg shells too thin
Who uses the most pesticides globally?
China
4 main goals of pesticides
- increase yield
- protect human health
- Preserve forests
- improve recreation
Primary and secondary benefits of pesticides to humans
Primary
- people
- livestock
- prevent diseases
Secondary
- communities
- national
- global
Primary and secondary benefits of pesticides to agriculture
Primary
- yield
- less energy spent mechanically weeding
- control invasive species
Secondary
- farming communities prosper
- national ag economy prospers
- global food security
How does the quantified risk compare to the perceived risk?
Quantified risk is often much less than the perceived risk for something like pesticides
Definition of risk
The probability that a bad event will occur it’s quantitative
3 sections of risk communication
- Facts and stats can be used when things ARENT polarized
- professionals can communicate risk when things are slightly polarized and if the topic is slightly complicated
- if the issue is very polarizing and complicated, no amount of facts can change their mind. They just use their world views
How does risk relate to benefits?
If the benefits are high, people are willing to put up with more risk. DDT paint is perceived as less risky to people living in malaria areas than for us in Canada. The risk IS still the same but the perception is different.
