Pesticides

To prevent insects and weeds from lessening crop yield. It also used residentially to improve the quality of lawns.

Many different foods, especially leafy green vegetables and fruits. Organic foods are grown without pesticides.

Weight gain, especially in children (1)
Decrease in IQ - exposure to pesticides during pregnancy leads to problems with the developing brain. Specifically, the organophosphates, a group of chemicals that are quite common in many pesticides, can cause pauses in neuron transmission. (2,3)
Impotence in men (4)
Fibroids - fibroids are abnormal growths in the uterus (5,6,7)
ADHD - We must be careful here. ADHD can be caused by a multitude of factors. We are not saying that if you are exposed to certain pesticides that your children will automatically have ADHD. What seems to be true is that exposure to organophosphate pesticides increases the chances of young children being more inattentive. (8)

See our take action section

Using pesticides is not the only way to control pests. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a non-toxic method of reducing pests that is being implemented by many farmers.
Glyphosate, the carcinogenic chemical in Roundup, has recently been found in a number of wheat-based food products grown by the Bayer-Monsanto corporation. Check out this article on the Environmental Working Group's website to learn more.
Proper legislation is crucial. In 2005, chlorpyrifos, a toxic, neuro-disrupting organophosphate pesticide, was banned from use by the EPA. In 2017, the Scott Pruitt led EPA overturned this ban, citing the idea that it slowed economic growth. Today, 90% of Americans have some level of chlorpyrifos in their body (9,10).