RRJ A History of Pesticides

Reference:

Tyler, L. (2009, April 29). A History of Pesticides. BRIGHTHUB.COM,
Retrieved September 5, 2009, from http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/33448.aspx

Summary:

Tyler's (2009) article "A History of Pesticides" states the development of pesticides over time. Since people learn about pests, they have used pesticides to control pests. In the beginning of old eras, humans used natural materials to kill pests. After World War I and II, pesticides became necessary to kill pests, which attack humans, crops, and their properties. Many pesticides such as DDT caused environmental side effects. In 1960, Rachel Carson wrote her book (Silent Spring); this book talked about pesticides, risk on our environment. Many pesticides are residual for long time in the environment such as DDT. From the last decades of the 20th century until now, scientists have created a system named integrated pest management. This system used all environmental factors to control pest ecosystems.

Reaction:

The author mentioned the brief history of pesticides. I think there is a lot of basic information the author does not mention. For example, pesticides are divided into two groups, organic pesticides and inorganic pesticides. In old eras, humans used inorganic pesticides (pyrethrum, cyanide, sulfur, lead, and garlic) to kill pests. First pesticides, human created botanical insecticides such as nicotine, pyrethrum, and rotenone. Old Chinese used red onion and garlic to repel rats. The author does not mention why humans developed pesticides over time. During some eras, there were famines and diseases that attacked people. Therefore, scientists created and developed pesticides. In the last decades of the 20th century, scientists found a new system named integrated pest management (IPM) to protect our environment. Developing countries used IPM on la arge scale, but the third world still used old pesticides. Our country started to use IPM on a small scale.